CaseLabs Makes a Comeback Under New Management

[AleksandarK]

Friends, fans, and former customers of CaseLabs, I have the great pleasure to announce that CaseLabs is officially back after the bankruptcy in 2018! We are now under new management and have re-located to Sweden, but don't worry, everything you knew and loved about CaseLabs will remain the same. We will carry on the spirit of CaseLabs as best as we can while updating existing models and bringing new models to the market.

Let me introduce myself very briefly: My name is Emil, I'm almost 37 years old, I live in Sweden, and I am the new owner of CaseLabs since October 2021. Ever since I first heard that CaseLabs went bankrupt I've been trying to buy CaseLabs' intellectual property. After a long and drawn-out process the trustee and I finally came to an agreement in the spring of 2021 and the purchase was finalized in October 2021. Since then Daniel and I have been working on bringing CaseLabs back to life again.




Here's how we will unfold this
Daniel and I want to start slow, and not bite off more than we can chew. The ressurection of CaseLabs will happen in several stages. We've recently launched our new website which will be followed by a webshop where we will offer a selection of freshly made spare parts and accessories that are in high demand by our former customers. This is what we refer to as our "soft-launch" of our webshop.

The "hard-launch" of our webshop will happen when we feel that we have manufacturing, quality control, logistics etc under control. With the "hard-launch" we'll once again offer all our case models along with all spare parts and accessories. Basically, we'll operate just as before the bankruptcy. Since we're now based in Sweden, we're looking for partnership for the North American market to lower the shipping costs for out over seas customers. Until we've partnered up with a manufacturer we'll look into off-setting the higher shipping cost to North America with a discount.

Daniel and I are two very passionate individuals when it comes to CaseLabs. We are not content with just keeping things "as is" but want to develop CaseLabs as a brand and expand our product range. I've already talked about the planned multi-stage launch of our webshop - continuing from that we will focus on updating our existing models to "Revision A" with new functionalities and modern compatibility similar to when the SMA8 re-launched as the SMA8-A.

When our existing models are updated we'll start developing brand new models for our line-up. The team has already expressed their desire about doing a SFF model around 7-10L or ~15L. We also have ideas that don't revolve around just updating and designing cases but want to get as close as possible to offer a complete solution for everyone putting together a new system.

We are currently working on a road map to better visualise and communicate our plans for CaseLabs. With the road map you can follow the progress for the different stages and get an aproximate time frame for when the current stage is set to finish and when we're ready to move to the next stage on our road map.

Upcoming survey
We're in the process of making a web-based survey that we will send out to everyone subscribing to our newsletter. The survey is aimed at current owners of a CaseLabs' case who needs spare parts. We hope that the survey will give us valuable data about which spare parts for what models are in demand so we can plan accordingly. We ask you all to please help us by taking your time and filling out the survey. We estimate that the survey will be sent out within a week or two after this newsletter.

Daniel and I are optimistic about the future of CaseLabs, and I hope that you all will follow along on this incredible journey that CaseLabs is about to embark on.

Until then, I wish you all the best!

/Emil

https://caselabs.se/

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Breit]

This is great!

 

[Kohl Baas]

This is great!

Indeed it is.

I hope they will be as good and successfull as Fractal.

 

[Space Lynx]

caselabs cases are mostly for custom water loop builds?

 

[Kohl Baas]

caselabs cases are mostly for custom water loop builds?

*were

As you see, they plan to do SFF and other stuff. Guess they aim to a wider audience.

 

[Chomiq]

Good luck!

 

[wEeViLz]

I can finally get the other half of my front IO ports working again!

 

[tabascosauz]

Super hyped! Gimme those S3 panels and USB-C IO!

 

[Chaitanya]

Hopefully they will have diverse supply chains so they wont get blindsided.

 

[Vayra86]

Will be watching this space. Make it happen, and please don't move along with the full-blown aquarium trend we're starting to see. Don't be that 13-in-a-dozen company please. Carve out your own space, there's enough low hanging fruit in case space today.

 

[Assimilator]

While this plan seems reasonable, I would feel a lot better if they explained what led the company into bankruptcy in the first place, and what they're going to do to prevent that from happening again. It doesn't matter how slow or fast they move if the company ends up defunct again in another year's time.

 

[WorringlyIndifferent]

While this plan seems reasonable, I would feel a lot better if they explained what led the company into bankruptcy in the first place, and what they're going to do to prevent that from happening again. It doesn't matter how slow or fast they move if the company ends up defunct again in another year's time.

Knowing little about CaseLabs other than that it sounds like they focused on custom loop builds, my guess is just that: custom loop builds are a tiny, *tiny* fraction of all PC builds. The only way to feasibly keep a company operating when that's most of (or your entire) customer base is to charge obscene prices. That's doable when you're the only show in town, but there are a large number of PC case manufacturers; people have other options.

If they're expanding into more general cases, this'll be really interesting to watch. Small companies have the opportunity to make some wild designs and tend to follow trends a lot faster than big, established case designers/manufacturers. Good luck to them!

 

[HairyLobsters]

If only they made affordable cases.

 

[LabRat 891]

If only they made affordable cases.

Aye. Not a knock @ CaseLabs, 'boutique' brands do have a place.

It'd be great if we could get a sheet metal enclosure manufacturer to affordably build 'custom flat pack cases' and even offer a design / submission tool.
(Like how PCBs have become w/ the 'maker' movement)
Imagine: 'Designing' a semi-custom case, receiving the sheet metal pre-stamped and pre-cut for folding/assembly. Just up to you to give it a finish and hand-assemble.
Sadly, the only companies I've seen look at this concept, have *also* been extremely high-priced 'boutique' brands...

 

[TsingTao]

While this plan seems reasonable, I would feel a lot better if they explained what led the company into bankruptcy in the first place, and what they're going to do to prevent that from happening again. It doesn't matter how slow or fast they move if the company ends up defunct again in another year's time.

Back in 2018 Trump dropped tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. The resulting increased material costs, coupled with a large account defaulting, killed the company. Original message archived on this Reddit post.

 

[ffolekram]

This is great, glad to hear this name again.
I heard that the new management would be aiming to expand the product line other than original styles.
I just hope they will have the same "vibe" and carry out the essence of the original caselab concepts.

 

[RH92]

*were
As you see, they plan to do SFF and other stuff. Guess they aim to a wider audience.

Ehh , SFF is pretty much compatible with custom loops , you can have dual 240 rads under 20L ( ask me how do i know ) .... Besides SFF is niche i don't see how they are aiming for wider audience by going SFF .

 

[bonehead123]

Hello Emil, this is 1998 calling, and we want all our same-ole-same-same, boring AF, no-design-effort, rectangular boxen back like, yesterday !

There are only ~162.479MM of those already available from practically every case mfgr on the planet, so if the prototype shown above is part of your plan to revive the company, then we will soon be waving bye bye to ya all over again.....

I know that CL's cases of the past were really well made and sold relatively well in certain circles, but what the market really needs today is some fresh, clean and most of all INNOVATIVE new designs that are way different than what everyone else is stamping out every minute of every day of every week....

 

[claes]

How would you innovate cases when everything is bound to atx? I mean, you can buy a sphere or a pyramid or a triangle or a boat if you want, but there’s a reason the majority are rectanglar.

 

[TechLurker]

Knowing little about CaseLabs other than that it sounds like they focused on custom loop builds, my guess is just that: custom loop builds are a tiny, *tiny* fraction of all PC builds. The only way to feasibly keep a company operating when that's most of (or your entire) customer base is to charge obscene prices. That's doable when you're the only show in town, but there are a large number of PC case manufacturers; people have other options.

If they're expanding into more general cases, this'll be really interesting to watch. Small companies have the opportunity to make some wild designs and tend to follow trends a lot faster than big, established case designers/manufacturers. Good luck to them!

Old CaseLabs had a business-focused side too (forget if it was corporate, industrial, commercial, or enterprise), with the boutique side really just leveraging the fabrication facility they already had for making custom/semi-custom computer racks/mounts for customers. At least one insider mentioned that the reasons for a lack of spare parts in CaseLabs' twilight years was that they were trying to still fulfill higher-priority orders for their business clients, and what they had left they tried to fulfill boutique purchases.

They officially blamed Trump's tariffs for killing their business due to the cost of steel and aluminum going up, but mentioned by some insiders too was that CaseLabs either couldn't meet the scale/demand of the commercial side they were building for without taking a loss (price-locked agreement issues), or they didn't receive the payments they were due and were wrangling it out (contract issues). And that was on top of the legal fight they had with Thermaltake over Thermaltake's Core 100/200 "modular cases and pedestals", which closely emulated the popular Caselabs' MAGNUM SMA8/TH10.

Hence, the new CaseLabs looking to diversify with SFF options as well as modernizing old options, on top of potentially producing simpler kits. If anything, I'd tentatively compare them to InWin; making specialty, high-value cases (maybe not as bombastic as InWin's limited edition cases), but also a lot of more typical, economical cases. Possibly even branch out with rebranded or custom merch such as fans, cables, and distro plates, on top of working out some agreements with other boutique builders, such as OriginPC (who've done custom builds in various specialty cases) or iBuypower (who've also done some custom builds in OEM and specialty cases).

How would you innovate cases when everything is bound to atx? I mean, you can buy a sphere or a pyramid or a triangle or a boat if you want, but there’s a reason the majority are rectanglar.

It's not much of an innovation, but if I were CaseLabs, maybe a power distribution passthrough or power points around the motherboard tray, allowing for cleaner cabling.

Given the size of their larger chassis and the old removable motherboard tray + rear panel design, integrate some power connectors on or around the tray, to allow for cleaner cabling. Basically taking an idea similar to what Seasonic is sort of attempting with their Syncro line of PSUs, that have a distribution panel to plug custom cables into, allowing for a cleaner build, or what Digital Storm had done in one of their extreme custom builds with ATX plug points built into the dividing walls between the mobo-side and the PSU/cable side (featured in a few LTT videos). Maybe also include optional screw-in or magnetic strip-held shroud covers to hide SATA or USB cables coming off the mobo (and also hiding the wire pass-throughs).

Heck, with how their cases also allowed for double or even triple PSU options, they could also integrate something similar to the Phanteks Power Combo, allowing plugging in of two PSUs to a distribution panel that sends the power out to everything needed. Granted, that's more for those that might want to push extremes with say, a Threadripper or Epyc and multiple GPUs, and has access to two dedicated outlets (each on their own 20a circuit).

 

[Assimilator]

Back in 2018 Trump dropped tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. The resulting increased material costs, coupled with a large account defaulting, killed the company. Original message archived on this Reddit post.

I'm aware of the official reason, but have never completely believed it... it was too convenient, especially when no other case manufacturers apparently had the same problem.

They officially blamed Trump's tariffs for killing their business due to the cost of steel and aluminum going up, but mentioned by some insiders too was that CaseLabs either couldn't meet the scale/demand of the commercial side they were building for without taking a loss (price-locked agreement issues), or they didn't receive the payments they were due and were wrangling it out (contract issues).

That sounds a lot more plausible: slightly problematic business practices, and when the tariffs hit that pushed the company over the edge.

How would you innovate cases when everything is bound to atx? I mean, you can buy a sphere or a pyramid or a triangle or a boat if you want, but there’s a reason the majority are rectanglar.

They don't have to innovate, they just have to look at what other case manufacturers have done and take it to the next level, while adding their own quality-of-life improvements. I don't want or need a case where half of the cost is tempered glass, I want a case that is functionally a joy to build in, a case where I actually make excuses to build in.

As has been mentioned, if CL were to also offer a facility to manufacture and sell and support case designs that others have come up with, it would be a significant value add.

 

[Minus Infinity]

As long as you sell in Australia I welcome the change,

 

[caroline!]

Make something without the moronic oven glass if you really wanna stand out. A normal case so to speak.

 

[Space Lynx]

Make something without the moronic oven glass if you really wanna stand out. A normal case so to speak.

yeah I really like my Corsair 110q case. Silent padded panels on every panel inside to dampen noise, not sure what the technical term is, but I really like my case. my glass case from montech cracked, so I went back to my old one. really like my old case better honestly.

 

[Dr_b_]

Hope they release a modern I/O panel that is a drop in replacement for the old ones that dont have UCB-C