The LEGO Group is now the world’s fifth largest toy manufacturer in terms of sales. Warner Bros. and the LEGO Group announce plans to develop the first-ever feature film based on LEGO bricks and icons. The LEGO Group announces a multi-year partnership with Disney Consumer Products obtaining exclusive rights to construction toys based on the entire portfolio of Disney and Disney Pixar properties. A completely new product line – LEGO Games – is launched. The line consists of a series of board games that can be played by the whole family. Pilot launch in the UK and Germany. Rest of world to follow. Selected product news 2009 The LEGO brick celebrates its 50th anniversary. While maintaining production in production sites in Eastern Europe, Mexico and Denmark, the LEGO Group decides to take back the majority of its production so that most LEGO products will be produced inhouse. The Taj Mahal is launched – containing the largest number of bricks so far: 5,922 bricks.
LEGO owner Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is inducted to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame (US). Selected product news 2008 The LEGO Group celebrates its 75th anniversary on 10 August in good shape. LEGO Club has approx. 2.6 million members. All distribution for the European and Asian markets is gathered in one distribution center in the Czech Republic. The LEGO Group enters a license agreement with Lucasfilm Inc. on the production of LEGO Indiana Jones sets. The LEGO Star Wars™ Millennium Falcon is the largest LEGO model so far. Number of elements included: 5,195 pieces. Selected product news 2007 Power Functions (electric building system) The LEGO Group announces plans to outsource major parts of production to external partners. The LEGO plant in Willisau (Switzerland) closes. averages more than 8 million aggregated daily unique visitors per month. CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp publicly announces Shared Vision – an action plan for the company until 2010.
Selected product news 2006 MINDSTORMS NXT is launched – new and considerably improved version of the LEGO robotics system. Parcheesi – Board Game The LEGOLAND parks are sold to Merlin Entertainments. The parent company of the LEGO Group – KIRKBI – buys a share of Merlin Entertainments. Today KIRKBI owns approx. one third of Merlin. The LEGO Group posts a profit again. The company is back on track. CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp launches a five-year strategy plan (Shared Vision) for the LEGO Group. The LEGO Group sets up its LEGO Ambassador Progamme to create closer ties between the company and LEGO Fans. enables you to design your own model and then buy the LEGO elements you need to build it online. Selected product news 2005 In January, the LEGO Group announces the results of 2003 – a huge deficit. Owner and CEO Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen heads up the building of an action plan to turn around the company. In October he appoints Jørgen Vig Knudstorp as new CEO of the company.
The year ends with another huge deficit due to heavy write-downs. The LEGO Group and Ferrari launch an agreement to make LEGO sets based on the iconic race cars. The DUPLO trade mark is relaunched as a result of consumer requests. enables you to create your own model and buy the LEGO elements required to build it. Selected product news 2004 The LEGO Group signs the UN Global Compact initiative. For LEGO minifigures who represent real-life persons or characters from books, movies or TV series, the yellow facial colouring is replaced by a more authentic skin colour, facial expression and hair style. The first BIONICLE film, Mask of Light, is released and proves to be a big success. Selected Product News 2003 CLIKITS – new design system for girls The brand statement "Play On" replaces "Just Imagine...". The LEGO DUPLO brand is replaced by the LEGO EXPLORE brand covering all pre-school activities. LEGO Brand Retail stores open in Cologne, Germany (September), Milton Keynes, England (November) and Moscow, Russia (December).
LEGOLAND Deutschland opens at Günzbrug, Germany. Selected Product News 2002 Music Composer (LEGO EXPLORE) Music Roller (LEGO EXPLORE) Island Extreme Stunts (+ PlayStation game) LEGO My World receives an important award in Germany for the best software learning product at the book fair in Frankfurt. LEGO Mindstorms Robot “Jitter” is sent into orbit around the earth with the International Space Station. LEGO Serious Play is unveiled in the autumn. Deficit is again turned to profit for LEGO Group. Selected Product News 2001 LEGO BIONICLE (+ BIONICLE PC and Nintendo game) LEGO Bob the Builder LEGO My World (software) Island 2 - The Brickster's Revenge (software) LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System 2.0 – released in rest of world The company mission and fundamental beliefs are being revised to "Children are our role models..." The British Association of Toy Retailers names the LEGO brick "Toy of the Century".
The LEGO Group achieves its budgeted surplus of DKK 500 million and employees are rewarded with a bonus and a global party. The LEGO Group signs a partnership deal with Warner Bros. relating to the launch of LEGO Products based on Harry Potter’s magic universe. LEGO factory opens in Kladno, Czech Republic. The LEGO Group runs a DKK 1 billion deficit. Selected Product News 2000 LEGO & Steven Spielberg MovieMaker Set (LEGO Studios) Decoration foam (LEGO SCALA) Grand Silver Champion (LEGO TECHNIC) Speed Slammers (LEGO TECHNIC) LEGO Football (LEGO Soccer in the US) LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System 2.0 – released in JapanOur team Our contacts Log in with your credentials I remember my details CHECK YOUR LOFT FOR CHILDHOOD LEGO SETS AS VALUES CONTINUE TO SOAR Birmingham NECBrick BirminghamBrick NECBuy LEGOLegoLEGO ModelsLego Museum Forget investing in stocks and shares, it would seem the key to your fortune could be hiding in your loft amongst your childhood toys according to the organisers of BRICK 2015.
“With the soar in popularity of LEGO with both adults and children, the effect on the values of both rare, hard to find sets and new releases has been incredible,” explains Bev Channell, BRICK Shows Event Director. “It’s well worth searching through your old sets to see what treasures are hiding there.” Hard to find sets have become more valuable, with even the average Lego set increasing by as much as 12 per cent each year since the turn of the Millennium – offering a better return than putting money into more trational investments. For example, the 2007 Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon, with just over 5,000 LEGO pieces, retailed at £342.49 when it was released. This set now sells for nearly eight times as much, with winning bids of up to £2,712 on the likes of Ebay. It’s not just the sets in pristine condition either as second-hand prices rise for specific sets as soon as they go out of production, while modern sets released in the past year are already selling on eBay for 36 per cent more than their original price.
The show’s BRICK Lane features retailers from all over the UK and Europe who specialise in tracking down the more collectable sets and mini figures. York-based Minifigs & Bricks is one such company whose managing director David Kirkham has turned his hobby into a profitable business. “We look for sets and mini figures that are a little bit different such as a battery-operated light up Star Wars Darth Vadar. It was part of a set of three, with a standard figure and a small vehicle, that retailed when new for £15. Now we sell the light-up Darth Vadar on its own for £70. LEGO has produced between 7,000 and 8,000 licenced and rare minifgiures to date and I own around 3,000 of them so my own collection continues to grow as well.” Set – release date – pieces (mini figs) – retail price – current value 1 Ultimate Collector’s Millennium Falcon – 2007 – 5,195 (5) – £342.49 – £2,712 2 Cafe Corner – 2007 – 2,056 (3) – £89.99 – £2,096 3 Taj Mahal – 2008 – 5,922 (0) – £199.99 – £1,848