EKA celebrates its 35th anniversary!
35 dans le 35: celebrating the local and the short circuit
A huge thank you to our local customers and partners, who have placed their trust in us from the outset, and thanks to whom we are always able to be at the cutting edge of innovation.
EKA has now become a national company, specializing in card and badge protection, and is a benchmark for many users.
But how did we acquire this market experience? Where do we get our innovative DNA and our taste for quality products that are both durable and stylish?
In this article, we present our history in brief:
EKA's Franco-German origins have passed on operational excellence, innovation and a taste for sustainable development.
Since its creation in 1988 by Erich Kräml, EKA (short for Erich Kräml et Associés) has focused on the production of card protectors made from Polycarbonate, a noble, recyclable plastic with incredible impact resistance. Originally, our cases were designed for bank users, and had to meet impeccable quality standards.
It's in EKA's DNA to make cases that are both durable and stylish. First and foremost for aesthetic reasons, but also for ecological reasons. Our cases are designed to stand the test of time: a case that lasts is a quality case.
The more resistant the material used, the more protected the card.
Cards are indeed fragile. It is made up of sensitive technologies (chip, antenna, etc.).
Our rigid cases protect against the risk of card breakage, saving the resources needed to produce new cards (raw materials, cardboard packaging, energy, transport...), and avoiding the human costs involved in remanufacturing new cards. An economical, ecological and social solution!
Now refocused around the Rennes basin (Département 35 - Brittany region), a highly dynamic industrial and economic area, EKA works with partners in the local area.
EKA never stops innovating.
Towards the end of the 90s, we launched a series of innovations: in 1991, the S5 and 17S, card protectors with push-buttons for easy extraction; in 1996, the PUC, an extremely slim card protector. And finally, in 1998, the CLL, an ultra-secure badge-holder that protects the entire card, allowing it to be extracted only with the key supplied.
In 2007, this spirit of innovation led to the launch of the ClickCarteTM range, featuring a patented easy-extraction system. Marina Kräml (daughter of EKA's founder) took over the reins of the company in 2009 and continued to bring innovations to the market: the ClickCarteTM now features Rfid/NFC protection, safeguarding the wearer's personal data. In 2013, ClipsiCarteTM innovates with its "clip-on" closing method. Its badge-holder and anti-Rfid versions will appear on the market in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
Rigid plastic manufacturing: a key to sustainable development
To extend our commitment, we need to consider the end-of-life of our cases.
That's why most of our cases are fully recyclable. This is the case for Polycarbonate, but also for Polypropylene, another easily sortable plastic that is 100% recyclable.
Today, EKA continues to innovate, with the KeepCarteTM. The result of a long process of research and development (first parts injected in PLA in 2009, then manufactured in AlgoBlendTM - a brown seaweed base - then in oyster shells), the KeepCarteTM is our latest CSR breakthrough.
This designer case is made from an innovative material that has already found a place in the hearts of its users.
Polylactic Acid is a bioplastic material. In our case, it is not only biosourced, i.e. derived from a natural, vegetable and renewable source, but also biodegradable in an industrial environment (in accordance with standard NF EN 14995).
Although it is not yet recyclable, it does reduce the consumption of petro-sourced resources.
With this new case consolidating our experience and this latest innovation, we're looking to the future with new projects in line with your needs and requirements. We look forward to working with you on your new projects.