Keal Case

Keal Case

Written by Katherine Kennedy Thursday, 07 June 2007

Owner says spare no expense for quality cases

Paul Keiser began his business, Keal Case, in 1983 out of his garage. With $250, he built the first case. Then he put on the only three-piece suit he owned, drove around Austin, handed out his business cards and tried to sell his homemade cases that could hold pretty much anything.

After saving for the first year, Keiser purchased a rivet machine to improve efficiency while adding durability. His company is now the second largest of its kind in the nation, selling the most superior product, Keiser said.

“We supply custom-made cases for anything and everything,” Keiser said. “Our product is a luxury item, and it is worth the money because it will never break. The wheels may wear down or the foam may have to be replaced (because of its chemical composition), but it will always stay in tact.”

Before his days with Keal Case, Keiser was a musician in a gospel band, Eternity, playing in 300-400 concerts per year all over the world. It was during these travels that he saw the need for strong, durable cases that could carry anything anywhere without falling apart.

Keiser partnered with Joe Alessi, director of Eternity, to begin making the cases. The name was formed by combining the last names of the two founders. They sold cases to people in the music industry and later expanded to hardware and computer chips.

“Musicians want Keal cases because of the quality. Our customer base is quality-driven, and they do not care about the price. We never compromise quality; our product is the most expensive for the best quality,” Keiser said.

Keiser enjoys giving tours of the plant, particularly to high school students.

“I dazzle them. I tell them how I changed my life and chose to live a better life, one with God,” Keiser said. “They will go on hundreds of field trips and never remember any of them, but they will always remember the day they spent with me, the day they met a successful man who came from nothing.”

In addition to running his own business, Keiser collects Smithsonian trains and is building a working steam engine. For the future, Keiser plans on taking it slow, and spending more time with his hobby.

“I enjoy making things. Railroads and trains are my passion. Building the steam engine is fun, and I am taking my time in completing it,” Keiser said.

Who uses a keal case?

Corporations

• IBM Corporation
• Dell Inc.
• Intel
• Samsung

Military

• Texas Border Patrol
• Military weapon cases in Afghanistan and Iraq
• Air Force wardrobe cases
• Hubble telescope

Entertainment

• UT football team
• Rolling Stones
• George Strait
• Pat Green
• Los Lonely Boys
• Willie Nelson
• Cory Morrow
• Cosmetic cases for the film industry

Keal Case, 1100 W. Old Settlers Blvd., Round Rock, TX 78681, 512-244-9100 • www.kealcases.com