From Revolutionary Printing Tech To Net-zero Carbon: A Case Station Timeline
As a group of engineers, we set out decades ago to help change the world through tech. In 2006, we got a chance – we’ve been evolving with the times ever since.
The Case Station DNA
Our engineering roots call for two things: premium quality and durable goods. So that’s what we make every day. And it’s been like that since day one. We’ve always been looking for ways to change our industry for the better, because we believe we need to move away from consumption society – where cheap products are created without regard for the environment, without regard for supply chains, and regard for the end user.
‘Where our phone cases made’… ‘phone cases made in Britain’… we know that heritage and transparency are essential to our customers. That’s why we make sustainable smartphone accessories and protective phone cases which are Made to Last, right here in the UK.
But we didn’t just get here overnight.
2006: a tech odyssey
As a group of engineers, Case Station works as part of IDT Systems, where we all started out. Back in 2006, Dell approached IDT Systems to create an alternative to the then paint-based customisation process. Smartphones were in their infancy then, so people added bling to things like gaming consoles, portable battery packs, vacuum cleaners and computer mice instead.
Pre-2006 the spray-paint personalisation process was industry-standard, but it wasn’t user-friendly, and the paint contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are exceptionally harmful chemicals. So, we developed a high-resolution, on-demand digital printing technology system. It meant that images could be printed easily and more precisely onto surfaces without harmful chemicals.
The beginning of the smartphone industry
11th July 2008 – the release of Apple iPhone 3 rocks the world. It might seem like an ancient relic now, but at the time, this was the pinnacle of smartphones. In fact, it was arguably the model that kicked the smartphone industry into gear.
Back then, big brands like Apple didn’t manufacture anything, so they used third-party manufacturers. Around the launch of the iPhone 3, big brands realised they needed a storefront, in which customers could come and buy smart phone accessories, like personalised smart phone cases. Cue our next mission.
We created Who’s On Your Case – a B2B platform that provided big brands with personalised and customised smartphone accessories and their customers with a shop front to buy them.
Fast forward to 2011…
… and we added a new element to the process. We took B2B and made it B2B2C. These are just letters, but it basically meant selling personalised smartphone accessories through the big telecommunications companies. We even spent a year in Orange’s flagship Paris building, peddling our wares from the warmth of their store. Nine years on, we’ve created a system that’s sustainable by design, a platform to help our community release their creativity, and a brand that’s trusted worldwide. Globally, we employ 140 people, and that number is growing every day.
The driving force behind our driven nature
Our drive and determination stem from many places, not least from our founder and CEO, Peter Woodd. His engineering roots define a clear need for premium quality, and his problem-solving nature means that we’re continually striving for perfection. His roots are in digital technology, but his innovative way of working was the catalyst behind our philosophy. A mantra that extends beyond building products to help humanity, one that hopes to change the industry and protect our planet.
“You have to understand how something is going to be used before you design it.”
Peter Woodd, CEO of Case Station
He and his team created the high-resolution, on-demand digital printing technology system back in 06’, and it’s him and his team who’re working every day to meet Case Station’s net-zero carbon by 2030 goal.
Smartphone evolution: a parallel journey
As smartphones have evolved, so have we. But we’ve always kept one thing the same: creating sustainable solutions to everyday problems. From eco-friendly, pre-smartphone customisation right through to producing sustainable, ethical smartphone accessories that are Made for Life, we’ve been riding tech’s constant evolution for years.
At Case Station we’re driven by thinking creatively and solving problems. At first, we wanted to change the manufacturing industry for the better, giving people the chance to release their creativity and print graphics onto phone cases. Now, we want to change the manufacturing industry differently by going net-zero-carbon by 2030.
Join us on our journey
So that’s our story. But what about you? Like us, if you’re driven by solving problems and creating a fairer, more ethical world, why not make your next smartphone accessory a sustainable one with Case Station?
TIMELINE
2006
IDT Systems, our parent company, develops a high-resolution, on-demand digital printing technology system. Meaning images could be printed easily and more precisely onto surfaces without harmful chemicals.
2008
We created Who’s On Your Case – a B2B platform that provided big brands with personalised and customised smart phone accessories and their customers with a shop front to buy them.
2011
Case Station was born.
2020
We are proud to say that we serve an excess of 650 people, employ 140 and are working every day to change the manufacturing industry for the better.
2030
Our net-zero carbon target, with the changes we’re making across the business, we’re confident we’ll get there.
2050
Who knows where we’ll go next…