These are the basic brick sets sold in North America by Samsonite, the luggage maker, which held the LEGO licence there from 1961. Samsonite made the ordinary bricks itself, first at its factory in Stratford, Ontario, while the special parts came over from Billund, and in 1965 it opened a plant in Loveland, Colorado, used only for LEGO.
1969 LEGO Sets
1969 saw the launch of the DUPLO system, introducing double-sized bricks for preschoolers and opening a new age group for LEGO play. The company’s workforce surpassed 800 employees as sales and exports climbed. Trains advanced with new red spoked wheels, and LEGO Futura—an R&D division focused on concept development—was established in Billund. By this time, LEGO’s shift from cellulose acetate to ABS plastic was nearly complete, ensuring stronger and more colorfast bricks.