History | Ekide

Ekide, more than 30 years of history.

The 30 year history of Ekide is a reflection of the business effort, work and vision,making the most of each opportunity.

This project began with three employees and today, 30 years later, Ekide is a well established company with over 100 employees, partnering with strategic and leading companies in the engineering sector as well as the development and manufacturing of new products. Ekide is proud to have made the best of each and every opportunity they have encountered throughout these years on their journey to success. Ekide continues looking forward, working, improving and applying the latest technologies, with the same optimism and energy that motivated those three entrepreneurs to start the company.

Beginnings

Numeric control engraving

After a visit in 1988 to the Industrial Fair in Hannover made by a representative from Saiolan, a method was detected, which although generalised in Europe, it was new and barely applied in Spain: Numerical Control engraving systems.

This way Saiolan and the University of Mondragón begin research on a CNC engraving system and identify a business opportunity in the industrial sector, based on the fact that most companies had stated to have a requirement for these types of services.

Parallel to this, the future was in information technology; that is, in CAD/CAM.

Establishment

Ekide S.L. is established.

Ekide is established at the University of Mondragón in Gipuzkoa with two lines of business:

Manufacturing and selling automated equipment for engraving different products.
Three-dimensional machining and engraving using CAD/CAM.

First steps

Ekide – Maier

In 1991 a commercial relationship is established with Maier company, which is a manufacturer of plastic injection parts and a supplier of top brands in the automobile sector.

In time Maier stated their needs to Ekide regarding Control tools; in other words, equipment that simulates the assembling of a part at its final destination.

Growth

3 lines of business

A few years after having initiated their activity, Ekide, which has 3 employees, was already providing the following services:

Subcontracting of three-dimensional machining and engraving.
Control Tools.
CAD services and 3D design.

Rapid prototyping

New field of activity

In 1994, Ekide S.L. notices this new field. Thus, between 1995 and 1996, several studies are carried out on Rapid prototyping for the purpose of implementing it as a new line of business.

A business relationship is established with Fagor Electrodomésticos, who had a special interest in the project because its prototyping section had become antiquated and it was going to be very expensive to renew.

Ekide is promoting this new activity by investing in technology resources and installations.

New activity

Strategic partners

In this new activity, companies such as Maier, Mapsa, Fagor Electrodomésticos, etc., in the year 2000 became strategic partners of Ekide to start the new Rapid prototyping division, creating new jobs and developing different technologies than those that had been used until then.

The growth continues

Engineering and manufacturing

In 2003 Ekide is a company that looks to the future, collaborating with its clients in the different product development phases. With a team comprised of over 50 personnel, Ekide moved to its current installations; a plant on the outskirts of Mondragón, which has a total surface of 3,600 square metres.

Focussed on satisfying the needs of its partners and clients, it offers its services in the following areas:

Control tools
Rapid Prototyping
Assembling Tools
Engineering and design services

Internationalization

Asia

For the purpose of engaging in new activities and initiate their international venture, EKIDE signs an agreement with a business partner in China and Hong King, which provided Ekide a greater productive capability.

Reorientation

Strategic analysis

The economic situation of the sector and after conducting a strategic analysis, Ekide abandons their Assembling Tools activity and on the other hand, re-focusses their Prototyping activity towards the manufacturing of Short Series and Rapid Tooling.

In subsequent years, the activities are expanded, implementing the Control Tooling division for sheet metal parts.

Machine vision

The first computer vision projects are launched

Ekide decides to launch a study on Computer Vision. They begin collaborating with the University of Mondragón on this subject.

After a few years of work, the first Computer Vision projects are introduced:

Profilometer
Chrome defects detector

Ekide Bizkaia

Sheet metal checking fixtures

Ekide in its constant search for continuous improvement, is opening up new installations in Zamudio for the sheet metal checking fixtures division.

Ekide Mexico

More installations

Ekide in its constant search for continuous improvement, is opening up new installations in Mexico for the short series checking fixtures division.

Innovate SME

EkimenLab

Life-size mock-ups

A shared space for the development of new innovation projects resulting from the collaboration between Ekide and Sormen. Initial prototypes and life-size mock-ups are developed for aesthetic, functional and/or ergonomic verification of products prior to flow production.