What M.H. Corbin does

M.H. Corbin is a privately held U.S. manufacturer and integrator of highway safety and traffic management systems, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Plain City, Ohio. The company sells a "gather-analyze-communicate" platform that combines in-house and third-party sensors (weather, radar, cameras), proprietary roadside controllers, and software that processes data either at the edge or at central traffic management centers, then disseminates alerts via Highway Advisory Radio, DSRC systems, dynamic message signs, and flashing beacons. Product lines include Weather Sensors, Highway Advisory Radio (HAR), Distance Measuring Instruments, Portable Traffic Analyzers, Roadside Controllers, and proprietary Software, plus solution packages for Connected Vehicles, Queue Detection, Pedestrian Detection, Weather Warnings, and Wrong Way Detection.

The core technical differentiator is integration: the proprietary software interoperates with MH Corbin hardware as well as widely deployed third-party sensors and customer legacy systems, lowering switching costs for transportation authorities. The go-to-market is direct and consultative, selling complete tailored systems to State Departments of Transportation, municipal transportation authorities, and traffic management centers rather than point products. Revenue is generated through one-time license/system sales to government buyers; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company also distributes complementary partner products and operates a small e-commerce storefront, while serving customers exclusively in the United States.

Ownership is independent and private; Maxwell Corbin serves as Chief Executive Officer. A 2015 capital event with Main Street Capital is the only disclosed funding activity, and there is no disclosed venture, private equity, or parent-company involvement. Patents, named customers, awards, and recurring revenue indicators are absent from the available record, constraining the depth of externally verifiable traction despite the company's multi-decade operating history.

Name

M.H. Corbin

Legal name

M.H. Corbin

Website

https://mhcorbin.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

M.H. Corbin designs and sells integrated highway information systems—weather sensors, advisory radio, roadside controllers, and proprietary software—to U.S. state DOTs, municipal transportation authorities, and traffic management centers for real-time roadway safety and motorist alerting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Highway Safety & Traffic Management Equipment

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320), Communications Equipment Manufacturing (3342)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Traffic Detection, Sensors & Data Collection (Loops, Radar, Video, Bluetooth/Wi‑Fi) (TLAJACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Traffic Signal Controllers & Intersection Hardware (Cabinets, Detectors, Ped Signals) (TLAJACAC)

Keywords

• Highway information systems
• Traffic safety products
• Roadside controllers
• Highway advisory radio
• Weather sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Plain City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Highway Information Systems Sales: Sale of integrated highway information systems including sensors, controllers, communication devices, and software to transportation authorities. Products include Weather Sensors, Highway Advisory Radio, Distance Measuring Instruments, Traffic Analyzers, and Roadside Controllers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

M.H. Corbin manufactures and distributes integrated highway information systems that gather, analyze, and communicate real-time roadway and weather conditions to motorists. The offering combines proprietary hardware (weather sensors, Highway Advisory Radio, roadside controllers, traffic analyzers, distance measuring instruments) with proprietary software that integrates both company and third-party equipment. Systems are tailored to the specific needs of state Departments of Transportation, municipal transportation authorities, and smart-infrastructure projects.

Product overview

M.H. Corbin provides total highway information systems that "gather, analyze and communicate" vital information to motorists. The company operates a platform-plus-modules architecture with core hardware products including Weather Sensors (measuring visibility, air temperature, humidity, precipitation, pressure, and radiation), Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) systems for broadcasting real-time messages to motorists via radio frequencies with GPS synchronization, Distance Measuring Instruments (DMI) for infrastructure measurement, Portable Traffic Analyzers with Bluetooth connectivity, and Roadside Controllers with proprietary algorithms processing data from multiple sources. These are complemented by proprietary Software that integrates with both company and third-party equipment. The system utilizes sensors, radar, cameras, DSRC systems, flashing beacons, and Dynamic Message Signs to gather road and weather data, process it at roadside units or Traffic Management Centers, and communicate alerts to drivers in real-time. The company also offers specialized detection solutions for Connected Vehicles, Queue Detection, Pedestrian Detection, Weather Warnings, and Wrong Way Detection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weather Sensors Weather sensors that measure real-time environmental and atmospheric data including visibility, air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, air pressure, and radiation. Sold to transportation agencies and other organizations requiring environmental monitoring. Includes both in-house manufactured sensors and distributed partner products.
• Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) Highway Advisory Radio systems that use common radio frequencies to broadcast messages to motorists 24/7, with battery backup. Can be installed as a single unit or as a network of GPS-synchronized systems broadcasting a single message simultaneously throughout an area. Sold to state DOTs and transportation authorities for motorist communication.
• Distance Measuring Instruments (DMI) Distance measuring instruments used for measuring highways, guardrails, telephone pole spacing, roadway inventories, E-911 addressing, and railway lengths. Can calculate volumes and costs for materials such as asphalt, concrete, and sand by computing distances and areas from vehicle speed and travel distance.
• Traffic Analyzers Portable traffic analyzers designed to survey traffic on roadways, bridges, parking garages, or construction areas. Feature wireless Bluetooth communication for data retrieval without removing the unit from the road.
• Roadside Controller Simple, scalable, low-power roadside controllers that use data from MH Corbin and third-party sensors. Proprietary algorithms compute changing traffic, pavement, and environmental conditions in real time.
• MH Corbin Proprietary Software Proprietary software that processes roadway and weather data and works seamlessly with MH Corbin hardware while also integrating with third-party equipment or existing customer systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant reduction in vehicle accidents through real-time driver information on weather and roadway conditions
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Campbell Scientific: Campbell Scientific manufactures rugged weather and environmental sensors, including road weather stations, that overlap with M.H. Corbin's weather sensor product category and are also sold to similar transportation customers.

Broad incumbents

• Kapsch TrafficCom: Kapsch TrafficCom is a broad incumbent offering ITS, tolling, and connected vehicle solutions to transportation agencies worldwide, overlapping with M.H. Corbin's roadside ITS domain at much larger scale.
• Cubic Transportation Systems: Cubic is a large incumbent serving transportation authorities with ITS, traffic management, and tolling solutions at greater scale than M.H. Corbin, often acting as a prime contractor on multi-modal deployments where M.H. Corbin might serve as a sub-supplier.
• Q-Free ASA: Q-Free is a broader ITS vendor offering traffic management and connected vehicle solutions to road authorities, comparable to M.H. Corbin's DOT customer base and roadside system offerings.
• Parsons Corporation: Parsons is a large systems integrator that designs, builds, and operates intelligent transportation systems for DOTs, often as a prime contractor where M.H. Corbin would supply components or be sub-selected for sensor/controller scope.
• TransCore: TransCore designs and deploys tolling and traffic management systems for state DOTs and toll authorities, addressing similar roadside sensing and communication use cases as M.H. Corbin, though typically at larger program scale.

Direct peers

• Wavetronix: Wavetronix manufactures radar-based traffic detection sensors and SmartSensor products sold to DOTs — directly competing with M.H. Corbin's traffic analyzers and detection sensor offerings.
• Sensys Networks: Sensys Networks produces wireless, in-pavement and above-ground traffic detection sensors and data collection systems, overlapping directly with M.H. Corbin's traffic analyzer and detection sensor product lines.
• Iteris Inc. Iteris is a direct peer providing intelligent transportation systems, including traffic detection sensors, signal coordination, and roadway analytics software to state DOTs and municipalities — directly overlapping with M.H. Corbin's gather-analyze-communicate stack.
• Econolite Group: Econolite is a direct peer providing traffic signal controllers, detection sensors, and traffic management software to state and municipal agencies — closely aligned with M.H. Corbin's controller and detection product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/m-h-corbin-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 M.H. Corbin