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Lego A/S ( trade name : the Lego Group ) is a danish toy product ship’s company based in Billund. [ 6 ] It manufactures Lego -brand toys, consisting by and large of interlocking credit card bricks. The Lego Group has besides built several amusement parks around the universe, each known as Legoland, and operates numerous retail stores. The company was founded on 10 August 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen. [ 7 ] The list Lego is derived from the danish words leg godt, meaning “ bid well ”. In the first half of 2015, The Lego Group became the world ‘s largest toy dog company by tax income, with sales amounting to US $ 2.1 billion, surpassing Mattel, which had US $ 1.9 billion in sales. [ 8 ] [ 9 ]
Reading: The Lego Group – Wikipedia
history [edit ]
The Lego company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter whose chief business of producing family goods had suffered due to the Great Depression. initially producing wooden toys, the company late developed a system of interlocking bricks. manufacture of plastic Lego bricks began in Denmark in 1947, and since has grown to include factories throughout the earth. In North America, Samsonite managed the Lego brand from 1961 until 1972 ( United States ) and 1986 ( Canada ) .
Trademark and patents [edit ]
Since the death of the last stand Lego patent in 1989, a number of companies have produced interlocking bricks that are alike to Lego bricks. The toy dog company Tyco Toys produced such bricks for a time ; other competitors include Mega Bloks and Best-Lock. These rival products are typically “ compatible ” with Lego bricks, and are much marketed at a lower monetary value than Lego sets. One such rival is Coko, manufactured by chinese company Tianjin Coko Toy Co., Ltd. In 2002, Lego Group ‘s swiss subsidiary company Interlego AG sued the company for copyright violation. A trial court found many Coko bricks to be infringing ; Coko was ordered to cease fabrication of the conflict bricks, publish a formal apology in the Beijing Daily, and pay a small fee in damages to Interlego. On appeal, the Beijing High People ‘s Court upheld the trial court ‘s rule. [ 10 ] In 2003, The Lego Group won a lawsuit in Norway against the commercialize group Biltema for its sale of Coko products, on the grounds that the company used product confusion for commercialize purposes. [ 11 ] besides in 2003, a big cargo of Lego-like products marketed under the name “ Enlighten ” was seized by finnish customs authorities. The promotion of the Enlighten products was similar to official Lego promotion. Their chinese manufacturer failed to appear in woo, and frankincense Lego won a default option military action ordering the destruction of the dispatch. Lego Group footed the bill for the disposal of the 54,000 sets, citing a hope to avoid sword confusion and protect consumers from potentially inferior products. [ 12 ] In 2004, Best-Lock Construction Toys defeated a patent challenge from Lego in the Oberlandesgericht, Hamburg. The Lego Group has attempted to trademark the “ Lego Indicia ”, the stud appearance of the Lego brick, hoping to stop production of Mega Bloks. On 24 May 2002, the Federal Court of Canada dismissed the case, asserting the invention is functional and consequently ineligible for hallmark security. [ 13 ] The Lego Group ‘s appeal was dismissed by the Federal Court of Appeal on 14 July 2003. [ 14 ] In October 2005, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that “ Trademark law should not be used to perpetuate monopoly rights enjoyed under now-expired patents ” and held that Mega Bloks can continue to manufacture their bricks. [ 15 ] Because of fierce rival from copycat products, the company has always responded by being proactive in their patent and has over 600 United States–granted blueprint patents to their identify. [ 16 ]
fiscal results [edit ]
Lego factory in Kladno, Czech Republic, established in 2000. This is one of respective sites in the worldly concern where Lego toys are manufactured ( Denmark, Hungary, China and Mexico are the others ). In 2003, The Lego Group faced a budget deficit of krypton. 1.4 billion ( US $ 220 million at then-current exchange rates ; equal to € 175 million ), [ 17 ] causing Poul Plougmann to be replaced by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen as president. In the follow year, about one thousand employees were laid off, due to budget cuts. however, in October 2004, on reporting an even larger deficit, Kristiansen besides stepped down as president of the united states, while placing khmer rouge. 800 million of his private funds into the company. In 2005, The Lego Group reported a 2004 net loss of krypton. 1,931 million on a full employee turnover, including Legoland amusement parks, of khmer rouge. 7,934 million. For 2005, the ship’s company returned a profit of krypton. 702 million, having increased its gross by 12 % to kr. 7,050 million in 2005 against khmer rouge. 315 million in 2004. It besides cut expenditures and disposed of entertainment parks and a factory in Switzerland. In 2011, sales for the company grew 11 %, rising from US $ 2,847 million in 2010 to US $ 3,495 million in 2011. profit for 2011 fiscal year increased from US $ 661 million to US $ 776 million. The increase net income was due to the enormous popularity of the fresh brand Ninjago, which became the party ‘s biggest product introduction ever. [ 18 ] In 2012, it was reported that The Lego Group had become the world ‘s most valuable toy company ahead of Mattel with a rate at over US $ 14.6 billion. [ 19 ] The Lego Group delivered a upset of krypton. 14,142 million in the first half of 2015 with an increase of 18 % compared with the same period in 2014 measured in local currency ( i.e. excluding the impact of foreign exchange rate changes ). net profit for the first one-half of 2015 was kr. 3,553 million compared with krypton. 2,715 million for the first half of 2014. beginning half-year sales were driven by double-digit growth across all geographic regions and strong merchandise invention on themes such as Lego Ninjago, Lego Elves and Lego Creator. [ 20 ] The Lego Group announced on 4 September 2017 its intention to cut 1,400 jobs following reduced gross and net income in the beginning half of the year, the foremost reported decrease in 13 years. [ 21 ] The tax income losses are ascribable to a more competitive environment, where the ship’s company has to compete not entirely against its traditional competitors Mattel and Hasbro, but besides against engineering companies such as Sony or Microsoft as more children use mobile devices for entertainment. [ 22 ] The job cuts account for 8 percentage of the company ‘s full employment force. [ 21 ] In May 2018, the company made it to Forbes clear 100 World ‘s Most Valuable Brands 2018, [ 23 ] being 97th on the tilt .
Legoland [edit ]
The Lego Group has built eight entertainment parks around the global, each known as Legoland. Each ballpark features large-scale Lego models of celebrated landmarks and miniature Lego models of celebrated cities, along with Lego themed rides. The beginning Legoland parking lot was built in Lego ‘s home town of Billund in Denmark. This was followed by Legoland Windsor in England, Legoland California in Carlsbad, US and Legoland Deutschland in Günzburg, Germany. In accession, Legoland Sierksdorf was opened in 1973, but soon closed in 1976. In July 2005, the Lego Group announced that it had reached a deal with private investment company the Blackstone Group to sell all four parks for € 375 million to the Blackstone subordinate Merlin Entertainments. Under the terms of the hand, The Lego Group would take a 30 % share in Merlin Entertainments and positions on their dining table. [ 24 ] The sale of the root park was contribution of a broad scheme to restructure the company to focus on the core business of toy dog products. In 2010, Merlin Entertainments opened the first Legoland water park at the Legoland California web site. On 15 October 2011, Merlin Entertainments opened their first new Legoland park, Legoland Florida, in Winter Haven, Florida. It is the largest Legoland opened to date at 145 acres, and besides merely one of the Legoland parks opened in the United States. The other Legoland ( opened at a late date ) water system park was opened near the like placement on 26 May 2012 after entirely four months of construction. Merlin Entertainments opened their second new Legoland parking lot in Nusajaya, Malaysia under the name Legoland Malaysia on 22 September 2012. [ 25 ] It is the first Legoland in Asia and was quickly followed by another Lego-themed water park in the same area. The beginning Lego hotel has besides opened near the site. People who stay in the hotel will besides get tickets to the root park and water park. [ 26 ] Merlin Entertainments has besides planned several new Legoland parks : Legoland Dubai, Legoland Nagoya [ 27 ] ( scheduled to open in 2015 ), and Legoland Korea [ 28 ] ( besides scheduled to open in 2015 ). In addition, they have opened four new Legoland Discovery Centres, which take the Legoland concept and scale it down to suit a retail park environment .
retail stores [edit ]
A Lego retail store
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The Lego Group operates 168 retail stores ( 95 in the United States, 18 in the United Kingdom, 17 in Germany, 13 in Canada, 10 in France, 3 in Denmark, 3 in the Netherlands, 2 in Austria, 2 in Belgium, 2 in Sweden, 2 in Poland and 1 in Spain [ 29 ]. ). [ 30 ] The Lego Group besides franchised its store stigmatize to Majid Al Futtaim Group, which opened 6 stores in 2015 ( 4 in the United Arab Emirates, and 2 in Kuwait ). [ 31 ] As of 2021 there is a sum of 388 stores operated by franchisees. [ 32 ]
Europe [edit ]
October 2002 saw a meaning change in The Lego Group ‘s steer retail policy with the orifice of the beginning alleged Lego Brand Store in Cologne, Germany. The second base, in Milton Keynes, UK, followed quickly – several twelve more afford global over the next few years, and most of the existing stores have been remodelled on the new Brand Store template. One of the distinctive features of these new stores is the inclusion of a “ Pick-A-Brick ” arrangement that allows customers to buy person bricks in bulk quantities. How a customer buys Lego pieces at a Pick-A-Brick is quite elementary : customers fill a big or small cup or bag with their choice of Lego bricks from a bombastic and vary excerpt and purchase it. The opening of most of these stores, including the 2003 opening of one in the Birmingham Bull Ring shopping center in England, have been marked by the production of a fresh, special, restrict edition, commemorative Lego Duplo firearm. Lego opened the first gear brand shop in its home country Denmark in Copenhagen on December 13, 2010. There are two stores in Austria, one storehouse in Belgium, twelve stores in Germany, seventeen stores in the United Kingdom, six stores in France, five stores in Spain, two stores in Serbia, one store in Sweden, one store in Denmark, and one shop in Lithuania for a total of 41 stores in Europe. In 2016, three stores opened in Italy : one in Milan, one in the denounce center near the Orio aluminum Serio International Airport in Bergamo, and another in Verona. In 2020, the full measure of Lego stores in Italy reached 14, covering from North to South .
North America [edit ]
In 1992, when the Mall of America opened in Bloomington, Minnesota, one of its prime minister attractions was the Lego Imagination Center ( LIC ). An imagination center is a big Lego shop with displays of Lego sculptures and a act area with bins of bricks to build with. The store armory includes a big excerpt of Lego sets for sale, including sets which are advertised in Lego catalogues as “ not available in Any store ”. A second resource center opened at the Disney Springs ( once Downtown Disney ) at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Between 1999 and 2005, Lego opened 24 far stores in North America in 23 states. As of 2016, there are 90 Lego stores operating or soon-to-be operate in North America in 32 US states and five canadian provinces. [ 33 ] These stores sell versatile Lego merchandise, including minifigures, Pick-a-Brick, and custom packaged minifigures .
India [edit ]
The beginning Lego storehouse in India was opened in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in March 2014 by Funskool, under license from the Lego Group. [ 34 ]
Lego Interactive [edit ]
Lego Interactive ( once Lego Media and late Lego Software ) was the television game publishing division of The Lego Group. [ 35 ] The ship’s company was founded as Lego Media in 1996 and headquartered in London, England. [ 36 ] In February 1999, Lego Media announced their move into the girls ‘ software industry, starting with Lego Friends. [ 37 ] Eventually, The Lego Group opted out of the video game clientele and Lego Interactive was shut down. [ 38 ] Former Lego Interactive staff opened Giant Interactive Entertainment, which late became separate of TT Games. [ 38 ] Lego Media besides operated a motion picture division, which produced the BBC children ‘s series Little Robots for Cosgrove Hall Films. [ 39 ] In 2003, this division was rebranded to Create television and Film Limited, and became independent from The Lego Group under Lego ‘s majority owner Kirkbi A/S, which allowed Create television and Film to branch onto other projects. [ 40 ] [ 41 ] [ 42 ] The company late produced Bionicle: Mask of Light, Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui and Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows for Creative Capers Entertainment. [ 43 ] In 2005, Kirkbi A/S sold Create TV and Film to its headman executive policeman, Vanessa Chapman, and the company was renamed Create Media Ventures Limited. The sale included Little Robots but excluded the Bionicle movies, which were retained by The Lego Group. [ 44 ]
Toy production [edit ]
lego products are mass-produce, packaged and shipped on a large scale. Lego Produktion AG was a major product facility for Lego. It was founded in Switzerland in 1974. [ 45 ] At the time of its announce completion in 2001, 30 % of the world production of Lego was produced at the swiss facility in Baar. [ 46 ] The Baar adeptness finally closed in 2004. [ 47 ] In April 1962, the Lego Group began producing miniature tires ; it became the largest bore fabrication company in 2011, when it produced 381 million tires that year. [ 48 ]
environmental issues [edit ]
Lego acknowledges the impingement of its operations on the environment, in particular in areas such as climate change, resource and energy use and neutralize. All manufacture sites are certified according to the environmental standard ISO 14001. The first Borkum Riffgrund 1 wind turbines off the slide of Germany began producing electricity in February 2015, which will help The Lego Group reach its goal of being based 100 % on renewable department of energy by 2020. [ 49 ] The company claims to recycle 90 % of its waste and that it had made its operations about one-third more energy effective over the five-year menstruation ending on December 31, 2013. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] It is seeking alternatives to crude vegetable oil as the bleak corporeal for its bricks. [ 52 ] In June 2015, this results in the establishment, named the Lego sustainable Materials Centre, which is expected to recruit more than 100 employees, as a meaning step towards the 2030 ambition of finding and implementing sustainable alternatives to current materials. [ 53 ] In 2011, Lego bowed to pressure from the environmental campaign organization Greenpeace, reportedly agreeing to drop supplier Asia Pulp and Paper, and pledging to only use packaging material certified by the Forest Stewardship Council in future. [ 54 ] The environmental group had accused Lego, Hasbro, Mattel and Disney of using packaging material sourced from trees cleared out of the indonesian rain forest. [ 55 ] Lego partnered with the oil party Royal Dutch Shell in the 1960s, using the company ‘s logo in some of its construction sets. This partnership continued until the 1990s, and was renewed again in 2011. [ 56 ] In July 2014, Greenpeace launched a ball-shaped political campaign to persuade Lego to cease producing toys carrying the oil company Shell ‘s logo in response to Shell ‘s plans to drill for petroleum in the Arctic. [ 57 ] Shell ‘s PR company valued the most recent biennial deal with Lego at $ 116 million, and reported that Shell achieved a 7.5 % worldwide sales upheaval during the forwarding video from Iris International. [ 51 ] [ 58 ] Lego announced that when the latest contract between the two companies comes to an end it will not be renewing it. [ 59 ] As of August 2014, more than 750,000 people global had signed a Greenpeace petition asking Lego to end its partnership with Shell. [ 60 ] Lego responded saying they “ expect that Shell lives up to their responsibilities wherever they operate ” and that they “ intend to live up to the long term contract with Shell, which we entered into in 2011. ” [ 61 ] interim, Greenpeace produced a video campaign against the Shell partnership ; it received extensive crush coverage [ 62 ] [ 63 ] and was viewed more than six million times on YouTube. [ 64 ] In October 2014, Lego announced that it would not be renewing its promotional shrink with Royal Dutch Shell but did not say when the existing softwood with Shell expires. Greenpeace claimed the decision was in response to its campaign. [ 65 ]
Gender equality and homo rights [edit ]
In January 2014, a handwritten letter to Lego from a seven-year-old american girl, Charlotte Benjamin, received far-flung attention in the media. In it the young writer complained that there were “ more lego boy people and barely any Lego girls ” and observed that “ all the girls did was sit down at base, go to the beach, and shop, and they had no jobs, but the boys went on adventures, worked, saved people … even swam with sharks ”. [ 66 ] [ 67 ] In June 2014, it was announced that Lego would be launching a newfangled “ Research Institute ” collection featuring female scientists including a female pharmacist, paleontologist, and astronomer. [ 67 ] [ 68 ] The science-themed project was selected as the latest Lego Ideas achiever, and was submitted by Ellen Kooijman, a geochemist in Stockholm. [ 69 ] Lego denied claims that the set was introduced to placate criticism of the ship’s company by activists, pointing to its Lego Ideas origins. The Research Institute range sold out within a workweek of its on-line dismissal in August 2014. The BBC ‘s Tom de Castella reported that Kooijman was pleased with the adjust ‘s final design, despite the addition of boldness makeup to her original marriage proposal, and that Becky Francis, professor of department of education and social justice at King ‘s College London, who had been “ very, identical disappoint ” by Lego Friends, is a fan. [ 70 ] In 2021, Lego released a stage set entitled “ Everyone is Awesome ” to celebrate and recognize the LGBTQ+ community. The bent includes over 300 pieces and has 11 monochrome minifigures in the colors of the rainbow. The set was designed by Matthew Ashton who said on the official Lego web site “ The start point for this was my impression that we, as a club, could be doing more to show accompaniment for each early and appreciate our differences. Being LGBTQIA+ myself, I knew I needed to step up to the plate and make a real statement about love and inclusivity, and generally spread some LEGO® love to everybody who needs it. Children are our character models and they welcome everyone, no matter their background. Something we should all be aspiring to. ” [ 71 ] In October 2021, Lego Group launched a campaign named “ fix for Girls ” as partially of its celebration of the UN ‘s International Day of the Girl. The company besides announced its plan to remove sex stereotypes from the miniature ( s ) following a review of a study commissioned by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. [ 72 ]
Logos [edit ]
Below are historic images of the Lego logo throughout the company ‘s being. [ 73 ]
References [edit ]
The Lego Group at Wikipedia’s at Wikipedia ‘s
sister projects
