Boost for Lego

Lego popularity

2009 was a strong year for Danish toymaker Lego as it saw its profits growing strongly as there was a re-surge in the products popularity. Generating the largest profits for the company was its Star Wars and Lego City products.

Pre-tax profits rose 55.9 percent from 2008 to 2887 million Danish Kroner (GBP£351 million). During 2009, Lego increased its global market share to 4.8 percent, with its strongest growth in English-speaking markets.

The Denmark-based company said it was optimistic that the sales growth would continue in 2010.

"Based on the good results in 2009 and our sales during the first months of 2010, we also expect sizable growth this year," Vig Knudstorp said.

Renewal on deal

Also, developers TT Games in conjunction with Warner Bros Interactive, have secured a renewal of their deal with Lego Systems for the development of video games based on Lego properties until 2016.

TT Games is the publisher and developer behind hit LEGO video game franchises including, LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Batman and LEGO Indiana Jones.

"We look forward to carrying on our excellent collaboration with the LEGO Group in building extraordinary LEGO video game franchises, with both Warner Bros. and third party IP, that continue to resonate with consumers," said Tom Stone, managing director of TT Games Publishing. "There is a tremendous future for LEGO games, and we are looking forward to working with all of our partners over the coming years."

The Lego video game franchise is so popular, it has sold 50 million copies across all platforms worldwide.

The company also completed a reversal of previous outsourcing projects, and brought all of its factory production back in house, the BBC reports.

2009 saw Lego investing in its factories in Mexico, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

The firm began in a carpenter's workshop in 1932 and founder Ole Kirk Christiansen chose the name for his creation by combining the first two letters of the Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well".

Lego claims that children across the globe spend five billion hours a year playing with its bricks.

Jodie Humphries

Jodie Humphries graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA Hons in Creative Writing in 2008. She has worked for GDS Publishing for the digital group since July 2009. She has previous experience with writing for the web, running her own website since April 2007.

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