Solving product marking for circular economy – Cajo Technologies receives financing from Nefco

Cajo Technologies’ innovative laser marking technology enables reliable traceability of material flows and helps close the loop in the circular economy. The chemical-free solution decreases carbon footprint by 90% compared with inkjet printers.

Nefco – the Nordic Green Bank – has granted loan financing for Cajo Technologies, a laser marking technology company based in Northern Finland. Financing from Nefco will help the company scale up its forerunning, patented technology on global markets and respond to the growing need for traceability in the circular economy.

“More than 2 million companies use barcodes and QR codes to identify products, resulting in more than 5 billion tracing codes being scanned daily to manage quality, recalls, liability, inefficiencies and cost savings. Counterfeiting costs billions of euros every year. Pirated products put the health and safety of consumers worldwide at risk, while robbing businesses, governments and communities of profits, tax revenues and legitimate jobs. Environmentally friendly marking systems are a growing trend driven by regulations and user demand. Readable and permanent markings increase resource efficiency throughout the value chain, reduce material waste and enable an effective circular economy,” says Niko Karsikas, CEO and founder of Cajo Technologies.

Cajo’s lasers and flexible software solutions are available for all industrial marking purposes, covering traceability, identification and product markings. Cajo’s technology enables producers and end-users to track and monitor all steps involved in developing a finished product, from the procurement of raw materials, production and consumption through to the disposal of goods and reuse of materials. Due to its cost-efficiency, sustainability and durability, Cajo’s technology has many application areas, including the packaging, paper, metal, cable and wire industries, EV battery manufacturing and medical and consumer electronics.

“Cajo Technologies is a fast-growing SME that’s ready to scale up its environmentally driven solution on international markets, which makes it a great match for Nefco. The share of circular economy projects in our SME portfolio is increasing. Enabling solutions such as Cajo’s are key to furthering circularity, so we are delighted to support the company’s global growth,” said Helena Lähteenmäki, Investment Director, Nefco.

The environmental benefit of Cajo’s solution stems from improved traceability, which is important for a well-functioning circular economy. The technology enables machine-readable traceability markings that last throughout a product’s life cycle, even in attritional environments. Furthermore, Cajo’s chemical-free marking technology decreases carbon footprint by 90% compared with industrial inkjet printers. Laser marking can also be used to ensure the quality and authenticity of products to prevent safety risks and greenwashing related to counterfeiting.

In 2022, Cajo opened a subsidiary in India as part of the company’s growth and internationalisation strategy. Cajo CEO Niko Karsikas is excited about the partnership and continuing on the road towards a green future.

“We are excited to partner up with Nefco and continue our efforts to revolutionise the marking industry with sustainable technology. Thanks to Nefco’s support, we can scale up our operations even more effectively and develop more cost-efficient solutions that will improve production processes and product quality while helping to grow the circular economy. Together with Nefco, we will accelerate the green transition for the global manufacturing industry.”

Cajo Technologies laser marking technology
Cajo’s lasers and flexible software solutions are available for all industrial marking purposes. Photo: Cajo Technologies

For more information, please contact:

Helena Lähteenmäki, Investment Director, Nefco
+358 10 6180 633, Helena.lahteenmaki@nefco.int

Niko Karsikas, CEO and founder, Cajo Technologies Ltd.
+358 50 5176 906, niko.karsikas@cajotechnologies.com 

About Cajo Technologies

Cajo Technologies is an international technology company that provides manufacturers with the best and most sustainable product marking solutions for any need. Cajo’s comprehensive laser marking systems have been delivered to more than 60 countries and are used by market-leading companies worldwide. The company’s remarkably cost-efficient lasers and flexible software solutions are available for all industrial marking purposes, covering traceability, identification and product markings.

The company has a patented method for making colour and traceability markings without additives. Cajo’s intelligent technology provides significant added value for material producers and other processors. The reliable solutions enable long product life cycles and near service-free operation compared with inkjet, label, engraving, etching and painting methods. Typical investment payback periods are under 8 months.

Cajo’s technology enables machine-readable traceability markings that last throughout a product’s life cycle, even in attritional conditions. The chemical-free marking technology enables manufacturers to decrease the carbon footprint of industrial labelling by 90% compared with, for example, industrial inkjet printers (read more in the Macon 2020 report – download the report here).

Choose Cajo for intelligent product marking. Learn more: cajotechnologies.com


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