During the 1990s, KADEN produced several toy car models made of zinc alloy and plastic. KADEN, along with many other companies in Europe, had been facing increasing foreign competition due to the lower costs of outsourcing labor and production to Asia (particularly to China). Leading up to 2020, KADEN had been reduced to a company of about 40 workers. Despite its diverse team of experts, KADEN faced the challenge of straying from its roots in production. A return to those roots was limited by lack of access to impactful, cost-effective, and timely manufacturing solutions.