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In Sweden, we have a long-standing proud tradition of wooden toy manufacturing. One of the largest is Gemla in Småland. Gemla in Småland is probably the toy factory that has had the greatest impact on our Swedish toy manufacturing. It becomes a breeding ground for other companies that became major Swedish toy manufacturers such as Brio, Gustaf Kähr and Micki toys. Gemla Toy Factory, or rather the factories, are an important part of our Swedish history. For over eighty years, the Gemla and Diö factories filled our Swedish children's rooms with toys and games.

The story of Gemla is both intricate and inspiring, and the man who started it, Alexis Westerdahl, was born in northern Sweden in 1838. He later moved to Stockholm to study at the School of Architecture, which is affiliated with the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts. It is said that on one occasion he was invited to celebrate Christmas with a Stockholm family and it was while unpacking the children's Christmas presents that he was inspired to start making toys himself. At this time, most toys were imported from Germany.

In 1861, at the age of 23, Westerdahl began making doll furniture on a small scale and then displayed it in an exhibition. This attracted a lot of attention and the reputation of the fine doll furniture spread in the right circles. The Stockholm Toy Museum has some examples of Westerdahl's doll furniture. These were previously owned by Linde von Rosen. For over eighty years, the Gemla and Diö factories filled our Swedish children's rooms with toys and games. At this time, it was not so easy to start your own business as there were many strict rules and government regulations. But Westerdahl was approved for his application and now became the pioneer who founded the first real commercial toy manufacturing in Sweden. Specifically on Drottninggatan in Stockholm under the name Svenska Leksaksmagasinet. Business initially goes very well, but after a year he is forced to leave the business. Instead, he decides to move to the small town of Gemla, outside Växjö, in Småland, where he starts a new toy factory in a partially disused paper mill near the railway. Production is initially on a small scale, but it grows slowly but surely and he also takes out loans to develop the factory. But after just one year, the toy factory burns down.

Westerdahl then decides to rebuild his factory. Despite this, the economy continues to be bad and the factory changes owners several times. In the late 1860s, the factory is bought by Litografen in Norrköping and part of the business is moved to Norrköping. A lot of new investments are made and turnover breaks records. But it is still difficult for the owners to make the business work. After a series of further changes of ownership, the factory was finally bought by Frans Svanström & Co in Stockholm. Alexis Westerdahl remained as factory manager. Despite the factory's constant financial problems, Gemla's toys had now become very popular. After just one year, the toy factory burned down. During the latter part of the 19th century, major changes took place in Sweden, which also affected toy manufacturing in Gemla. Industrialism was on the rise, cities were growing and the railways were being expanded at a furious pace. Steam power was being put into use and electricity began to play an increasingly important role. All of this meant that Sweden was gaining a middle class with strong purchasing power, and it was in these children's rooms that Gemla's products ended up.

At this time, Germany was the leading toy country and many of Westerdahl's models were direct plagiarisms of German toys, but many times better made. In the 1880s, production flourished and the factory had 55 machines and at most 75 employees. The work in the factory is hard and often dangerous with a lot of dust and heat is often lacking in the premises.

In 1884 another fire occurs. And despite the fact that the whole town helps with the extinguishing work, most of it is destroyed. Now it is decided to build the factory in the nearby community of Diö and the new Gemla Leksaksfabrik Aktiebolag is formed. By the end of 1885, the business is back in full swing. Westerdahl manages to start yet another new factory in Gemla again before his death in 1909.

In 1912, Gemla was again the center of toy manufacturing and in the coming decades, toys from here can be seen both at the Stockholm department store Nordiska Kompaniet and at the EPA department store chain.

In 1954, production stops and the factory buildings are demolished.