BALTECH was founded in 1996 with the focus on development, production and sale of Contactless Smartcard read-/ write devices.The business model was to supply the emerging market of Contactless Smartcard- and RFID-technology with readers and solutions.

Initial activities were focussed on the development, production and sale of mifare® Contactless Smartcard read/write devices. With its first product line, mifare® readers, BALTECH was the only supplier with its own RF-technology at the frequency 13,56 MHz besides Philips.
With the launch of RFID/SmartLabel technology in 1998, BALTECH was one of the first providers of these readers and the only supplier offering a link between the RFID- and the Contactless Smartcard world by combining SmartLabel and mifare functionality into a single product: the first ID-engine reader modules.