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Ole Kirk Christiansen, who started making wooden toys, ironing boards and stepladders at his Billund, Denmark workshop, likely did not think of the fact that the colorful bricks made by him in his workshop, would later become the most loved toy brand in the world.      He and his son Godtfred were able save Lego from disaster by taking the Lego in a different direction.      Ole Kirk Christiansen      Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from a small village in rural Denmark who turned his passion of whittling into the most popular toys. They are known as LEGO bricks, the construction toys are loved in 130 countries around the globe by millions of kids and adults.      In 1924, Ole's woodworking shop was completely destroyed by a fire. The fire was caused by two of Ole's sons who had ignited the fire with shavings of wood. Despite a loss of materials, Ole rebuilt and soon the company grew through the sale of wooden toys.      In the hey-yo craze of the thirties, the factory produced so many yo-yos unsellable that the company nearly went into bankruptcy. Vejle Bank provided a loan which was repaid and Ole was able to re-build the factory. Leg Godt, which is Danish for "play well" was changed in order to represent the current direction of Ole.      Godtfred Christiansen      Godtfred Kirk Christiansen died in his home town of Billund, Denmark. He had grown his father's company of wooden toys to a global empire. He was 75 years old.      Following the destruction of a fire in the family's wood toy warehouse, Godtfred decided the company should concentrate on toys made of plastic. His brothers, Karl and Gerhardt--who had been the directors of plastic and wood product manufacturing respectively--disagreed.      While on a ferry ride the London toy fair, Godtfred met with a buyer who opined that instead of making exclusive toys, manufacturers should create a system in which sets of toys are interlocked. This led to the creation of the current Lego stud-and-tube model, which was patented on January 28, 1958.      The Kiddicraft brick      In the late 1940s, a firm called Kiddicraft introduced "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Bricks". These were hollow rectangular plastic blocks with four round studs that were placed on the top. Each stud could be inserted into studs of a different block, allowing them to be stacked firmly.      Kirk Christiansen, Godtfred and Godtfred, a British manufacturer of the first injection molding machine were shown these blocks by the salesman to show the kinds of toys they could create. Kirk Christiansen, irrespective of whether they knew or not they were patentable, copied them and changed their name to Lego. It was the beginning of a toy business that continues to generate billions today. Hilary Fisher Page committed suicide in the year 1957. She was the creator of Kiddicraft.      The machine for plastic injection molding      Lego bricks are among the most sought-after toys in the world. The fact that Lego bricks are strong and durable in addition to being children-friendly is the reason they are so popular. They can be built into anything from city structures to spaceships and have inspired many designs by children around the world.      Godtfred's idea for the stud-and-tube system was a result of an exchange with a buyer. The buyer suggested that toy makers create a system where sets of toys could be interconnected and used to build different kinds of structures. The Lego system was created from this idea. In the year 1971, sets containing dollhouses and furniture pieces were introduced. The company also expanded its transport options by introducing ships and boats with hulls that floated.      The Town Plan      Lego's Technic series, which included mechanical components that were detailed established the standard in the 80s. Nine years later, it introduced the Minifigure citizens in yellow who now appear in play sets with themes. Lego also introduced Duplo in the same year to create a larger line of blocks designed for children who can't handle the small bricks that were originally used.      In the present, Lego is a global toy empire with 10 theme parks and an animated movie franchise. Although it has expanded the company has managed to retain a loyal base. Lego is known for its loyal customers since it's more like a friend rather than a business.      The Ninjago theme      While Lego is best known for its plastic construction blocks, it has become so more than a toy. In 1998 Lego was named Toy of the Century. It was a clear winner over teddy bears and Barbie. Today, the company operates a vast media empire, with books, TV shows, as well as theme parks.      The company also has a line called Mindstorms of programmable robots that has helped to shape its education strategies. Seymour Papert, the founder of the concept of constructionism as well as the company's educational philosophy, believes that children learn best when they construct things.      The Ninjago theme has become a major focus at Lego fan events and the film has sparked the creation of massive collaborative sets. The style of the first collection, Ninjago City 70620, has also shaped other LEGO themes.         If you have any kind of inquiries regarding where and ways to make use of the best lego sets, you can contact us at our web page.