Elka, an Italian organ manufacturer, started manufacturing piano and string keyboards around 1977. In 1982 they manufactured probably the most popular synthesizer of all of the Italian organ manufacturers (Crumar, Elka, and Seil), the Synthex. Piero Crucianelli, brother of Crumar's Mario Crucianelli, was Elka's president until it was sold to GEM (now a part of Generalmusic).