Iconic Fibox arca IEC turns 10 years

For the birthday of ARCA IEC, our most iconic cabinet, we sat down to chat with our Director of Product Management, Allan Schultz Jensen, who shared with us the birth story of one of the most durable polycarbonate cabinets.

The Story of ARCA: From a Napkin to Making Difficult Easy

In the summer of 2012, a simple observation led to the birth of the ARCA IEC cabinet. It all started with a quick brainstorming session over a napkin, driven by a few clear trends in the market. The demand for larger cabinets was evident, but there were problems—14% of sheet steel enclosures were being installed in environments they weren’t suited for, leading to costly errors. Stainless steel, though a durable solution, was too expensive for most customers. These challenges inspired a vision: to create a new type of enclosure that catered to panel builders, installers, infrastructure, and OEMs while being affordable, reliable, and versatile.

Step 1: The Idea (Napkin Stage)

The first seed of ARCA came from a pressing need to adapt to the trends of the industry. Bigger cabinets were in demand, but the materials and designs available in the market weren't cutting it. Stainless steel was expensive, and traditional sheet steel enclosures were often misapplied. With this in mind, the goal was clear: create a cabinet that would not only be more cost-effective, but also address the needs of installers and various sectors such as infrastructure companies, and OEMs. "The process completely came alive when the Fibox product development team started to sketch the design on a napkin," says Allan Schultz Jensen.

The actual napkin                                                                       Director of Product Management, Allan Schultz Jensen with ARCA cabinets                                                              

Step 2: Design and Features (Garage Workshop)

Our chief of design, Kenneth Weber, took the ideas sketched on that napkin and retreated to his garage, where innovation often starts. He tinkered, sketched, and crafted, bringing out ideas and drawings for what would later become ARCA’s defining features. The design process didn’t stop there. We went a step further by acquiring 26 different cabinets from competitors to break them down, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately conclude: "We can make this better." The foundation was laid for a cabinet that would stand out in terms of functionality, usability, and cost-effectiveness.

Step 3: The Voice of Customers (Customer Visits)

With a 3D-printed prototype in hand, we embarked on a mission to gather real-world feedback. Over the course of several months, we visited 119 customers across Europe, speaking face-to-face with installers, panel builders, contractors, machine builders, purchasers, and wholesalers. Their feedback was invaluable, helping us refine ARCA to perfection. What we learned from these conversations was simple but profound: ARCA made difficult tasks easy.

This journey—from a napkin sketch in 2012 to face-to-face customer visits—allowed us to create a product that didn’t just meet market needs but surpassed them. The ARCA cabinet became a solution that redefined what an enclosure could be, tackling cost, size, and application challenges with ease.

And so, ARCA was born: A cabinet designed to make difficult easy. The ARCA designed a century ago, remains the base for the ARCAs that have come after that, as the development of this iconic cabinet has continued the whole time. 

And why was it decided to call it ARCA? It’s an ancient Greek word meaning chest or coffer in which valuables were kept. So wouldn’t you say, perfect.