en.Wedoany.com Reported - The LEGO Group has officially inaugurated the Kornmarken Campus in Billund, Denmark, its first dedicated global manufacturing innovation hub focused on advanced manufacturing technologies, aiming to drive the future of toy production and product development.
Located in Billund, where the LEGO Group was founded 94 years ago, the campus spans 154,000 square feet (approximately 47,000 square meters) and serves as a strategic consolidation point for manufacturing innovation resources. Combined with the existing factory, the facility forms a 100,000-square-meter advanced complex capable of housing around 1,800 employees from engineering, quality, and manufacturing departments.
CEO Niels B. Christiansen stated that the Kornmarken Campus strengthens the foundation for the LEGO Group's future growth by centralizing all manufacturing innovation activities in one location, accelerating the transformation of new ideas from concept to reality across the global operations network.
The inauguration ceremony featured a ribbon-cutting event attended by Billund Mayor Stephanie Storbank, national and local business representatives, design partners, and LEGO executives including Christiansen and Chief Operating Officer Carsten Rasmussen.
The Testing and Innovation Center serves as the primary hub for developing, testing, and scaling new LEGO elements, production processes, and technologies, covering mold making, injection molding, processing, and packaging.
"Kornmarken" (Danish for "wheat field") symbolizes a fertile ground for creativity and innovation. The campus features five key facilities designed to transform concepts into high-quality LEGO play experiences. The Testing and Innovation Center accelerates iteration speed and enhances quality through a centralized approach. The Materials Laboratory focuses on researching more sustainable raw materials, including alternatives to fossil fuel-based plastics. The Additive Manufacturing Center provides advanced 3D manufacturing capabilities for experimenting with and developing new production methods. The campus also includes a Training Academy that integrates apprenticeship programs in plastic manufacturing and tool making, as well as a Mold Making facility responsible for producing new and unique molds and developing new mold concepts.
Rasmussen stated that the LEGO Group has some of the world's best engineers and craftspeople, and this facility will provide them with the necessary tools and technologies to expand the possibilities of current and future product development and production.
Environmental responsibility is embedded in every aspect of the Kornmarken Campus's design and construction. The facility aims to achieve LEED Platinum certification through energy-efficient systems, renewable energy supply, rainwater management, and measures to promote biodiversity and healthy indoor environments. A 22,000-square-meter large-scale timber structure reduces the building's environmental footprint by sequestering carbon within the structure. An existing nearby 4-megawatt solar park will provide part of the facility's electricity, while a new 80 to 100-megawatt solar park is under construction and will ultimately meet all of the LEGO Group's energy consumption in Billund. Later this year, the campus will open a Sustainable Play Lab, welcoming schoolchildren and visitors to learn about the company's transition to more sustainable materials and manufacturing practices.
The campus design emphasizes collaboration, learning, and employee well-being, reflecting the LEGO Group's values and craftsmanship heritage through shared workspaces and carefully developed facilities. Highlights include a 25-ton red 2x4 LEGO brick installation and a display of historical molds. The Kornmarken Campus represents the latest milestone in the LEGO Group's ongoing investment in Billund as its global headquarters and innovation hub, creating local economic value while supporting future LEGO play experiences for children worldwide.
Earlier this month, LEGO and Koenigsegg announced a collaboration based on shared ambitions, precision, and innovation. This partnership brings the latest addition to the LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept series—the LEGO Technic Koenigsegg Gemera Supercar (set to launch in July)—to life. The LEGO Group and Koenigsegg brought a life-sized LEGO Technic Koenigsegg Gemera to the Goodwood Estate to challenge the legendary hill climb. Driving in reverse up the famous hill, the model achieved a top speed of 111 km/h, setting a new speed record for the fastest drivable LEGO car ever built by the LEGO Group. This milestone marks the launch of the new LEGO Technic Koenigsegg Gemera Supercar set and establishes a new record-breaking category in Goodwood history: the LEGO Car Speed Record. The life-sized, drivable LEGO Technic Koenigsegg Gemera consists of 327,906 LEGO elements, weighs approximately 1,800 kg (400 kg of which are LEGO elements), and required over 9,400 hours to develop and build. Koenigsegg CEO Christian von Koenigsegg stated that innovation and performance are at the core of everything the company does, and seeing the Gemera not only replicated as a highly detailed 1:8 scale LEGO Technic model but also as a full-size drivable vehicle is truly remarkable. The collaboration with the LEGO Group demonstrates how a shared passion for engineering and creativity can produce extraordinary results.
