The LEGO Group has a long history starting in 1932 when it began as a wooden toy company. It introduced the now famous LEGO brick in 1958. Key events included the introduction of minifigures in 1974, LEGOLAND parks in 1968, and a partnership with MIT in 1984. Today it is the third largest toy manufacturer, earns over $23 billion annually, and produces over 45 billion LEGO bricks per year. The company's strategy is to strengthen its core business and leverage digitalization, while securing innovative processes and involving children in product development. It is owned by the Kirk Kristiansen family and aims to provide LEGO play experiences to as many children as possible around the world.

1. The LEGO Group
A short presentation
Made by Alexander Gubarev

3. Contents
The LEGO history – in short
The LEGO Group in key figures
Strategy
Organization
Fun LEGO facts
*the best is never
too good

4. The LEGO History In
Short
The 1960s
1962
The company re-invents
the wheel and starts
experimenting with
motors
The LEGO Group is a family
owned company with a long
history, here is a short summary
of the most important historic
events:
1932
Master carpenter, Ole Kirk
Kristiansen, started making
wooden toys
The 1930s
The 1940s
1950
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen takes over as
Managing Director of the LEGO Group
after his father, Ole Kirk Kristiansen
1955
”The LEGO® System of play” is introduced
together with the first “play and Learn” Concept,
emphasizing the importance of learning through
play
1958
The LEGO brick is
launched with a new
coupling system
and thereby lays the
foundation for the
toy of the century.

5. The 1980s
1968
LEGOLAND® park
opens in Billund.
1966
The first LEGO®
train is introduced
complete with rails
and a 4.5 volt motor.
1984
The LEGO Group
initiates a visionary
partnership with MIT
Media Lab
1980
The Educational
Department is
formed. LEGO
Education, develops
and launches
educational
teaching materials.
1969
LEGO® DUPLO® is
launched for the
youngest children. The
bricks are twice the size
of regular LEGO bricks,
so they are easy to build
with.
1993
LEGO Kids’
Wear is
launched
1986
LEGO® Technic Computer
Control is launched as one of
the first outcomes of this
partnership.
1998
The LEGO Group enters
into a license
1989
agreement with
Professor Seymour Papert
Lucasfilm Ltd.
from MIT appointed “LEGO
Obtaining the right to
Professor”.
develop LEGO sets
based on the Star
Wars™ films. Later with,
Disney, Hit
Entertainment and
Warner Bros.
The 1990s
The 1970s
1974
The LEGO figure is born.
The figures represent a
brand new LEGO
concept.
1977
LEGO Technic is
introduced. The
product challenges
older children to
construct vehicles
and other machines.
1978
Kirk Kristiansen
introduces the
“System in a System”
concept.
1979
Kirk Kristiansen
becomes
President and
CEO of the LEGO
Group.
1996
www.LEGO.com is
introduced.
1995
LEGO PRIMO™ is launched for
babies up to 24 months.
1997
The first computer
game is released.

6. The 1990s
The 2010s
1999
The LEGO® product
is elected “Toy of
the Century”.
2006
A new version of
the LEGO®
MINDSTORMS® hits the
shelves. A new robot is
far more advanced
than its eight years
older brother.
2001
The BIONICLE®
universe is
launched.
2002
The LEGO Learning
Institute is
established. The
institute comprises
international experts
researching into
children’s
imagination,
creativity and
learning skills.
2009
LEGO Games board
games with the slogan
“Build – Play – Build
again” are introduced.
2010
A multiplayer online
game, LEGO®
Universe, is
launched.
The 2000s
2003
The LEGO Group
presents a major
deficit and faces a
serious crisis.
2004
Jørgen Vig
Knudstorp
succeeds
Kristiansen as
President and
CEO.
2005
The LEGOLAND parks
are sold to Merlin
Entertainments
Group, as the LEGO
Group must
focus more on the
core business.
2012
LEGO Friends is
launched. The
theme is targeted
towards girls and
introduces a new
mini doll figure
2011
LEGO Ninjago is
launched. The ninja
theme combines
spinners and battle
cards with classic
LEGO construction
play.
2013
The 15th anniversary
of the LEGO®
MINDSTORMS® is
celebrated by
launching the next
generation
platform designed
for younger
generation

8. The LEGO Group in
Key Figures
LEGO Star Wars™ and LEGO City continue to be
the best selling product lines, with LEGO Ninjago,
launched in 2011, following closely. Today the
LEGO Group is the third largest toy manufacturer
in terms of revenue:
1. Mattel
2. Hasbro
3. The LEGO Group
Financial Highlights
The LEGO GROUP
(mDKK)
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
Income Statement:
Revenue
Expenses
Operating profit
Profit before income tax
Net profit for the year
23,406
15,453
7,952
7,522
5,613
18,731
13,066
5,666
5,542
4,160
16,014
10,899
4,973
4,889
3,718
11,661
8,659
2,902
2,887
2,204
9,526
7,522
2,100
1,852
1,352
Employees:
Average number
10,400
9,374
8,365
7,286
5,388

9. Exploring new markets
The LEGO Group aims to continue to expand its strong
position in selected European markets, North America,
China and the rest of Asia.
Strategy
The LEGO Group Strategy
The vision of the LEGO Group is to invent the
future of play and provide as many children
as possible with a LEGO® play
experience through:
Strengthening the core business
The core product portfolio will be further
developed and expanded. The LEGO Group
will leverage digitalization. From a market
perspective, the main focus will be on
growing and defending the Group’s position
on core markets.
Securing innovative processes
LEGO Group will involve children
stakeholders in relevant processes,
such as the product development.
and
other

10. Organization
The LEGO Group today is owned by the third
and fourth generations of the Kirk Kristiansen
founding family: Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen and his
three children. Ownership of the LEGO Group is
handled through the investment company
KIRKBI and the LEGO Foundation.
KIRKBI owns 75% of the LEGO Group. KIRKBI also
owns a 36% shareholding in Merlin
Entertainments Group whose activities include
running the LEGOLAND® parks. The remaining
25% of the LEGO Group is held by the LEGO
Foundation.

11. Fun LEGO
Facts
915 million ways to combine six LEGO®
bricks
When people used to visit the LEGO Group,
one of the things they were told was that
there are 102,981,500 possible ways to
combine six eight-stud LEGO® bricks of the
same colour. But one day the Group was
contacted by a professor of mathematics
who had calculated that this figure was too
low. With the aid of computer
programming he had calculated that the
exact figure was 915,103,765.
LEGO bricks
produced in
2012
45.7
Billions
5.2
Millions/hour
87
Thousand/
min.
On average
every
person owns
Laid end to
end…
86
LEGO bricks
x18
…the number
of LEGO bricks
sold in 2012
would reach
more than 18
times around
the world

12. Thank you for your attention!