Cartamundi

About Cartamundi

Cartamundi is an international player in... games. Wonderful, right? Playing games for a living. But there's much more to those card games than you might think.

In Turnhout, Cartamundi is increasingly specializing in complex collectables, with each pack being composed differently. This involves a great deal of manual work. And because each new series is strictly confidential, every step must be executed with precision. Accuracy, discretion, and reliability are essential.

And that is precisely where the strength of our collaboration lies. We know each other inside out and complement each other where necessary. Together, we ensure that all the fun and games that people around the world look forward to ends up on the shelves in exactly the right way and without a single mistake.

‍

How we strengthen Cartamundi together

A-kwadraat has been working shoulder to shoulder with Cartamundi for many years on everything related to the assembly, packaging, and finishing of their game products.

Flexibility is key here. Schedules sometimes shift, deliveries arrive earlier or later than expected, and new series sometimes need to be rushed out the door. At times like these, our team steps up to the plate.

Specifically, we assist Cartamundi with the following:

• assembling and packaging collectibles and trading cards,
• unloading and filling displays,
• special packaging for limited editions and game series,
• and keeping pace with time-critical releases and embargoes where security and discretion are essential.

Or as Marc, responsible for purchasing for the entire Cartamundi group and the supply chain of the Turnhout site, so beautifully puts it:

“Within the walls of Cartamundi, we automate as much as possible, and when manual labor is required, A-kwadraat is our first choice as a partner.”

‍

This is how we grow together

A collaboration that feels like it has always been there

When a collaboration runs so smoothly, it becomes difficult to go back to the beginning. That is also the case with Cartamundi. No one knows exactly when it started. It just feels as if we have always been neighbors, partners, and teammates.

Elly Nooyens, who has been a fixture at Cartamundi for more than forty years, saw the bond grow stronger: 

We have been working with social economy companies for over thirty years. A-kwadraat is located close to us, and every day there are transports between our two companies. Naturally, we know each other through and through by now. We have truly grown together.”

Marc Sylverans also witnessed this growth up close, at various levels:

“There is so much more structure now in how we work together, exchange information, and coordinate schedules. A-kwadraat has grown in professionalismand competitiveness and capacity. Today, they have more people ready to work for Cartamundi than ever before."

‍

Working together in the same rhythm

Our collaboration is woven into the daily rhythm of Cartamundi. There is contact at all levels: from weekly planning meetings to daily follow-ups. And because we work with confidential, valuable, and time-sensitive products, clear agreements and quality procedures are essential.

With each new collectable, often every few months, the composition, flow, and even security measures change. Each card can have a different value, and new series are subject to embargo. That is why processes are checked every half hour, and finished volumes are immediately booked and prepared for their next destination.

Even transportation is fully coordinated. The trucks are loaded directly at A-kwadraat and depart immediately for the customer. During busy periods, there can be as many as ten deliveries per week.

‍

The added value of A-kwadraat

For Cartamundi, A-kwadraat is much more than just an executive partner. We have become a permanent, trusted link in a supply chain that sometimes runs at breakneck speed and then peaks or shifts. Where things get complex, we bring calm, hands, and heart.

• Flexibility
  In the world of Cartamundi, planning doesn't always match reality. And that's okay. Our team adapts, shifts people around, jumps between assignments, and keeps a cool head, even when deadlines suddenly loom closer than expected. That's exactly where our strength lies.‍
• 
  's reliability Elly puts it so beautifully: "Even when we can't deliver on time ourselves, you never hear any frustration on the phone. They always help us find solutions." And for us, that's a given. That's how we work. That's how we want to worktogether.
• Precision & confidentiality
  When it comes to collectables, nothing can go wrong. Every package must be correct, every flow must be right. That is why we work with clear procedures, checks, and a keen eye for detail.This is essential when new cards are under embargo and the value of each item varies.
• Sustainability
  This is where we are completely on the same page. Plastic-free packaging, working with FSC cardboard, opting for manual labor where it makes sense, and above all: collaborating with our neighbors instead of sending production to the other side of Europe. This makes the chain shorter, greener, and more humane.

"Every time, we are amazed at how they put the right people in the right place," says Elly. That is perhaps the best compliment. Because behind all that fun lies true craftsmanship, from our people who work with care, precision, and pride.

‍

How we make an impact together

Our collaboration with Cartamundi proves every day that craftsmanship, innovation, and social entrepreneurship are a powerful combination. What we do makes it possible to keep part of their production close to home, close to the people who make it, and close to the customers who look forward to it.

This is only possible because there is trust, because we understand each other, and because we have been working at each other's pace for years. Thanks to this closeness and professionalization, Cartamundi does not have to resort to distant locations for work that can be done right here, locally, with care.

Marc sums it up beautifully:

“Thanks to a partner like A-kwadraat, we are able to offer less automated products closer to the market.”