Rubik’s Cube turns full circle as manufacturing returns to its birthplace in Hungary

More than half a century ago a Hungarian architect sculptor and professor invented what would become one of the worlds most popular and beloved puzzles whose appeal has spanned generations the colourful mindbending sixsided Rubiks CubeNow after selling more than half a billion units and becoming a worldwide cultural touchstone production of the cube is returning to Hungary where its inventor Erno Rubik first conceived of the iconic object that bears his nameHungary is the home of the cube The cube was born here Rubik 82 said on Tuesday at the opening of a new fully automated Rubiks Cube production line in the Hungarian city of JaszberenyRubik makes his discoveryThe journey of the Rubiks Cube began in 1974 when Rubik was teaching design at the Academy of Applied Arts and Design in Budapest Seeking to create a threedimensional object that was infinite he said he completed a prototype then made of wood of a cube that could rotate on multiple axes and was made up of 27 blocksRecognising its consumer value Rubik soon began producing more of the puzzles Beginning in 1977 an initial 5000 units of what was then called the Magic Cube were sold at specialty shops in the Hungarian capitalThe invention or what Rubik prefers to describe as a discovery ndash gained popularity and after having difficulties procuring materials for the cubes in thensocialist Hungary he realised We were not prepared for that size of production We cant fulfil the needs of the market worldwideThe cube was licensed to a British and then a US toy company and its production was moved abroad By the early 1980s its popularity had exploded in what Rubik called the first big wave in which he said 200 million units were sold between 1980 and 1983While sales of the cube dipped after its initial success it still attracts plenty of users eager to try their hand at solving the puzzle Millions are sold every yearThe cube comes homeAt the new production line in Hungary a series of robotic arms assembles the cubes and tests them for functionality and durability a level of automation Rubik said was very different than in the early days when the cubes were assembled by handThe new line in Jaszbereny plans to produce 1 million cubes annuallySteve Radewych a senior vice president with Canadian toy company Spin Master which owns the Rubiks Cube trademark said at Tuesdays opening that the theme of the day was Back to its roots The cube comes homeErno your discovery is more than a toy Radewych told Rubik Its a global social phenomenonRadewych noted the incredible staying power of the Rubiks Cube and the fact that the puzzle continues to hold the fascination of young people even todayThe cube represents an intellectual journey a symbol of intelligence problemsolving and cognitive discipline he added which has brought joy and frustration to many generationsThe cube has enjoyed another surge in popularity in recent years as global competitions have proliferated measuring who can solve the puzzle the fastestThe current record set only last month in China by nineyearold Xuanyi Geng is 251 seconds according to the World Cube Association which organises and certifies competitions across the worldRubik who does not consider himself a speed competitor said that for him the cube represents a transformable sculpture the place where art and engineering meet and users can manipulate and change the cube in nearly endless variationsIf you are doing something creating something you have the chance to do something that is meaningful thats one part and beautiful he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever