What East Penn does

East Penn Manufacturing Company is a private, family-owned industrial battery manufacturer founded in 1946 and headquartered in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania. The company operates what it describes as the largest single-site lead battery manufacturing facility in the world, with additional manufacturing sites in Iowa (Corydon, Oelwein), Texas (Temple), Utah (Salt Lake City), North Carolina (Winston-Salem), Pennsylvania (Lancaster Mold), and Michigan (Ann Arbor, via the Navitas Systems lithium division). The company is organized into four core product divisions: Transportation (automotive, commercial truck, marine, agricultural batteries), Motive Power (Deka®-branded batteries for material handling and lift trucks), Reserve Power (backup power for UPS, telecommunications, outside plant, and renewable energy storage), and Wire, Cable & Battery Accessories. Specialty offerings include Fahrenheit® battery technology for commercial trucking (launched 2019), an EHP (Electric Hybrid Power) website section for EV/hybrid consumer guidance (launched 2025), and the Power2Recycle closed-loop battery recycling program.

The business operates a primarily B2B model: enterprise customers procure batteries through direct sales via the "Where to Buy" portal, while smaller buyers access the E-Store (eastpenn.estore.shop). Geographic reach is delivered through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries — East Penn Canada and East Penn International / Suzhou Power Technology (Asia-Pacific) — alongside acquired brands including Navitas Systems (larger-format lithium battery technology) and MK Battery (home mobility and renewable energy). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company sells across three primary use-case segments — Transportation, Motive Power, and Reserve Power — plus a secondary wire/cable/accessories line, reaching automotive OEMs (with Honda and John Deere supplier sustainability recognition), material handling fleets, telecom and UPS operators, and renewable energy integrators. Notable signals include an announced Texas-based expansion (April 2026), the 2019 acquisition of Navitas Systems for lithium capability extension, and the company's privately held family-ownership structure with 10,000+ employees.

Name

East Penn

Legal name

East Penn Manufacturing Company

Website

https://dekabatteries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

East Penn Manufacturing is a private, family-owned company founded in 1946 that produces lead-acid batteries for automotive, material handling, telecom/UPS backup, and renewable energy markets from the largest single-site lead battery facility in the world, with global reach via subsidiaries in Canada and Asia-Pacific.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lead-Acid Battery Manufacturing

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Battery Manufacturing (335910)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Batteries & 12V/Low-Voltage Energy Storage Manufacturing (IMACAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aftermarket Battery, Charging & Power Accessories Manufacturing (12V Batteries/Jump Starters/Chargers/Inverters) (IMACANAL), Industrial Material Handling & Warehouse Charging (forklift/AGV chargers, battery swapping) (IMAGAHAG), Battery Recycling & Materials Recovery (Li-ion, LFP, Flow, Lead-Acid) (EUAMALAE)

Keywords

• Lead-acid batteries
• Motive power batteries
• Backup power systems
• Automotive batteries
• Battery recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon Station

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Battery Manufacturing and Sales: East Penn generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of lead-acid batteries across multiple divisions including transportation, motive power, and reserve power applications. The company operates the largest single-site lead battery manufacturing facility in the world.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

East Penn Manufacturing designs, produces, and sells lead-acid batteries (under the Deka brand) for transportation (cars, trucks, boats, tractors), motive power (material handling/lift trucks), and reserve power (UPS, telecommunications, outside plant, renewable energy storage). The company also supplies wire, cable, and battery accessories, specialty technologies (Fahrenheit for commercial trucks, EHP for EV/hybrid vehicles, lithium systems via Navitas), and a closed-loop recycling program (Power2Recycle).

Product overview

East Penn Manufacturing is a private, family-owned company operating the largest single-site, lead battery manufacturing facility in the world. The company offers a diversified product portfolio organized into four core divisions: Motive Power (Deka® brand for material handling/lift trucks), Transportation (automotive, commercial truck, boat, and tractor batteries), Reserve Power (UPS, telecommunications, and renewable energy backup power), and Wire & Cable & Battery Accessories. The company also has specialty products including Fahrenheit® battery technology for commercial trucks and EHP (Electric Hybrid Power) for EV/hybrid vehicles. East Penn's portfolio includes recycling services through Power2Recycle and is supported by global subsidiaries including Navitas Systems (lithium battery technology), MK Battery, East Penn Canada, and East Penn International serving the Asia-Pacific region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deka: Brand used for motive power batteries for material handling needs, and transportation batteries for cars, trucks, boats, tractors, and other moving applications.
• Fahrenheit

Products and services

• Deka Motive Power Batteries Deka-branded dependable, durable batteries designed for material handling needs including lift trucks and warehouse equipment.
• Transportation Batteries Batteries for cars, trucks, boats, tractors, and other moving transportation applications providing vehicle starting, lighting, and ignition power.
• Reserve Power Batteries Powerful energy storage solutions delivering critical backup power for UPS, telecommunications, outside plant, and renewable energy applications.
• Wire, Cable & Battery Accessories Premium wire and cable products, battery accessories, and custom solutions available in bulk or individually packaged offerings.
• Fahrenheit Battery Technology Battery technology specifically designed for commercial truck applications to reduce downtime and emergency repair needs.
• EHP (Electric Hybrid Power) Resource for navigating battery choices for EV or hybrid vehicles, addressing different battery voltage systems in these more complex vehicles.
• Power2Recycle Program East Penn's proprietary closed-loop battery recycling program supporting environmental sustainability and responsible disposal practices.
• Navitas Systems Lithium Batteries Larger-format lithium battery technology and systems for various applications including EVs and hybrid vehicles, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• MK Battery Premium Batteries Premium batteries delivered to markets such as home mobility and renewable energy worldwide.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• John DeereminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023East Penn recognized by John Deere with the 2023 Supplier Sustainability Award. Represents supplier-customer recognition relationship.
• Honda North AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021East Penn recognized by Honda North America with the 2020 Supplier Sustainability Award. Represents supplier-customer recognition relationship.
• East Penn CanadacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional subsidiary serving the Canadian market in automotive, commercial, motive power, stationary, and renewable energy power sectors.
• East Penn InternationalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary serving the Asia-Pacific market for UPS, transportation, telecommunications and renewable energy applications.
• Navitas SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal leader in larger-format lithium battery technology and systems based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Extends East Penn's capabilities into lithium battery technology for EVs and hybrid vehicles.
• MK BatterycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivers premium batteries to markets such as home mobility and renewable energy worldwide. Extends East Penn's product distribution globally.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GS Yuasa: Japanese battery manufacturer producing automotive, motorcycle, industrial, and lithium-ion batteries. Comparable across SLI, motive power, and reserve power with a broader lithium footprint.
• Exide Technologies: Global lead-acid battery manufacturer serving transportation, industrial, and motive power markets across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Directly comparable product portfolio and recycling capabilities.
• EnerSys: Global leader in industrial batteries for motive power (forklifts), reserve power (UPS/telecom), and specialty applications. Closely mirrors East Penn's Motive Power and Reserve Power divisions.
• Trojan Battery Company: U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in deep-cycle lead-acid and lithium batteries for golf, floor cleaning, aerial work platforms, and renewable energy storage. Directly comparable in motive power and stationary reserve-power niches.
• Clarios: Formerly Johnson Controls Power Solutions; the world's largest automotive battery manufacturer. Directly comparable as a global lead-acid battery producer serving transportation, motive power, and reserve power with similar OEM and aftermarket channels.
• Crown Battery: Family-owned U.S. lead-acid battery manufacturer serving motive power, reserve power, and transportation — a closer structural analog to East Penn given similar private, family-owned status and product mix.
• East Penn Manufacturing (Deka): Subject company itself listed for context — its Deka and Fahrenheit brands anchor North American SLI and motive power markets.

Broad incumbents

• BYD: Vertically integrated EV and battery manufacturer. Comparable as a competitor across automotive battery formats and reserve power, with deeper lithium scale than East Penn.
• Panasonic Energy: Diversified battery giant with leading lithium-ion position (EV cells for Tesla, consumer). Adjacent to East Penn via overlapping automotive and reserve power channels and represents the lithium scale-up benchmark.

Emerging players

• CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology): World's largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer. Not a direct competitor in lead-acid but defines the technological trajectory and pricing benchmark East Penn's lithium ambitions must eventually compete against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-penn-manufacturing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about East Penn