LION Group

What LION Group does

LION Group, Inc. is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer and service provider of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training solutions for firefighters and other first responders. Founded in 1898 in Dayton, Ohio, the company has grown to 501-1,000 employees and operates from a U.S. headquarters with manufacturing in Dayton, regional offices in Albany (NY), Toronto, and Tilburg (Netherlands, EMEA HQ), and a nationwide network of nine LION TotalCare service centers spanning Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando, Wilmington, Boston, and Dallas. Its product portfolio spans NFPA-compliant structural turnout gear (V-Force, V-Force EVO, Super-Deluxe, RedZone particulate-blocking lines), EN 469-compliant European turnout gear (ENgage series), wildland apparel, CBRN protective suits (MT94, ERS), helmets, gloves, boots, hoods, and rescue accessories, plus the Elbeco uniform brand acquired in 2022 covering law enforcement, fire service, and EMS.

Underlying technology emphasizes proprietary decontamination and advanced materials: RedZone CO2 cleaning eliminates an average of 98% of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons from PPE, and a 2026 strategic partnership with Decontex Holding brings NASA-invented SuperCritical CO2 cleaning to LION TotalCare facilities nationwide. LION also develops digital fire training systems (ATTACK, HyperFire, BullsEye, QuickFire XR VR) and live-fire training props, smoke generators, rescue manikins, and modular TrainingReady container systems, and operates LION Fire Academy, an online continuing-education platform. Since 2021 the company has transitioned outer shells and thermal liners to non-fluorinated, PFAS-free durable water repellent finishes.

LION monetizes through hardware sales (turnout gear, uniforms, training equipment) and recurring TotalCare managed services (cleaning, inspection, NFPA-certified repair, E-ZGear rental). Go-to-market combines an enterprise field sales force, direct e-commerce (shop.lionprotects.com), regional dealer networks (especially in EMEA), and government cooperative purchasing via Sourcewell (contract through 2028) and NPPGov (contract through 2026). Customers are primarily municipal fire departments ranging from small volunteer units to the largest U.S. metropolitan departments (Chicago FD, Philadelphia FD, Houston FD), with international sales through the Tilburg EMEA office and Canadian presence in Toronto.

Name

LION Group

Legal name

LION Group, Inc.

Website

https://www.lionprotects.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

LION Group is a fourth-generation family-owned manufacturer and service provider of personal protective equipment, training systems, and TotalCare cleaning/inspection services for firefighters and first responders, serving municipal fire departments and government agencies in North America and EMEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firefighter PPE and Training Equipment

NAICS

Fire Protection (92216)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields) (HLAHANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

PPE, Safety & Infection Control Supplies Distribution (JanSan-adjacent) (CRAOAGAK), Sterilization, Infection Control & PPE (Autoclaves, Disinfectants, Barriers) (HLAMAFAH)

Keywords

• Firefighter turnout gear
• Fire training equipment
• PPE maintenance services
• First responder uniforms
• Structural firefighting apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. PPE Sales: Manufacture and sale of firefighter turnout gear, helmets, gloves, boots, hoods, CBRN gear, and accessories. Products sold under LION and Starfield LION brands.
2. Uniform Sales: Sale of Elbeco-brand uniforms for law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel, including NFPA-certified and non-certified options.
3. Fire Training Equipment: Sale of digital and live-fire training props, smoke generators, rescue manikins, training structures, and related equipment.
4. TotalCare PPE Maintenance Services: Comprehensive PPE cleaning, inspection, and repair services through nine TotalCare facilities across the U.S. Includes CO2 cleaning, hydrostatic testing, and NFPA-compliant repairs.
5. PPE Rental Program: E-ZGear rental program providing NFPA-compliant gear rental to individual firefighters and fire academies for certification and training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LION Group manufactures personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders, including structural and wildland turnout gear, helmets, boots, gloves, hoods, and CBRN protective suits, under brands such as LION, Starfield LION, RedZone, V-Force, ENgage, and Elbeco. The company also designs, builds, and sells digital and live-fire training props, smoke generators, rescue manikins, and full training structures/facilities for firefighters and industrial safety programs. Through its LION TotalCare division, LION provides nationwide PPE cleaning, inspection, repair, and rental services from nine U.S. service centers.

Product overview

LION Group operates as a comprehensive first responder safety company offering an integrated portfolio of three core product/service categories: (1) Fire Training Tools including digital fire training systems (ATTACK, HyperFire, QuickFire XR, BullsEye), smoke generators (SG1000, SG4000), rescue manikins (SmartDummy series), and training structures; (2) PPE/Apparel including NFPA-compliant turnout gear (V-Force, V-Force EVO, Super-Deluxe, RedZone particulate blocking ensembles), EN 469-compliant international gear (ENgage series), wildland apparel (Wildlands Shirt/Pant, Coverall, LA Series), CBRN protection (MT94, ERS), helmets, gloves, boots, and hoods; and (3) TotalCare services including CO2 cleaning, inspection, and repair. The company acquired Elbeco brand uniforms in 2022 and expanded into Florida PPE Services and California (Turnout Maintenance Company) in 2024-2025. With manufacturing facilities in Dayton, Ohio and service centers nationwide, LION serves fire departments, law enforcement, and EMS agencies globally through brands including LION, Starfield LION, and Elbeco.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Elbeco: Brand of uniforms for law enforcement, first responders, and EMS professionals, acquired by LION in 2022
• Starfield LION
• RedZone
• V-Force
• ENgage
• TotalCare
• LION Fire Academy

Products and services

• V-Force Structural Turnout Gear NFPA-compliant premium structural turnout gear offering high thermal protection and durability for structural firefighting conditions. Sold to fire departments and first responder agencies.
• V-Force EVO Structural Turnout Gear Next-generation NFPA-compliant structural turnout gear with mobility-focused design supporting natural movement on the fireground while maintaining full protective performance. Sold to fire departments.
• RedZone Particulate Blocking Turnout Gear Turnout gear with integrated particulate-blocking zones and associated hoods (Nomex Nano Flex, StedAir Prevent Clear) designed to reduce firefighter exposure to carcinogens during fireground operations.
• ENgage Turnout Gear Series EN 469-compliant turnout gear line for international/European markets available in Classic, Select, Ultra, and Wildland editions with Level 1 and Level 2 protection options.
• Wildland Firefighting Apparel NFPA 1977-compliant wildland firefighting apparel including Wildlands Shirt & Pant, Wildlands Coverall, and LA Series Wildlands apparel available in NOMEX IIIA or Indura FR cotton materials with 3M Scotchlite reflective trim.
• CBRN Protective Suits Multi-threat protective suits (MT94, ERS) providing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear protection for hazmat and emergency response teams.
• Firefighter Helmets Premium NFPA-compliant structural firefighting helmets including the American Honor and American Legend series with traditional styling and modern safety features.
• Firefighter Boots Structural firefighting boots (V-Force Structural Fire Boot, KnockDown Elite) featuring V-Fit flex gussets, Poron XRD shin protection, GORE-TEX CROSSTECH moisture barrier, and Lenzi-L Protection puncture-resistant midsole.
• Firefighter Gloves Structural and extrication firefighting gloves (Primus, Commander ACE, Mechflex Xtreme) with advanced thermal protection, dexterity, and cut resistance.
• Elbeco Uniforms Professional uniforms for law enforcement, fire service, and EMS including NFPA-certified uniforms, dress uniforms, tactical uniforms, outerwear, and vest carriers acquired from Elbeco in February 2022.
• ATTACK Digital Fire Training System Digital fire training panel that simulates real fire scenarios for hands-on fire suppression training when suppression is the objective or to add realism to training situations. Sold to fire training academies and departments.
• HyperFire Digital Fire Training Advanced digital fire training system for realistic fire simulation and tactical training scenarios.
• QuickFire XR Virtual Training System Virtual reality fire extinguisher training system combining VR technology with hands-on training exercises for workplace and community fire safety.
• BullsEye Digital Fire Extinguisher Trainer Digital fire extinguisher simulation using laser technology to train individuals on proper extinguisher use without the mess or expense of live fire extinguishers.
• Intelligent Training System (I.T.S.) Live-fire extinguisher training system with advanced simulation capabilities and real-time feedback for workplace fire safety training.
• SmartDummy Rescue Manikin Series Rescue training manikins including Jeff (rescue), Thomas (extrication), and Thermal models for realistic firefighting and technical rescue scenario training.
• SG1000 and SG4000 Smoke Generators Professional smoke generators (SG1000 Vico, SG4000 Etna) for realistic smoke conditions during fire training exercises, plus compatible smoke liquid.
• TrainingReady Container Systems Mobile container-based training units providing comprehensive solutions for conducting various fire training scenarios at different locations.
• Vehicle Fire Training Prop Live-fire training prop simulating vehicle fires including engine, passenger compartment, tires, and fuel spill scenarios for firefighter training.
• LION TotalCare PPE Maintenance Services Comprehensive PPE care program providing cleaning (including RedZone CO2 cleaning), inspection, and NFPA-certified repair services for firefighter turnout gear across nine TotalCare service centers in the U.S. (Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando, Wilmington, Boston, Dallas).
• CO2 PPE Cleaning Service Liquid CO2 and SuperCritical CO2 decontamination cleaning service for firefighter PPE, including RedZone CO2 cleaning that eliminates on average 98% of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and exceeds NFPA 1850 standards.
• E-ZGear Rental Program PPE rental program providing NFPA-compliant gear rental to individual firefighters and fire academies for certification and training purposes.
• LION Fire Academy Online education platform providing free access to guidelines, tips, and Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for proper PPE storage and maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• RedZone CO2 cleaning eliminates 98% of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from firefighter PPE
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Decontex HoldingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026Strategic partnership to deploy SuperCritical CO2 PPE cleaning technology through LION TotalCare facilities nationwide over the next year. The technology was invented by NASA and developed by Decontex, exceeding NFPA 1850 cleaning standards. Over the past decade, Decontex refined the process in collaboration with academic partners and has cleaned more than one million pieces of PPE across 16 countries. LION combines Decontex's advanced technology with its operational expertise and nationwide footprint.
• Tersus SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership bringing Tersus/RedZone CO2 cleaning technology to the fire service. RedZone provides the most effective PPE cleaning on the market, eliminating on average 98% of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from firefighter gear.
• Turnout Maintenance CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquisition of Los Angeles-area verified Independent Service Provider (ISP) that cleans, inspects and repairs firefighter gear. This is the first LION TotalCare location in California and second on the West Coast, helping meet demand across the state and region. Rich Spining, a founder of Turnout Maintenance, will serve as manager of Los Angeles TotalCare.
• Florida PPE ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquisition of Florida PPE Services, a verified ISP dedicated to keeping firefighters safe and healthy. The acquisition allows LION TotalCare to serve more fire departments across Florida and the Southeast. As the second TotalCare location in the Southeast, the Central Florida facility helps meet growing demand. Tonya Herbert, president and owner, joins LION Safety Solutions as VP of Government Relations and Advocacy.
• National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLION is a proud and long-standing supporter of the NVFC, the voice of volunteer first responders in America. NVFC advocates for volunteer firefighters before Congress, helps with recruitment and retention, and provides education and training.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Globe Manufacturing: Globe Manufacturing is a U.S.-based competitor specializing in structural firefighter turnout gear, boots, and hoods. It is one of LION's most direct head-to-head competitors in turnout gear sold to U.S. fire departments.
• Avon Protection: Avon Protection manufactures CBRN and respiratory protective equipment for military, law enforcement, and first responders. It directly competes with LION's MT94 and ERS CBRN protective suits.
• MSA Safety: MSA Safety is a direct competitor in firefighter PPE, head protection, SCBA, and gas detection serving fire departments globally. It is one of the closest publicly traded comps for LION's firefighter PPE business.
• Dräger: Dräger is a German safety and medical technology company that produces EN 469-compliant firefighter PPE, SCBA, and gas detection. It competes directly with LION's ENgage line in European and international markets.
• Bullard: Bullard manufactures firefighter helmets, thermal imagers, and respiratory protection equipment. It directly competes with LION's American Honor and American Legend helmet lines and shares the same municipal fire department customer base.
• National Safety Apparel: National Safety Apparel produces FR clothing, arc-rated apparel, and PPE for industrial and first responder markets. It overlaps with LION's protective apparel and Elbeco uniform product lines.

Others

• W. L. Gore & Associates: Gore supplies GORE-TEX CROSSTECH moisture barriers and ePTFE film used in LION's structural fire boots and turnout gear. It is a critical supplier and adjacent technology provider in firefighter PPE materials, with comparable R&D investment in protective fabrics.
• DuPont: DuPont supplies Nomex and Nomex Nano Flex fabrics used in LION's turnout gear and RedZone hoods. It is comparable as an upstream materials partner with overlapping firefighter PPE materials technology and its own personal protection segment.

Regional players

• Bristol Uniforms: Bristol Uniforms is a UK-based manufacturer of structural and specialist firefighter PPE distributed primarily across the UK, Europe, and Middle East. It is comparable to LION's ENgage line as a regional turnout gear specialist outside the U.S.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell (Scott Safety / PGI): Honeywell owns the Scott Safety and PGI brands, making it the largest global supplier of firefighter SCBA, turnout gear, and respiratory protection. It is comparable to LION as the dominant multi-brand incumbent in firefighter PPE, with deeper R&D budgets and global distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lion-group
• Xx.com/lion_gear

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LION Group