Tag Archives: The LEGO Group

The LEGO Group announces double-digit growth for the first half of 2024 [News]

Continuing to outpace the rest of the toy industry, The LEGO Group announced earlier today during it’s earnings report for H1 2024 that it’s achieved a 13% growth in revenue compared to TLG’s H1 of 2023. On top of that, the company has also seen growth in customer sales of 14%, driven by the Europe and the Americas regions. With this additional cash coming in, spending on new offices and factories has also upticked slightly. Amid this growth, the LEGO Group’s continued push for sustainably sourcing plastic for their bricks remains a driving force at the company. Over the last 6 months, about 22% of material used in their toys came from renewable and recycled materials, improving upon the 12% used in H1 of 2023. Other items of note include TLG’s participation in the first International Day of Play and the 25th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars.

Read on for the full press release from the H1 2024 earnings report

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The LEGO Group announces slowdown in growth for the first half of 2023

According to their most recent press release, the LEGO Group’s revenue for the first half of 2023 is up only 1% over the same period in 2022. Similarly, consumer sales grew by 3% compared to that same period last year. And while a positive number is definitely better than a negative one, this rate of expansion pales in comparison to the stats thrown up over the last three years by TLG (revenue was up 17% for the first half of 2022, for example). However, amid a shrinking toy market, these numbers are outstanding when compared to their peers. And in that hostile environment, TLG managed to further grow its market share over this period.

CEO Niels B Christiansen remains undeterred by the slowdown: “Our strong financial position allows us to invest for the long term, particularly in areas such as digital, sustainability and manufacturing. Overall, our performance is in line with expectations, after three consecutive years of extraordinary growth and we are grateful for our great colleagues who work each day to inspire children through play.” In that vein, work continues on new factory construction in the US and Vietnam, as well as expanding facilities in Mexico, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and China.

If you’d like to read the press release in full, it’s available via the LEGO Newsroom page.

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Amid record profits, LEGO announces price increases for second half of 2022 [News]

Today LEGO is announcing that it will be raising the base MSRP on many of its products for the second half of 2022, rolling out in August and September. LEGO reported its annual operating profits grew by 32 percent in 2021, resulting in the company earning a record nearly $2 billion USD net profit last year. New sets will have the price increase factored in, and about a quarter of existing sets will also be affected. The company has not released details on the specifics of how much we can expect prices to increase, but says that smaller sets may only go up by a few percent, while larger sets will be affected more drastically. LEGO is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, also known as ABS, which is a type of petroleum-based plastic, and LEGO says the recent world events affecting the price of oil have impacted its supply chains. Although LEGO is working toward creating plant-based renewable plastic for its bricks, only a few elements are currently made with the non-petroleum-based product.

Here’s the official press release from LEGO:

The current global economic challenges of increased raw material and operating costs are impacting many businesses.

Putting consumers first is at the heart of what we do as a company, and for some time, we have absorbed these costs to keep pricing stable. However, as these costs have continued to rapidly rise, we have taken the decision to increase the price on some of our sets. This increase will come into effect in August and September.

The increase will differ depending on the set and prices will change on around a quarter of the portfolio. On some sets we will not alter price, on others there will be a single digit increase and on larger, more complex sets the percentage increase will be higher.

We will continue to work to ensure our products offer great value and full recognise how important this is to our fans and everyone who love our products.

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LEGO and National Geographic partner to inspire kids about the environment and conservation [News]

LEGO and National Geographic have announced they are partnering on a new line of LEGO City and Friends sets meant to inspire kids to be more environmentally conscious. The new sets (which have been available in most countries since June 1st–available in the Americas starting August 1st) feature ocean exploration and animal rescue themes. The sets include a menagerie of new LEGO animals including a hammerhead shark, anglerfish, manta ray, baby pandas, sloths, alpacas, and multiple elephants.

The sets feature the National Geographic Explorers logo, and LEGO announced it is also donating to the National Geographic Society to fund grants in ocean exploration and species conservation. As part of the campaign, LEGO has also launched an “Explore the World” website and video series to help kids develop creative ideas to address real-life environmental issues.

Learn more about LEGO and National Geographic’s partnership

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO stands against racism and inequality by donating $4 million [News]

In response to the growing protests about racial inequality centered in the US, LEGO announced that they stand with the black community and will donate $4 million to several organizations working to both support and educate children about racial equality. The donation is one of the largest by a corporation announced so far, similar in scale to the $5 million donation announced by Disney.

LEGO’s support of the Black Lives Matter movement and their sizeable donation is a notable response to the tragic events unfolding throughout the US, especially considering their own flagship store in New York was looted earlier this week. These pictures from Twitter users @aaronwhite and @SteveKornacki show the Flatiron District LEGO Store’s windows smashed and shelves wiped clean, with only a broken Star Destroyer and a few permanent displays remaining.

LEGO’s core values state that the company will strive to “make a positive difference in the lives of children… not because we have to – but because it feels right and because we care.” LEGO has also asked retailers and affiliates to pause advertising a variety of products including City sets featuring police officers and firefighters as well as the new LEGO Architecture White House.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO CMO Julia Goldin shares personal message to LEGO fan community [News]

Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing Officer of LEGO, sent a message to LEGO fans and communities thanking them for their creativity during difficult times. In her message, she reflected on the tough global situation and shared some thoughts about how important the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community is to her.

You can watch the video message and read a complete transcript below.

Read or watch LEGO CMO Julia Goldin’s message to the fan community

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Happy 62nd International LEGO Day from The Brothers Brick [News]

Sixty-two years ago today on January 28, 1958, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen submitted a patent application for a toy building brick which was approved six months later. That patent for his “highly sophisticated inter-locking brick system” has since led to LEGO becoming one of the largest toy companies on the globe.

The original Danish patent not only covered a single brick but an entire building system where multiple interlocking plastic building elements “could be put together in a great number of mutually different positions” including several early brick designs pictured below, courtesy of LEGO.

So let’s celebrate our love of LEGO today by building a new set or seeing what LEGO was doing the decade we were born. Sort those parts you’ve needed to, create something new from scratch, or re-build that one LEGO set you loved as a kid. Play well, everyone.

Want to know more about the history of LEGO and the fan community? Check out The Brothers Brick LEGO History timeline.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO will make regional exclusive sets available worldwide starting next month [News]

Over the past year, LEGO has produced quite a few special sets with limited availability, including regional and retailer exclusives like the Chinese New Year sets and the Darth Vader Bust. Access to these products has typically been extremely limited, forcing many frustrated LEGO fans both in the US and abroad to go out of their way and pay exorbitant amounts of money from scalpers and other sites to obtain the sets. Starting in May, all that is about to change for the better.

Click to read about the change to LEGO regional and exclusive set availability

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen steps down from LEGO Board of Directors [News]

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is stepping down from LEGO’s board of directors, essentially passing on control of the company to the next generation of the Kristiansen family. Like a parent giving their child a LEGO set they grew up with, Kjeld announced that he will step down from LEGO next month, which leaves his son Thomas Kristiansen acting in his stead as the fourth-generation Kristiansen to help lead the company.

The change follows a plan to make a generational shift in leadership which has been happening for several years since Thomas joined the board in 2007. He and LEGO Brand Group CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp are interviewing candidates to ultimately replace Kjeld on the board with the goal in mind of bringing in someone to help the company through their centennial anniversary.

Kjeld has been a reassuring presence to the LEGO fan community throughout the years, visiting several conventions and driving the creation of the LEGO House in Billund, Denmark. He is the son of Godtfred Kirk Christiansen (who was the son of LEGO inventor Ole Kirk Christiansen), and appeared on LEGO boxes as a child. He was CEO of LEGO from 1979 until 2004 and has continued to be a driving and inspirational influence on the company.

The full press release as well as a history of the Kristiansen family’s ownership of LEGO is included after the jump.

Click to read more about the history of LEGO

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO Star Wars 20th Anniversary sets and minifigures revealed [News]

A long time ago… twenty years to be exact, The LEGO Group teamed up with Lucasfilm Ltd. to begin production of sets based on the Star Wars universe. It was the first time LEGO had ever created products based on someone else’s story and characters, translating those fantastic tales into the LEGO world. That partnership has since spawned more than 500 sets, a hit video game franchise, television shows, and countless minifigures that have inspired multiple generations. LEGO Star Wars not only helped save the company from the brink of bankruptcy, but has become one of the top-selling global themes every year since.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of LEGO Star Wars, the company is launching five special sets featuring iconic ships with exclusive throwback minifigures in tribute of the storied history of the franchise. The sets will be available later this year (likely in April), and we will bring you exact release information when it becomes available.

Click to take a closer look at the LEGO Star Wars 20th Anniversary sets

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Happy 61st International LEGO Day from The Brothers Brick! [News]

Sixty-one years ago today on January 28, 1958 Godtfred Kirk Christiansen submitted a patent application for a toy building brick which was approved six months later. Little did Godtfred know that his “highly sophisticated inter-locking brick system” would lead to LEGO becoming one of the largest toy companies on the globe.

So let’s celebrate our love of LEGO today however we can, by building a new set or seeing what LEGO was doing the decade we were born. Sort some parts, create something new and amazing, or re-build that one set you loved as a kid. Play well, everyone.

Want to know more about the history of LEGO and the fan community? Check out our LEGO History timeline!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Last few days to submit designs to Bricklink’s AFOL Designer Program [News]

There are only a few days left to submit entries to Bricklink’s AFOL Designer Program before the Nov. 18th deadline. Up to 20 finalists will be judged by current LEGO designers, and the winning designs will be crowdfunded, produced and sold by Bricklink.

The designs must be created in Bricklink’s Studio 2.0 software. The eventual release of the fan-designed sets is slated for April 2019, with 10 percent of the sales going to the designer. For more information and videos, you can visit Bricklink’s forum or read our earlier news article on the program.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.