The moment we’ve been equally dreading and looking forward to at the same time has arrived: Before the end of this year we’ll be shutting down my-clay.com.

Not because our journey ended. But because it’s continuing. Right here.

Clay was born in 2012: In a little Dutch city where Xander Heijman and Rick Voogt decided to start a new company that would go on to changing the world of keys, locks and technology.

They decided to start this new company that would float on the changing the world of keys, locks and technology!

At that moment Rick was a company director at a multinational and a known name in the world of access control. Used to big and specialized projects, mainly in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. He considered himself lucky, but not necessarily happy in that role.

Xander, like a true ‘Rotterdammer' is an entrepreneur from his twenties and already (had) owned IT- and Internet companies. Entrepreneurship is the best thing that ever happened to him: A lot of hard work but in exchange the freedom to change whatever you want and do whatever you feel is necessary to make your business work.

Rick and Xander’s knowledge on how to build technology from the bottom up combined let to the birth of Clay Solutions B.V.

Xander and Rick realized they needed a partner that manufactured the physical locks; since this was certainly not their expertise. They made a plan to first make the prototype and then present it to a selection of big potential partners who could contribute a ton of knowledge. Among them was Salto Systems: Through Ricks network, the guys received a lock from this ‘locking company in Spain’. They decided to use it for the prototype.

The necessary electronics were purchased, and Rick and Xander put them in a basic Illy coffee can and developed a demo. After three months it actually worked the way they had envisioned it! There was a lock, a coffee can with electronics, a KPN SIMcard, a website, an app with which you could actually open the door with from a distance, receive a text message when the door opens and even the possibility to alter the rights instantly so you are able to block the door!

The next step was to test if the prototype would work abroad since the first demo was at Salto Systems HQ in Spain. In a restaurant in Belgium, Rick convinced the waitress he had a very important meeting in the restaurant there the upcoming month, and he needed to test a technical solution. The tests turned out great, everything worked like it was supposed to. The full management team at Salto Systems welcomed Rick and Xander with open arms and they got to present the prototype in detail.

End result: Salto was in, and not just as a technology partner but as a shareholder as well!

Just one year after they decided to conquer the world of access control, Rick and Xander found themselves in their brand-new office in Amsterdam and the Clay adventure really had started.

In 2017: SALTO Systems fully acquired Clay and became the sole owner of the company. ‘Clay by SALTO’ got rebranded to ‘SALTO KS’ (SALTO Keys as a Service), saltoks.com was born and the Clay Locking Platform (today known as KS Core) was launched. Industry leaders were now able to preserve their own interface but could still enjoy the best in cloud-based access control.

2018 was the year we got to rebrand the Clay Locking Platform to KS Core and launched the KS Connect program as well as KS Custom. Today we offer large businesses and global enterprises three solutions; SALTO KS, KS Custom and KS Core, as well as an integration program with KSconnect.

As you might have noticed last year we launched the new and improved SALTO KS website, and keep improving it by showcasing how SALTO KS is being used by a variety of customers in different verticals, from coliving to coworking and retail.

All of this would not be possible without the Bricks that make up Clay, and develop the SALTO Keys as a Service product as it is today. As the Clay team behind SALTO KS, we will remain to be the brains behind the product. Follow our journey on Instagram and/or join us along the way.

The time has come to say goodbye to my-clay.com and welcome all the new key-free adventures via saltoks.com.

Please continue to follow our journey to make this world key-free by keeping an eye on the SALTO KS blog and follow us on LinkedIn.

SALTO KS provides a flexible access control management system that requires no software installation or the added expense of a fully-wired electronic product. Modern cloud-based, wireless access control system is easy and simple to use for businesses including Coworking Spaces, Coliving Buildings, Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Retail, Multi-Tenant Housing, Gyms and many more. Our best in class wireless access control solution and smart locks guarantee the efficiency for your business. Integrate smart locks, start easily managing wireless access control now!