BlueBrixx: The German company challenging Lego in model sets market

When it comes to clamping building blocks, Lego seems to be the undisputed market leader. But a company from Germany has found a special place when it comes to small stones.

Famous sights around the world, dinosaurs or spaceships from “Star Trek” or various models of tanks: The German company BlueBrixx offers many model sets that you may not find at the market leader Lego – and apparently he has found a real gap in the market: around 30 branches The company, which was founded in Flörsheim, Hesse in 2017, has now opened throughout Germany.

Even though the market power of leader Lego seems to be consolidated, Bluebrixx seems to have been able to build its own customer base. Founder Klaus Kiunke came up with the idea when he was at a trade fair in… China on the road: Many suppliers there offered bricks similar to those of Lego. Then Kiunke came up with the idea of ​​offering construction sets for adults in addition to Lego: “We don’t want to be Lego,” Kiunke explained to the online portal “Golem” two years ago.

According to Kiunke, the building sets are therefore a bit more challenging than Lego. In addition, the models should be seen less as toys and more aimed at adult model builders. The company Vendis Capital has now also joined Bluebrixx as an investor. However, Kiunke does not reveal the specific amount; the stones are still made in China.

Even if Bluebrixx does not officially want to compete with Lego, the head of the business still looks at the German company: Even after its establishment, Kiunke received a visit from a factor, reporting “Spiegel”. Sets were later banned due to suspicions that they resembled Lego products.

According to the report, Bluebrixx settled most of the disputes out of court with the Danish building block giant. Kiunke should now also avoid figures from third-party manufacturers that are too similar to those from Lego.

However, the legal disputes with Lego have not been completely resolved. Kiunke did not mention specific procedures to “Spiegel”. On the other hand, Lego announced that if their “commercial property rights and copyrights were misused,” it would take action “to protect our customers.”