The decades of acquired expertise as exclusive importer for a host of Italian brands such as Gaggia, Cimbali, Pavoni, Quick, and Vibiemme and his idea to produce high-quality and durable espresso machines using tried-and-tested components from the world of professional technology finally led Hauck to turn his dream into reality in 1996 and to market his own products for the first time. The product range began with the first version of the "ECM Technika" model, which is still incredibly popular today.