LEGO: Aussie boss reveals new plans to help parents

The global toy giant is giving parents a reprieve as it prepares to mark its 90th anniversary. And it doesn’t disappoint.

Parents struggling to put together their LEGO build after losing their instruction manual will soon get a reprieve, with the company’s boss saying changes are on their way.

Vice President and General Manager of LEGO Australia and New Zealand, Troy Taylor, spoke to News Corp ahead of the toy brand’s 90th anniversary next week.

He said the company was aware of the issue and there will be a new and easy way to “solve it” — much to the delight of families.

“Currently, we have a customers hotline where if you have a missing piece or manual, someone will be able to help,” Mr Taylor said.

“But we are also working on having downloadable building instructions.

“So you will be able to soon go to our LEGO website and download building instructions to help you with the builds.”

Troy Taylor, VP and GM of LEGO Australia and New Zealand. Picture: Supplied

Mr Taylor is one of LEGO’s youngest executive leaders and has worked all over the world.

He beat 500 applicants as a 20-year-old for a sales role with the company, after being urged to apply by a visiting LEGO rep during his shift at Target in Geelong, Victoria.

“When I was younger we used to catch the train up from the country and go to these LEGO world shows and see these large models built,” he said.

“And mum would always buy us a set, whether it’s a train set, or just some loose bricks. So I always played with Lego bricks as a kid.

“But I never really knew that there was an opportunity to make a career out of it.”

Troy Taylor on his first day at work with LEGO in 2002 with his first task – transporting Bob the Builder.

His first job at LEGO was “trying to convince” stores to house the product in their stores.

“Back then LEGO wasn’t as popular as it is today, especially in regional Victoria,” Mr Taylor recalled.

“A lot of the toy shops wanted to store sporting goods and outdoor toys, but they weren‘t as interested in LEGO.”

Today, LEGO is sold in more than 120 countries, and in 2021 was worth $A13 billion.

Not bad for a company still in family ownership, which began producing wooden toys in the 1930s.

Troy Taylor starting selling LEGO in 2002.

Lego friends 2012. Picture: Supplied

“If we’ve survived all the trends over the years, from Pokemon cards and Nintendo to online gaming and even Covid lock downs, people have actually gone back to Lego more than ever,” Mr Taylor said.

“Surviving all those different crazes and challenges over 90 years, I don’t see any reason why LEGO can’t have a strong future.

The father-of-two is just one of two Aussies who have climbed the ranks at LEGO.

Queenslander Mel Caddick followed her yellow (and red, blue, green, black, transparent) brick road to fulfil a childhood dream and is now the only Australian designer working at LEGO HQ in Denmark.

Melody Caddick

Amelia Earhart LEGO tribute set. Picture: Supplied

Some of her prominent designs include a tribute set for aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, as well as writer Charles Dickens.

Mr Taylor, 40, whose work has taken him overseas including in the US, now calls Sydney his home with his young family.

Troy with his family at the tree installation in Martin Place.

Troy Taylor loves LEGO. Picture: Supplied

Looking back on his career, he never would have envisaged the brand to be as “huge” as what it is today.

“From a personal milestone building the largest Christmas tree in the southern hemisphere in 2014 at Martin Place was a career highlight,” Mr Taylor said.

“Also opening the first ever LEGO Store in Australia in Dreamworld back in 2017 was another highlight for me.

“That was another sign that the brand was growing and that we could actually open a store dedicated to LEGO, which I would never have thought was possible 20 years ago.

“I’ve been quite fortunate. 20 years later and I’m still here.”

LEGO BRICK FUN FACTS

• Number of different LEGO element colours: 60+
• Number of different types of LEGO System elements (shapes): 3,600
• Number of LEGO tyres produced: Approximately 670 million
• Number of minifigures produced since 1978: 8.3 billion+
• Number of LEGO elements sold per year: Approximately 70 billion, in more than 130 countries
• Most produced LEGO element: 1 X 2 plate (3023), approximately 2.5 billion
• The moulds used to produce LEGO elements are accurate to within four my (= 0.004mm) – less than the width of a single hair.
• During the moulding process, the plastic is heated to 230-310°C before injected into the moulds with a pressure of up to 29,000 psi. In comparison, a car’s tyre pressure is 29 to 43 psi.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

Looking for your lost LEGO building instructions?

You can contact the customer service hotline for a replacement here.

But in good news, especially for parents, a downloadable instruction manual will be available online later this year.

Originally published as LEGO: Aussie boss reveals new plans to help parents