Keyboard Builders' Digest / Community
FalbaTech turned 9
Today marks the 9 year anniversary of starting FalbaTech, so I reached out to Jan, who celebrates with offering you an extra discount.
Published June 2, 2023
It's quite crazy, but FalbaTech's Jan has been selling various split keyboards and unique wooden cases for nine years. To celebrate this anniversary, he was kind enough to offer you a 9% discount (more details at the end of this post).
I thought this was a good opportunity to learn more about FalbaTech and the people behind the company, so I reached out to the founder with some questions:
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I come from a small town in the northern part of Poland. I have a degree in Mechatronics Engineering. Since I was young, I have enjoyed constructing and disassembling all available electronics. I gained professional experience working for electronic and IT companies. My passion lies in mechanical keyboards, and as a break from that, I enjoy playing the drums and, more recently, spending time with my son.
Can you remember how you got involved in the keyboard hobby? How did you end up as a vendor/manufacturer?
My brother, who was a co-founder of our company, infected me with the passion for keyboards. Over time, I became consumed by the desire to produce environmentally friendly keyboards.
Is falba.tech your fulltime job now? How should we imagine one of your average working days?
FalbaTech is my whole life. I accompany my clients from dispelling their doubts before making a keyboard purchase decision to overseeing the design process. I enjoy overseeing and participating in the work of my employees during the soldering, assembly, production, and final finishing stages of the keyboard. Currently, I personally assemble and test the product that the customer will receive, then I pack and ship it. After work, I eagerly seek new solutions and inspiration while spending time with my family. As commonly known, the best ideas come to mind in the shower, just before laying my head on the pillow, or during walks with my family.
Is this a family business or do you have other employees?
My brother, Cezary, has been out of FalbaTech for almost 8 years now, developing further as a programmer. Currently, FalbaTech is made up of 3 people: myself and my two employees, Aleksander and Ewelina. We are not a family, but after so many years we are like a family. And my son also likes to help, but he is not yet 2 years old. ;)
Why wood? Wood is quite hard to work with because it's a living material, contracting/expanding depending on e.g. temperature and relative humidity.
I chose wood because I care about the future of our planet. I actively participate in activities for the Earth's sake. I have my own garden, and I try not to buy items in plastic packaging. Whenever possible, I support local businesses. The wood used for keyboard production is already dried; the remaining steps involve proper processing and storage. It is also important to protect the wood properly. We use a special blend of oils and resins.
Poland is not really famous for its vast bamboo forests (or is it? :)) – where do you source bamboo from?
I produce keyboards not only from bamboo wood but also offer oak, ash, and acacia options. The source of bamboo wood will remain my secret (some secrets must be kept).
You do much more for the planet than using sustainable materials. Can you tell us more about your plant?
In addition to the previously discussed environmental initiatives, we use electricity generated by photovoltaic panels on the company's roof, draw water from a deep well, and have our own biological wastewater treatment plant.
What were some milestones of these past 9 years you'd like to highlight?
The key moment for the company's development was the move to a larger location. Our keyboards are not mass-produced, we focus on individual customers. Therefore, we are delighted with every small improvement.
What are your flagship products these days and are there any trends in the split scene you can identify based on your statistics or general knowledge of the market?
Currently, the most frequently chosen keyboard is the Redox. It is my favorite keyboard, and I use it myself. That's probably why it has so many case variations.
But our offering doesn't stop at keyboard support. We proudly provide a selection of complementary products, including wooden toys, stylish keycaps, keyboard fan pins, cables, mechanical switch replacements, cases, PCBs, and much more.
Any interesting projects you're working on right now?
I am working on modernizing and improving my products because I want the keyboards/cases I produce to serve customers flawlessly for years. The best gift is when a customer returns to me for another keyboard while the first one is still working and doing well. Soon, a new split keyboard that I have been working on for some time will be added to the offer.
Thanks for your time and good luck with your business. Do you have any closing message for the community?
As a small business located in a picturesque area, we strive to produce products tailored to our customers that will last for years while also considering ecological aspects. We are confident that new technologies can develop without destroying nature.
We are grateful to our customers for being part of our journey, and to express our gratitude, we offer you a 9% discount on all our products. Enter the code "9birthday" during checkout and join us in celebrating our amazing 9 years.
Published on Fri 2nd Jun 2023. Featured in KBD #124.
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