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JANUARY 5, 2004 at 4:57 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Telegraph via iharrypotter.net
Children's toy company Lego
announced its worst-ever loss in the organization's 72-year history after an "unexpectedly bad, nearly catastrophic" 2003. Star Wars and Harry Potter products had a disappointing 12 months, chief operating officer Poul Plougmann told Danish newspaper Boersen.
The company, which based its empire on plastic building bricks, had worked hard since it made a $180m loss in 2000 to turn round the business, and achieved successful sales of Harry Potter and Star Wars products last year (2002). The Hogwarts Castle, a top-of-the-range item in the Harry Potter series, sold almost a million items.
Update: Lego has fired Plougmann and another top executive, according to the Associated Press, and expects to announce plans to reduce their 8,000-strong workforce in the near future.
In related news, ToyWiz.com is taking pre-orders for the new Lego sets for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Included:
and moreThe sets will start shipping in May, and are available for pre-order now. Thanks to The Leaky Cauldron for the tip.
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Werewolf
(Moderator)
Points: 5479
MoonyDawn says:
Yay!!! More presents to buy the kids! It's funny how I dont mind buying them extra toys when its something I like too. That bus looks neet!
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 9:29 PM EST
Daily Prophet Journalist
Points: 2597
dance_gear says:
sounds really cool...tho i'm not a big lego fan me self... but HP legos r awsome...
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 9:44 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1856
Rupert Baby says:
Thats cool, will the draco one look like Tom Felton because if it does i will be sure to get that. It would be even better if they had a ron (aka Rupert) i would absolutely love that lego set. Yes well this is exciting indeed i can't wait PoA is getting closer!
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 10:01 PM EST
Patronus
Points: 3704
Expecto Patronum says:
I'm not into legos but I'm going to buy a set and see if I can put one together. The Knight Bus would rock!! Black's escape would be good too..i'll have to see when they actually come out..too bad Lego had a bad year :(
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 10:15 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2034
Professor Snape says:
Yeah hopefully the lego company learned their lesson and don't produce as much unitl they are sure they will sell. haha but since i'm saying this they will sell out and make a fortune. haha.
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 11:00 PM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
Very cool! Legos sure have come a long way from when I used to buy them in sets to build all sorts of things. Now they seem almost like a collector's edition model of HP.
Posted Jan 5, 2004 at 11:24 PM EST
Student
Points: 229
maligwa says:
I remember I used to have all the robin hood and knights lego kits when they came out and the pirates too! If I had the money I 'd take myself back to my childhood by buying a full hogwarts deluxe set! plus the added extras! hehe :)
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 4:23 AM EST
The Girl Who Lived
Points: 4219
Tacha says:
Looks great, but I don't know if that can make up for their loss. I think they should advertise more. There are very few commercials about these things in Belgium.
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 5:08 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1826
snapelupinfan says:
I like the Knight Bus and the Shrieking Shack. I always liked Lego and I don't think that you can be too old for something which brings a lot of fun. Otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to read HP at all as they are declared as children's books!
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 6:07 AM EST
Witch
Points: 611
Mdm Rosmerta says:
If I was a kid - I would be begging my parents to buy me this stuff.
Then I would play with it once and get bored.
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 8:48 AM EST
Witch
Points: 676
Madame Rosmerta says:
I want the Knight Bus and the Shrieking Shack, we have a few of the other ones too..
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 9:57 AM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1283
harryp123, bar keep says:
Woohoo. SWEET. I love legos. I am 24 and I still love them. That will be nice. I have to remember to get some of the ones that I don't have from past sets. Nice.
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 10:58 AM EST
Squib
Points: 166
Kathryn Leblanc says:
I want them all and I want them now. Not that I am either greedy or impatient, of course. (She says as she beats her head into the table and weeps)
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 2:46 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2229
Ms.MikhailBlack says:
Good. I really like collecting the little place and putting them in my "Ode to Harry" shelf. I love the Draco meets Buckbeak one...it's kinda funny
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 2:54 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2767
Professor Grubbly-Plank says:
They look great. We have so many Harry Legos at my house now, a few more wont kill us. I know we will get the Knight Bus and probably the Shreiking Shack.
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 4:29 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2119
hpchik898 says:
Cool I can't wait to get my hands in a Malfoy one without the buzz cut ewwww!
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 5:54 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 423
ApplebyArrows says:
I love lego! I can't wait for them to come out.
Posted Jan 6, 2004 at 6:04 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1092
quidditch_queen says:
I don't like them too much but well, i like the idea. It's really cool.
Posted Jan 7, 2004 at 1:58 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1122
Immortal Vegemite says:
Harry Potter lego is fantastic! I must admit i regularly go into toystores just to look at it all! i can't wait to see the new stuff! Thats no good that lego is recording a loss.. i don't understand how, if their merchandise is so popular..
Posted Jan 7, 2004 at 7:59 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 308
davie7117 says:
That is really cool cause I have started this whole Harry Potter Collection stuff,,, so that would be good to have...
Posted Jan 7, 2004 at 11:18 AM EST
Prefect
Points: 305
qwatnee says:
cool, I loved legos as a kid, but I never had any of the sets, just the box of random legos. But it would be alot of fun to get one of the sets, and then set them out as like a little decoration or something. Very cool indeed!
Posted Jan 7, 2004 at 7:34 PM EST
Student
Points: 254
potter says:
I love it!!
They look so cute!! I will buy one,
Posted Jan 8, 2004 at 8:59 PM EST
Chief Brain Washer
Points: 2875
Chogiiiirl says:
Wow, that would be a fun set to have. I used to play with Leggos when I was little. My youngest will be 3 soon, so maybe we can get a set, and hopefully she will not try to eat them :?}
Posted Jan 10, 2004 at 9:23 AM EST
Auror
Points: 2055
lilbrat says:
I want to play with a Lego Harry!!! l.o.l that will be loads of fun expecially if my friends are playing with me! l.o.l
Posted Jan 10, 2004 at 9:35 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2303
padfoot5312 says:
I agree that they might sell more when the movie comes out. I know of a few kids that still like to build things.
Posted Jan 10, 2004 at 9:55 PM EST
Witch
Points: 955
kab240 says:
I was never much into the HP legos, so this isn't all that exciting for me.
Posted Jan 11, 2004 at 4:47 PM EST
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