Lego Produktions AG Schweiz
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Toy manufacturing |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Defunct | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Baar , Switzerland |
| Products | Lego Primo, Lego Duplo, Lego Technic, Lego Bionicle |
Lego Produktions AG Schweiz served as a significant manufacturing hub for the Lego company in Baar (ZG), Switzerland, from 1974 until 2004. When its closure was announced in 2001, this facility was responsible for producing 30% of Lego’s worldwide output. The Baar plant ultimately ceased operations in 2004, with the remainder of Swiss manufacturing concluding in 2005.
Origins
The founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, chose a former Kenwood AG office building in Baar to establish Lego’s inaugural factory outside Denmark. This site functioned as both the Swiss headquarters and the central production location. The use of pre-existing steel and concrete components allowed for swift construction. The factory was designated Lego Lättich, named after its geographic setting.
Growth
Increasing product demand prompted expansion from Hall 2 into additional Halls 3 and 4, which accommodated injection molding and research and development activities. Equipped with 213 injection-molding machines, it became the largest facility of its kind in Switzerland. Heat generated as a byproduct of molding processes was utilized to warm nearby public swimming pools until the plant’s closure.
The toolmaking division was relocated to Steinhausen, with a maintenance workshop remaining at Lättich. A new complex called Lego Neuhof, also in Baar, centralized operations including injection molding, assembly, welding, printing, and packaging. Automated systems were implemented to streamline inventory movement between machinery and storage areas. Research and product development were transferred to Rumentikon/Hagendorn (Cham). Due to capacity constraints at Steinhausen and Hohenwestedt (Germany), a new tooling workshop was established in Au, St. Gallen.
In 1993, Lego inaugurated a state-of-the-art factory in Willisau featuring interconnected production halls and a private rail connection to the Swiss Federal Railways network. Willisau handled injection molding, printing, assembly, packaging, as well as specialized processes like blow-waxing and deep drawing for packaging and construction boards.
Shutdown
Facing difficulties in 1998, Lego discontinued model-building and product development at Rumentikon; however, research activities persisted. The Au tooling facility was sold to Otto Mannes GmbH (Barnes Group Inc.), which retained all personnel.
Following a brief recovery, Lego considered establishing a Legoland park in Rotkreuz, canton of Zug; however, plans were abandoned due to refusal of land sales. In early 2000, Lego closed its US manufacturing site and terminated external production of the "Lego-Watch" line. Injection-molding equipment from these discontinued operations was consolidated into the Lättich and Neuhof factories.
By early 2001, declining profitability led to decisions to shut down Lättich within six months and Neuhof within one year, impacting approximately 400 of the 950 employees. These closures were postponed by over a year. The Neuhof plant was later repurposed by Swiss Post for sorting services and by Bucher Bitsch for warehousing. The Lättich site now accommodates various businesses including Speckprint AG. Research and development related to plastics and manufacturing processes were also terminated. Toolmaking operations in Steinhausen were sold to Wisi'on Tool AG in 2005; this company continued fulfilling Lego orders with no plans announced for Willisau’s closure.
Lego shifted its focus toward licensing agreements with Chinese manufacturers, resulting in the cessation of Willisau production in 2005. In 2011, Competec Group acquired the 55,000-square-meter Willisau property for logistics purposes.
At present, only Lego’s sales and finance divisions remain operational within Switzerland.
Products
Manufacturing in Switzerland encompassed the following product lines:
- Lego Primo
- Lego Duplo
- Lego Technic
- Lego Bionicle
Technical equipment
Lego predominantly utilized injection molding machines sourced from Arburg (Germany) and Engel (Austria), with additional support from Battenfeld (Austria) and Klöckner-Werke (Germany). At the Lättich facility, the number of two-component machines never exceeded six. The majority of equipment for extraction, temperature regulation, and post-processing was designed internally. For water cooling purposes, Lego exclusively employed HB-Therm temperature control systems. Initially, Lego components were kept in cardboard packaging, which was later substituted by standardized plastic containers manufactured externally for exclusive internal use.
Education and training
In Switzerland, Lego provided apprenticeship programs in various fields including:
- Merchant
- Computer scientist
- Warehouseman
- Electrician
- Toolmaker / PolyMechanic
- Plastic technologist
Specialized training in thermoset processing, a branch of plastics technology, was offered at Isopress AG.
External links
- SwissLUG, Swiss LEGO enthusiasts club
- steinCHenwelt, Swiss LEGO exhibition