Mole-Richardson Company

What Mole-Richardson Company does

Mole-Richardson Company is a privately held, family-owned manufacturer of professional theatrical and cinematic lighting equipment, founded in 1923 in Hollywood, California by Peter Mole and Elmer C. Richardson and continuously operating for over nine decades. The company designs and builds LED Fresnels, variable-color soft lights, panels, and space lights for the motion-picture, television, and broadcast production industries, with a product portfolio spanning 50W panels up to 1600W high-output Fresnels (including the Maxi LED 3/6/12 series, Mole-Pro line, Vari-Mole, Vari-Space, Vari-Soft, and Vari-Soft Panel fixtures). Core technology centers on proprietary LED modules with 96+ CRI and 98+ TLCI color-rendering accuracy, borosilicate glass Fresnel optics, and DMX512-A digital control with optional Lumen Radio wireless DMX and Bluetooth control via an iOS application (Luminaire). Products carry RoHS, CE, UL, CSA, CE-EMC, CE-LVD, and cULus certifications. The company's commercial model is hardware sales of these fixtures through a global authorized dealer network complemented by direct enterprise sales, with quote-based pricing (no public list pricing disclosed). Customers are professional cinematographers, production studios, and equipment-rental houses serving film and television production; the company maintains visibility through active participation in industry trade shows including Cinegear Expo, NAB Show, BSC Expo (UK), DCS Cinema Lighting Expo, February Freeze (Toronto), and Filmscape Chicago. Mole-Richardson has received four Academy Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the first for creation of the Fresnel Spotlight. The company is facing a significant $33.4M jury verdict (February 27, 2026) finding it 100% liable for mesothelioma linked to historical asbestos-containing lighting equipment, with the jury also finding malice.

Name

Mole-Richardson Company

Legal name

Mole-Richardson Co.

Website

https://mole.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mole-Richardson is a 100+ year-old, family-owned Hollywood manufacturer of professional LED and theatrical lighting fixtures — including Fresnels, panels, and variable-color soft lights — serving the motion-picture, television, and broadcast production industries via a global dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Film and Television Lighting Equipment

NAICS

Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Camera Lighting & Flash (Speedlights, Continuous Lights, LED Panels) (CRACAPAG)

Keywords

• Professional lighting equipment
• LED film lighting
• Fresnel spotlights
• Theatrical lighting fixtures
• Studio lighting systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Pacoima

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Lighting Equipment Sales: Manufacture and sale of professional theatrical lighting fixtures including LED fresnels, panels, space lights, and soft lights for film, television, and entertainment production. Products are sold through dealer network and direct sales with varying power ratings and specifications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mole-Richardson Company designs and manufactures professional theatrical and cinematic lighting equipment, including LED Fresnel spotlights, soft lights, space lights, and panels, for use in motion picture, television, and broadcast production. The company's product range spans from compact 50W portable units to high-output 1600W studio fixtures, featuring proprietary LED modules with high CRI, variable color temperature, and DMX512-A wireless control. Products are sold worldwide through an authorized dealer network and direct sales channels.

Product overview

Mole-Richardson Company is a Hollywood-based manufacturer of professional LED lighting equipment for film, television, and broadcast production. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of theatrical and cinematic lighting solutions organized into distinct product lines: the high-output Maxi LED series (Maxi LED 3, 6, and 12) featuring Lumen Radio and Bluetooth connectivity; the Mole-Pro line including fresnels, panels, and complete kits; the variable color temperature Vari-Series encompassing Vari-Mole, Vari-Space, Vari-Soft, and Vari-Soft Panel products; and single-color LED fresnels ranging from 100W Tweenie to 1600W Tener models. The product architecture centers on modular LED fixtures with DMX512-A control, with offerings spanning compact portable units to high-wattage studio fixtures. The portfolio emphasizes color accuracy (95-97+ CRI), variable color temperature control (2700K-6500K), and professional features like flicker-free dimming and wireless connectivity. The company serves professional film and TV production markets with products designed for both studio and location lighting applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MOLE PRO: A product line featuring fresnels, panels, and kits including 100W Mole-Pro Fresnel and 50W Mole-Pro Panel products.

Products and services

• Maxi LED 12 High-output 5600K LED Fresnel with 1500W power consumption, featuring a 2.8-inch LCD touch-screen, Lumen Radio wireless DMX, and Bluetooth connectivity via the Luminaire iOS App. Includes 12 individual 125W Mole-Richardson LEDs with 96+ CRI and 98+ TLCI ratings.
• Maxi LED 6 Mid-range 5600K LED Fresnel with 750W power consumption and six individual 125W LEDs delivering 5000+ foot-candles, with DMX and Bluetooth control for professional film and television production.
• Maxi LED 3 Compact 5600K LED Fresnel with 375W power consumption and six individual 75W LEDs delivering 2200+ foot-candles, featuring Bluetooth connectivity, IP66 outdoor rating, RoHS, CE-EMC, CE-LVD, and cULus certifications.
• 100W Mole-Pro Fresnel Compact daylite 5600K LED Fresnel with 100W power consumption, DMX512-A control, flicker-free dimming, and a 5-inch borosilicate glass Fresnel lens with 10 to 65 degree spot-to-flood adjustment. RoHS and CE certified.
• 50W Mole-Pro Panel Variable color temperature LED panel ranging from 3200K to 5600K with 50W power consumption and 1296 high-output LEDs. Includes barn doors, diffusers, and supports V-mount and G-mount battery options for portable production use.
• 200W Vari-Mole LED Color-mixing LED fixture with 200W power, variable color temperature from 2700K to 5600K, 97 CRI, 60 degree beam lens, and local potentiometer controls for dimming and color temperature adjustment.
• 100W Vari-Mole LED Compact color-mixing LED with 100W power, 2700K to 5600K variable color temperature, 97 CRI, 40 degree beam lens, and on-board potentiometer controls for cinematography applications.
• 900W Senior LED High-power LED Fresnel with 900W consumption, available in tungsten (3200K) and daylite (5600K) versions, featuring a 10 amp slow-blow fuse, hand-crank focusing, and 1 1/8 inch junior pin mounting for studio production.
• 1600W Tener LED High-output 1600W LED Fresnel with a 14-inch borosilicate glass lens and variable beam angle from 10 to 55 degrees. Available in tungsten and daylite versions with DMX512-A control for large-format production lighting.
• 200W Junior LED Versatile 200W LED Fresnel with an 8-inch borosilicate glass lens, variable beam angle from 13 to 54 degrees, and flicker-free DMX dimming with local control modes for cinematographers.
• 150W Baby LED Compact 150W LED Fresnel with a 6-inch borosilicate glass lens and standard 5/8 inch mounting receiver. Available in tungsten and daylite versions with DMX512-A control; RoHS, CE, UL, and CSA certified.
• 100W Tweenie LED Small-format 100W LED Fresnel with a 4.5-inch borosilicate glass lens, variable beam angle from 22 to 56 degrees, and DMX512-A control capability.
• 400W Studio Junior LED Professional 400W LED Fresnel with a 10-inch borosilicate glass lens, variable beam angle from 10 to 55 degrees, and aluminum and steel construction with interlocking channels for studio installations.
• 200W Vari-Soft LED Variable color soft light with 200W power, color temperature range from 2700K to 5600K, an 8 inch by 8 inch aperture with 170 degree beam angle, and DMX color temperature and intensity control.
• 400W Vari-Soft LED Larger-format variable color soft light with 400W power, an 8 inch by 16 inch aperture, 170 degree beam angle, color temperature range from 2700K to 5600K, and flicker-free dimming.
• 400W Vari Soft Panel LED Professional soft panel with 400W power, variable color temperature from 2700K to 6500K, green/magenta correction, and a 2.8-inch LCD touch-screen. Includes Lumen Radio, RDM, and Bluetooth connectivity via the Mole-Richardson iOS App; RoHS compliant.
• 400W Vari-Space LED Rectangular soft source with 400W power and 6 individual 75W color-mixing LEDs, polished aluminum reflector, variable color temperature from 2700K to 5600K, and 97 CRI at 2700K.
• 900W Vari-Space LED Large-format rectangular soft source with 900W power, 12 individual 75W color-mixing LEDs, polished aluminum reflector with 60 degree beam angle, and variable color temperature from 2700K to 5600K.
• Mole-Pro Kits Pre-configured lighting kits combining Mole-Pro Panel fixtures with accessories for various production scenarios, including MP150KITPPP, MP200KITFPP, and MP250KITFFP configurations.

Quantifiable outcome

• High color rendering accuracy with 96+ CRI and 98+ TLCI ratings across LED product lines

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Digital Sputnik: Digital Sputnik makes modular LED lighting systems for film and television (DS Modules, Voyagers). Comparable in serving professional film/television productions with high-output LED fixtures, though with a more modular system architecture.
• Litepanels (Vitec Group): Litepanels (part of Vitec Group's Creative Solutions division) pioneered LED panel lighting for broadcast and film (Gemini, Astra). Direct peer in LED panels and Fresnels serving similar film/TV production customers with comparable fixture form factors.
• Aputure: Aputure is an LED-native lighting brand (LS 600d, Nova, Amaran lines) that has rapidly gained share among independent and studio cinematographers. Comparable product category (LED fresnels, panels, soft lights) but with a much more aggressive R&D and direct-to-creator digital go-to-market.
• Nanlite: Nanlite offers a broad range of LED panels, fresnels, and tube lights for film and photography production. Direct peer in panel-style and compact LED fixtures, often positioned at a more accessible price point but with overlapping feature sets (DMX, RGBWW, app control).
• ARRI: ARRI is the dominant European manufacturer of professional film and broadcast lighting (SkyPanel, L-Series, Orbiter) and cameras. Direct head-to-head competitor to Mole-Richardson in premium LED Fresnels and soft lights used on major motion picture and television productions globally.
• Kino Flo: Kino Flo is a long-standing competitor in film/TV lighting with LED and fluorescent soft lights (Celeb, Free Style). Highly comparable product category and customer base, with particularly strong overlap in soft-panel lighting for studio and location production.
• Astera: Astera manufactures wireless, app-controlled LED tubes and panels (Titan, Helios, Pluto) widely used on film sets. Comparable customer base (grip/lighting departments) and overlapping product philosophy around wireless DMX and Bluetooth control that Mole-Richardson has adopted in its Vari-Series.
• Cineo Lighting: Cineo Lighting produces professional LED lighting for film and broadcast (Standard 410, Matchbox, Maverick). Direct peer in high-CRI, tunable LED fixtures targeting the same cinematography customer base, with particular overlap in remote phosphor and full-spectrum color-mixing technology.

Others

• Chimera (Lighttools): Chimera manufactures professional light-shaping tools (soft boxes, lanterns, grids) used on film and photography sets. Adjacent rather than competitive — Chimera products are commonly used in combination with Mole-Richardson fixtures to modify light output.

Emerging players

• Godox: Godox is a global LED and strobe lighting brand (Knowled, VL, P series) that has moved aggressively into the prosumer and prosumer-adjacent film/video lighting segment. Less premium than Mole-Richardson but increasingly competitive at the entry-to-mid tier with rapidly expanding feature sets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MoleRichardson
• Facebookfacebook.com/97734977211
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mole-richardson-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/molerichardson
• Xx.com/molerichardson

Compliance11 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 Mole-Richardson Company