What Kidde, Inc. does

Kidde, Inc. (legal entity Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc.) is North America's largest manufacturer of residential fire safety products, operating as a privately held company headquartered in Mebane, North Carolina with a secondary shipping facility in Fresno, California. Founded in 1917, Kidde manufactures smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, combination smoke+CO alarms, fire extinguishers (residential, kitchen, garage, and commercial Pro Series), fire escape ladders, and safety accessories. Its underlying technology spans photoelectric and ionization smoke sensing, electrochemical CO detection, Wi-Fi-enabled smart alarms with smartphone app integration, and proprietary low-velocity nozzle technology for kitchen fire extinguishers that reduces grease splash. The portfolio is UL-listed and NFPA 10-compliant across commercial lines, with DOT approval on select vehicle-mount models.

Kidde generates revenue primarily through one-time hardware sales distributed via three proprietary e-commerce storefronts (kidde.com, shopkidde.com, kiddepro.com), major retail partners including Costco and Home Depot, and an authorized dealer network serving commercial customers. The 2025 Ring partnership introduced a $5/month subscription tier for remote monitoring of smart alarms, representing a modest but strategically meaningful shift toward recurring revenue. Customers are overwhelmingly residential homeowners and renters, with a secondary commercial/professional segment served via Kidde Pro. Marketing spans content (Safety Hub blog), social media, email, TV sponsorship, and community initiatives including a National Fire Safety Initiative distributing smoke alarms to Indigenous communities in Canada in partnership with Firefighters Without Borders. The company employs 251-500 people and reports no public parent company, institutional investors, or disclosed financial figures.

Name

Kidde, Inc.

Legal name

Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc.

Website

https://kidde.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kidde is North America's largest manufacturer of residential fire safety products, producing smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, combination alarms, and fire extinguishers sold through retail and direct channels to homeowners, renters, and commercial customers across the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fire Safety Equipment

NAICS

Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)

akta.pro primary industry

Smoke Alarm Systems (Battery, Hardwired & Interconnected) (HSAHAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Combination Smoke/CO Alarm Systems (HSAHAFAC), Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Systems (HSAHAFAB), Ancillary Fire Safety Devices & Integration (Audible/Visual Alarms, Strobes, Sirens) (HSAHAFAL), Commercial Fire & CO Detection Systems (Small Business/Light Commercial) (HSAHAFAI)

Keywords

• Fire safety products
• Smoke detection alarms
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Residential fire extinguishers
• Commercial fire suppression

Headquarters

HQ city

Mebane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Smoke & CO Alarms: One-time hardware sales of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and combination detectors sold to residential and commercial customers through retail and direct channels
2. Hardware Sales - Fire Extinguishers: One-time sales of fire extinguishers across residential (Full Home, Kitchen, Living Area, Garage) and commercial (Pro Series, Pro Plus) product lines
3. Smart Home Monitoring Services (Ring Partnership): Recurring monthly subscription revenue from Ring smart smoke alarm remote monitoring service at $5/month
4. Safety Accessories: Sales of safety accessories including fire escape ladders, safety brackets, and related safety products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kidde designs, manufactures, and sells fire and carbon monoxide safety products including smoke alarms, CO alarms, combination smoke/CO detectors, residential and commercial fire extinguishers, and safety accessories. The company also offers Wi-Fi enabled smart alarms integrated with the Ring ecosystem for remote monitoring, and operates a separate Kidde Pro line for commercial fire safety customers.

Product overview

Kidde, Inc. is North America's #1 home fire safety brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of fire and carbon monoxide safety products. The product lineup includes: Smart Products (Ring-integrated Wi-Fi enabled smoke and CO alarms for remote monitoring); Smoke Alarms (standalone smoke detection devices); Carbon Monoxide Alarms (including 10-year battery models and explosive gas detectors); Combination Alarms (dual smoke and CO detection in single units); and Fire Extinguishers (spanning residential models like the Full Home and Living Area series with 12-year service-free designs, specialty models for kitchens and garages, and commercial-grade Pro series extinguishers with UL ratings up to 4-A:60-B:C). Products are sold through retail channels and the Kidde Pro division serves commercial customers. The company also maintains a Safety Hub with educational content and community initiatives like the 'Cause for Alarm' campaign.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kidde Pro: Professional-grade fire safety products including commercial fire extinguishers for demanding work environments.

Products and services

• Ring Smart Smoke + CO Alarm Hardwired smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarm with 2 AA backup battery that integrates with the Ring app for remote emergency alerts and monitoring. Designed for residential consumers seeking whole-home fire and CO protection with smart home connectivity.
• Ring Smart Smoke Alarm Hardwired smart smoke alarm with AA battery backup that integrates with Ring for remote emergency notifications. Designed for residential consumers wanting smart home-connected smoke detection.
• Smart Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Indoor Air Quality Monitor Plug-in smart carbon monoxide detector with AA backup battery that delivers real-time alerts, low-level CO warnings, and indoor air quality monitoring. Designed for residential consumers wanting comprehensive air quality and CO safety.
• Explosive Gas & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Combination gas and carbon monoxide detector that alerts for natural gas, propane, and CO with battery backup for outage protection. Designed for residential use where multiple gas threats are a concern.
• Carbon Monoxide Alarm (10-Year Battery Powered) 10-year sealed battery carbon monoxide detector offering long-lasting protection with advanced alerts and no battery replacement required. Designed for residential consumers seeking maintenance-free CO detection.
• Combo Smoke + CO Alarm AA battery powered combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm providing dual detection in a single device. Designed for residential consumers seeking comprehensive detection in one unit.
• Smart Smoke Alarm (Hardwired) Hardwired smart smoke alarm with AA backup battery offering Wi-Fi enabled features for remote monitoring and alerts. Designed for residential consumers wanting app-connected smoke detection.
• Pro 210 Fire Extinguisher (PRO-4MP-1) Commercial fire extinguisher rated 2-A:10-B:C designed for code compliance on fires involving wood, paper, textiles, flammable liquids and electrical equipment, with 2X more firefighting power. Targeted at commercial customers requiring NFPA 10 compliance.
• Pro 110 Fire Extinguisher (PRO-2.5MP-1) Commercial fire extinguisher rated 1-A:10-B:C designed for NFPA compliance, suitable for engine bay and flammable liquid fires, with easy-mount strap bracket and DOT approval for vehicle use.
• Kitchen Fire Extinguisher (RESSP) Special purpose residential kitchen fire extinguisher designed for flammable liquids and cooking grease fires, featuring proprietary nozzle that reduces grease splash with 12-year service-free design. Targeted at homeowners.
• Full Home Fire Extinguisher (FX340SC-2) Full home fire extinguisher rated 3-A:40-B:C designed for common household fires from wood, paper, textiles, flammable liquids and electrical equipment, with 3X more firefighting power and 12-year service-free design.
• Red Living Area Fire Extinguisher (FX210R) Living area fire extinguisher designed for common household fires with 2X more firefighting power, NFPA compliant, featuring 12-year service-free design.
• Garage Fire Extinguisher (FX340GW-2) Garage fire extinguisher designed for fires from wood, paper, textiles, flammable liquids and electrical equipment. Targeted at homeowners with garage/workshop fire safety needs.
• Pro 20 CDM-4 Fire Extinguisher (Carbon Dioxide) Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher suitable for Class B and C fires, environmentally safe clean agent that leaves no residue, ideal for protecting electronic equipment. Targeted at commercial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-year product lifespan for premium smoke/CO alarms vs. typical 7 years for CO-equipped detectors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• CN (Canadian National Railway)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026CN is providing logistical support to ship Kidde smoke alarms to selected First Nations communities in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia as part of the National Fire Safety Initiative. This is an in-kind logistics partnership supporting the charitable distribution program.
• Ring (Amazon subsidiary)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Kidde-Ring partnership for smart smoke alarm products enabling Wi-Fi connectivity and remote monitoring. Ring Smart Smoke + CO Alarm integrates with the Ring app for remote emergency alerts. The January 2025 partnership introduced smart smoke alarms with remote monitoring capability at $5/month subscription. This partnership brings smart home safety integration to Kidde's core product line.
• Firefighters Without BordersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Firefighters Without Borders as part of the National Fire Safety Initiative entering its second year in 2026. The initiative distributes Kidde smoke alarms to underserved Indigenous communities across Canada. Firefighters Without Borders provides fire safety expertise and program coordination for the initiative.
• National Indigenous Fire Safety CouncilflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration with the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council for the National Fire Safety Initiative, enhancing fire safety access for Indigenous communities in Canada. The initiative has distributed approximately $500,000 CAD worth of Kidde smoke alarms to more than 16 First Nations communities, with cumulative contributions reaching nearly $1 million CAD since inception in 2025.
• Google (Nest/Google Home)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Broader market context: First Alert-Google Home collaboration (March 2025) enabling Nest Protect compatibility for connected home safety systems. This represents the competitive landscape for smart home fire safety integration, with Kidde's Ring partnership being a comparable integration strategy.
• Spartan Fire ProtectionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpartan Fire Protection is a licensed Kidde dealer offering commercial fire alarm design, installation, and 24/7 monitoring services to businesses in Fort Bend County, TX. The company positions itself as using Kidde advanced fire safety solutions for commercial customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• First Alert (BRK Brands): First Alert is the most direct competitor to Kidde in residential smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, including smart/Wi-Fi enabled models. Its March 2025 Google Home/Nest Protect integration is the strategic mirror to Kidde's Ring partnership.
• Google Nest (Nest Protect): Nest Protect is the flagship smart smoke and CO alarm competing directly with Kidde's Ring-integrated smart alarms. As a Google/Alphabet product with native Google Home integration, it represents the highest-profile competitive threat in the connected alarm category.
• Universal Security Instruments: Universal Security Instruments manufactures and markets residential smoke and carbon monoxide alarms under the USI and Universal brands, competing head-to-head with Kidde in battery-powered and hardwired detectors sold through retail channels.
• Gentex Corporation: Gentex is a leading supplier of photoelectric smoke detectors and signaling devices to the fire alarm industry, and supplies interconnected smoke alarm components to several home safety OEMs — making it a peer in both product and component supply for Kidde's core detection line.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell International: Honeywell is a broad incumbent in building and home safety, with smoke/CO detection, security panels, and connected-home offerings overlapping Kidde's portfolio. Its Notifier and Fire-Lite brands also compete in commercial fire detection.
• Johnson Controls (Tyco): Johnson Controls, through the legacy Tyco fire protection business, is a global incumbent in commercial fire detection, suppression, and alarm systems. Kidde Pro competes with Johnson Controls in commercial extinguishers and detection for code-compliant applications.
• Resideo Technologies (Honeywell Home): Resideo, the spinoff of Honeywell's Homes and ADI Global Distribution business, distributes residential and light-commercial fire/smoke/CO safety products through its pro channels, directly overlapping Kidde Pro's dealer and installer customer base.
• ADT Inc. ADT is a leading monitored home security provider whose professionally monitored smoke/CO alarm services overlap with Kidde's monitored offerings via the Ring partnership. ADT's national dealer/installer footprint competes with Kidde Pro's commercial channel.

Emerging players

• Siterwell Electronics: Siterwell is an emerging global manufacturer of smoke, CO, and combination detectors sold under private label and select retail brands. Its cost-competitive positioning makes it a threat in the value tier of the same retail channels Kidde relies on.

Regional players

• Ei Electronics: Ei Electronics is a leading European manufacturer of smoke and CO alarms with strong presence in the UK and Ireland, offering comparable photoelectric, interconnected, and smart-enabled detectors. It is a relevant peer for product portfolio but operates primarily outside Kidde's North American footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KiddeSafety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KiddeFireSafety
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kidde
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidde
• Instagraminstagram.com/kiddefiresafety

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kidde, Inc.