Solar Technology
Solar Technology designs and manufactures solar-powered traffic safety equipment — arrow boards, message boards, radar speed trailers, and tower trailers — for construction contractors, equipment rental companies, and state/municipal DOTs. Founded 1991 in Allentown, PA, with embedded cellular/GPS telematics and the SmartZone ITS software platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersAllentown, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Solar Technology does
Solar Technology, Inc. (SolarTech) is a Pennsylvania-incorporated, privately held manufacturer founded in 1991 and headquartered in Allentown, PA, with 101–250 employees. The company designs and manufactures solar-powered traffic safety equipment — including trailer-mounted and vehicle-mounted arrow boards (Silent Sentinel series), full-matrix variable message boards (Silent Messenger series), radar speed trailers, solar tower trailers, and incident response trailers — with embedded GPS, cellular modems, and proprietary MegaTech touch-screen controllers running TRAFIX embedded software. SolarTech serves three primary customer segments: construction contractors and work-zone operators, equipment rental companies that lease the equipment to end users, and municipal/state DOTs procuring through GSA Advantage (GS 07F-5946P). Distribution runs through direct sales, a network of equipment rental resellers (Durante Rentals, Bob's Barricades, Aztec Rentals, Highway Specialties, Jamco, among others), and government marketplace channels.
The company's technology architecture is a hardware-plus-platform stack: the 2017-launched SmartZone ITS platform layers real-time work-zone ITS modules (Travel Time Information, Queue Warning, Incident Detection, Dynamic Merge, Construction Vehicle Ingress Notification, Variable Speed Limit) on top of the hardware fleet, while SolarTrak (<$10/unit/month), WebSuite, and Command Center NTCIP provide fleet management and remote control. The 2015 launch of SolarComm Universal Modem extends the software/services layer to third-party NTCIP message boards, expanding the addressable installed base beyond SolarTech's own hardware. ISO-9001:2015 certification has been maintained since 2000, and a 5-year warranty is standard on all products.
Solar Technology generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales (high-ASP industrial traffic safety equipment), supplemented by a small recurring subscription stream from SolarTrak fleet management and bundled free lifetime cellular service on connected products. The company is expanding via Michigan's SOAR business incentive program with a new factory near Hemlock Semiconductor. No public revenue, funding, or M&A disclosures are available in the source materials.
Solar Technology firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solar Technology
- Legal name
- Solar Technology, Inc.
- Website
- https://solartechnology.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Solar Technology designs and manufactures solar-powered traffic safety equipment — arrow boards, message boards, radar speed trailers, and tower trailers — for construction contractors, equipment rental companies, and state/municipal DOTs. Founded 1991 in Allentown, PA, with embedded cellular/GPS telematics and the SmartZone ITS software platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solar Technology industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar-powered traffic safety equipment
- NAICS
- Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Renewable Monitoring, Controls & SCADA Hardware Manufacturing (Sensors, RTUs, Meters) (EUAMAHAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring) (EUAMABAH)
Keywords
Where Solar Technology is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Allentown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Solar Technology business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Traffic Safety Equipment Hardware Sales: One-time sale of solar-powered traffic safety equipment including Arrow Boards, Message Boards, Radar Speed Trailers, Tower Trailers, and related products. Products are sold directly to end customers and through rental company distributors. Includes a 5-year warranty on all products.
- Fleet Management Software Subscription (SolarTrak): Monthly subscription fleet management service priced at under $10 per month per unit, providing GPS tracking, geo-fencing, usage reports, maintenance schedules, and vandalism alerts for construction and rental equipment fleets.
- Remote Communication Services: Lifetime free cellular service included with products featuring embedded remote communications, allowing remote access, GPS tracking, and board control via smartphone or desktop. May include additional service tiers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | SolarTrak Fleet Management at under $10 per month per unit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Solar Technology product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solar Technology designs, manufactures, and sells solar-powered traffic safety equipment for the transportation industry, including trailer-mounted and vehicle-mounted arrow boards, full-matrix variable message boards, radar speed trailers, solar-powered lighting tower trailers, and incident response trailers. The hardware is paired with proprietary software platforms—MegaTech/TRAFIX controller software, SmartZone ITS workzone software, WebSuite/Command Center NTCIP remote management, and SolarTrak GPS fleet management—enabling remote monitoring, GPS tracking, and centralized fleet control for construction, rental, and government customers.
Product overview
Solar Technology (SolarTech) is a manufacturer of solar-powered traffic safety equipment based in Allentown, PA. The company operates a platform-plus-products architecture centered on its flagship SmartZone ITS platform, which provides real-time work zone traffic management through modules including Travel Time Information System, Queue Warning System, Incident Detection System, Dynamic Merge System, Construction Vehicle Ingress Notification System, and Variable Speed Limit System. The core product portfolio encompasses solar-powered variable message boards (Silent Messenger series in full, mid, and small sizes), arrow boards (Silent Sentinel), radar speed trailers, tower trailers, and incident response trailers, all featuring embedded GPS, cellular modems, and remote communication capabilities. Supporting software includes WebSuite (web-based fleet management), Command Center (NTCIP-compliant remote control), SolarComm Universal (universal modem for any NTCIP message board), and SolarTrak (GPS fleet tracking). The company was founded in 1991 and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SolarTrak: GPS/telemetry Fleet Management solution for construction and rental fleets
- SmartZone
- WebSuite
- SolarComm Universal
- Silent Sentinel
- Silent Messenger
Products and services
- Silent Sentinel Arrow Board Trailer-mounted solar-powered arrow boards available in 15 and 25 lamp configurations with a 96" x 48" display panel, LED technology, and optional remote communications; used by contractors, rental companies, and DOTs for work-zone traffic direction.
- Silent Sentinel ECO Arrow Board Environmentally friendly variant of the Silent Sentinel Arrow Board offering the same solar-powered directional traffic control for contractors, rental fleets, and government agencies with a sustainability-oriented design.
- Silent Messenger Full-Sized Message Board Full-sized solar-powered full-matrix variable message board with a 126" x 76" panel on a lift-and-rotate mast, 5-year warranty, and remote communications; used by state DOTs and contractors to display real-time travel and safety messages in highway work zones.
- Mid-Sized Message Board MB II Mid-sized solar-powered full-matrix variable message board with a 92" x 54" panel and an easy-to-use controller; for contractors, rental fleets, and municipalities requiring portable roadside messaging.
- Mid-Sized Message Board MB III
Companies that use Solar Technology
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Solar Technology technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Solar Technology partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TAPCOminorTAPCO is listed as a customer testimonial provider, purchasing and reselling SolarTech traffic safety products as a distribution partner. The company has been a SolarTech customer for multiple years.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Solar Technology competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carmanah Technologies: Canadian manufacturer of solar-powered LED lighting, traffic safety, and signaling products. Comparable in solar-powered portable traffic equipment including message boards, arrow boards, and radar speed signs.
- Ver-Mac: Canadian manufacturer of portable solar-powered message boards, arrow boards, radar speed trailers, and ITS equipment. Most direct comparable: similar product mix, solar-powered trailer-mounted traffic safety equipment, and NTCIP-compliant software offerings.
- North America Traffic: Canadian manufacturer of portable traffic signals and message boards (now part of Ver-Mac group). Historically a direct competitor in portable traffic safety and ITS equipment.
- TAPCO (Traffic and Parking Control Co.): US manufacturer and distributor of traffic safety products including solar-powered message boards, speed displays, and ITS solutions. Both companies compete and overlap as customer/distributor relationships, making them direct peers.
- All Traffic Solutions: US manufacturer of radar speed signs, message boards, and cloud-based traffic data analytics. Comparable in solar-powered portable traffic safety hardware with software/management platform attached (TraffiCloud).
- Wanco Inc. US-based manufacturer of portable traffic safety equipment including solar-powered message boards, arrow boards, radar speed trailers, and incident response trailers. Comparable product portfolio, channel mix (rental and DOT sales), and 5-year warranty positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Iteris: Public-listed ITS and smart-mobility infrastructure provider offering traffic management software, sensors, and analytics. Larger incumbent in the broader ITS market that competes with SmartZone ITS at state-DOT level.
- Hill & Smith Holdings: UK-listed infrastructure group with US road safety products (via Plasticade and others). Provides competing work-zone safety, barriers, and traffic management products through its portfolio companies.
Emerging players
- JSF Technologies: US-based developer of traffic sensor and monitoring technologies for work zones and intersections. Adjacent in ITS sensing/data for work zones, complementing SolarTech's SmartZone ITS software.
- Royal Truck & Equipment: Manufacturer of specialized work zone vehicles, truck-mounted attenuators, and traffic control equipment. Adjacent to SolarTech in work-zone safety applications though more vehicle- than trailer-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Solar Technology social profiles
Digital presenceSolar Technology compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Solar Technology financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solar Technology leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Solar Technology funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solar Technology M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solar Technology
What does Solar Technology do?
Solar Technology designs, manufactures, and sells solar-powered traffic safety equipment for the transportation industry, including trailer-mounted and vehicle-mounted arrow boards, full-matrix variable message boards, radar speed trailers, solar-powered lighting tower trailers, and incident response trailers. The hardware is paired with proprietary software platforms—MegaTech/TRAFIX controller software, SmartZone ITS workzone software, WebSuite/Command Center NTCIP remote management, and SolarTrak GPS fleet management—enabling remote monitoring, GPS tracking, and centralized fleet control for construction, rental, and government customers.
Is Solar Technology a public or private company?
Solar Technology is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Solar Technology founded?
Solar Technology was founded in 1991. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Solar Technology based?
Solar Technology is headquartered in Allentown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Solar Technology make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Traffic Safety Equipment Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are fleet Management Software Subscription (SolarTrak) and remote Communication Services.
Who are Solar Technology's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carmanah Technologies, Ver-Mac, North America Traffic, TAPCO (Traffic and Parking Control Co.), All Traffic Solutions and Wanco Inc.. Broad incumbents are Iteris and Hill & Smith Holdings. Emerging players are JSF Technologies and Royal Truck & Equipment.
Does Solar Technology have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solar Technology.
What industry is Solar Technology in?
Solar Technology's product category is Solar-powered traffic safety equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMAHAJ, Renewable Monitoring, Controls & SCADA Hardware Manufacturing (Sensors, RTUs, Meters), with a secondary code of EUAMABAH, Solar Design, Engineering & Performance Software (PV Modeling, Digital Twins, Monitoring). Its NAICS code is 335314 and its SIC code is 3600.