What PERKO Inc does

PERKO Inc. is a fifth-generation, family-owned marine hardware and lighting manufacturer headquartered in Miami, Florida, founded in 1907 as Perkins Marine Lamp Corporation. The company designs, produces, and sells more than 1,000 individual products across over 5,000 SKUs spanning navigation lights, searchlights, battery switches, underwater hardware, fuel system components, deck hardware, ventilators, fog bells, locks and latches, lighting fixtures, and fishing accessories, serving recreational boaters, commercial marine operators, OEM boat builders and shipyards, and government/military customers. Manufacturing is fully vertically integrated on a 15-acre Miami campus that includes three foundries (copper, aluminum, zinc alloys), metal stamping, chrome plating, plastic injection molding, CNC machining, and assembly, with proprietary technology such as the Marinium corrosion-resistant alloy and a patent-pending Odor Eater quick-disconnect filter.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of physical hardware across three primary streams: marine hardware product sales, OEM components supplied to boat builders and shipyards, and aftermarket replacement parts. Pricing is unit-based and ranges from under $25 for small utility parts to over $1,600 for commercial-grade navigation systems, with OEM pricing handled through dedicated sales representatives. Go-to-market combines 500+ US and Canadian retail locations, 100+ international distributor points across seven global regions (Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Middle East, Pacific Rim, South America), online retailers (West Marine, Boat Owners Warehouse), and direct sales rep networks including TCM Sales for West Coast, Midwest, and Western Canada OEM and shipyard accounts. Marketing emphasizes Made-in-USA positioning, ISO 9001:2015 quality registration, and a broad certification footprint (ABYC, USCG, NMMA Type Accepted, CARB, CE, UKCA, RCD 2013/53/EU) that doubles as a regulatory moat.

Recent strategic activity (2024-2025) includes a DuraBrite technology alliance that underpins the new Lightship Series LED floodlights, a C-5 LED navigation lights launch, the Odor Eater waste-tank vent filter re-entry into marine sanitation with adjacency to RV manufacturers, and a TCM Sales appointment extending OEM coverage into the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. No M&A, funding rounds, or public-offering signals are present; ownership remains entirely with the founding Perkins family.

Name

PERKO Inc

Legal name

Perko Inc.

Website

https://perko.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

PERKO Inc. is a 117-year-old, fifth-generation family-owned marine hardware and lighting manufacturer in Miami, Florida, producing over 5,000 SKUs of navigation lights, searchlights, battery switches, fuel systems, and deck hardware from a vertically integrated 15-acre facility serving recreational boaters, commercial marine operators, and OEM boat builders worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Hardware and Lighting

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (33661)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Life-Saving Appliances & Safety Equipment (Davit Systems, Lifeboats, Firefighting) (IMAJAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Outfitting & Interior Refurbishment (TLAKAKAL), Marine MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAJ)

Keywords

• Marine hardware manufacturing
• Marine navigation lights
• Marine lighting fixtures
• Marine battery switches
• Marine fuel system components

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marine Hardware Product Sales: Sale of physical marine hardware products including navigation lights, searchlights, battery switches, underwater hardware, fuel system components, deck hardware, and ventilation products. Products sold through distributors, retailers, and direct to OEM boatbuilders.
2. OEM Components Supply: Supply of marine hardware components to OEM boat builders and shipyards for new vessel construction. Products designed into boat builder specifications.
3. Aftermarket Replacement Parts: Sale of replacement parts, spare parts, and accessories through distribution network and retail locations for existing vessel maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PERKO designs, manufactures, and distributes a comprehensive line of marine hardware and lighting products - including navigation lights, searchlights, battery switches, underwater hardware, EPA-compliant fuel system components, lighting fixtures, ventilators, deck hardware, locks, fog bells, and fishing equipment - from its vertically integrated 15-acre Miami facility featuring three foundries, chrome plating, and plastic injection molding. The company serves recreational boaters, commercial marine operators, and OEM boat builders via 500+ retail locations, international distributors across seven global regions, and dedicated sales representatives.

Product overview

PERKO Inc is a fifth-generation family-owned marine hardware and lighting manufacturer offering over 1,000 individual products with over 5,000 SKUs. The company operates as a fully vertically integrated facility in Miami, Florida, with in-house foundries, metal work, plating operations, and plastic injection capabilities. The core product portfolio centers on marine lighting (navigation lights, searchlights, underwater lights, lighting fixtures) and marine hardware (battery switches, underwater hardware, fuel system components, deck hardware, locks/latches, ventilators, fog bells, cabinet hardware, and fishing equipment). Key sub-brands include the Lightship™ Series LED floodlights delivering high-performance illumination with IP68 certification, and the Odor Eater™ waste tank vent filter featuring patent-pending quick-disconnect technology. Products are distributed through a global network of over 500 US/Canadian locations and international distributors across Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Middle East, Pacific Rim, and South America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perko Fuel Systems: Satellite website showcasing expanded line of diurnal emissions products and fuel system components to comply with new regulations.
• Lightship Series
• Odor Eater

Products and services

• Navigation Lights Marine navigation lights including LED and incandescent options for vessels under 20 meters and over 20 meters, comprising sidelights, bi-color lights, pole lights, masthead lights, stern lights, and combination lights. Products meet USCG, ABYC C-5, and ISO 19009:2015 standards and are third-party certified.
• Searchlights Heavy-duty marine searchlights including LED Pilot House Control, XR Series Xenon, and Solar Ray Incandescent models. Designed for workboats, emergency vessels, and military craft operating in rough conditions.
• Battery Switches Electrical management switches including selector switches and disconnect switches for connecting and disconnecting electrical devices from the vessel's electrical system, preventing battery drain during inactivity and enabling emergency shutdown.
• Underwater Hardware Marine through-hull fittings and components including strainers, valves, seacocks, thru-hulls, scuppers, drain plugs, and flushing products engineered for below-waterline performance. Bronze thru-hull fittings feature a unique slot design allowing single-person installation.
• Fuel System Components EPA-compliant fuel system products including carbon canisters (CARB approved), inlet check valves, fuel demand valves, fill limit valves, tank vent valves, tank line vents, and EPA/non-EPA compliant fills for diurnal emissions regulation compliance. Sold under the Perko Fuel Systems sub-brand.
• Lighting Fixtures Interior and exterior marine lighting including utility lights, dome lights, spreader lights, berth lights, docking lights, and cockpit lights in LED and incandescent configurations.
• Ventilators Marine ventilators including plain ventilators, clam shell ventilators, locker/transom ventilators, cowl ventilators, and louver ventilators in chrome-plated brass, stainless steel, zinc alloy, and PERKO KOTE (black polymer) finishes.
• Deck Hardware Marine deck equipment including cleats, chocks, deck pipes, step plates, handles, rowlocks, flag poles, hatch fasteners, windshield accessories, clamps, water fittings, and deck plates.
• Locks and Latches Marine-grade locks and latches including surface mount, flush mount, mortise locks, non-mortise locks, hatch dogs, catches, turns, pulls, handles, and window/door stops designed for harsh marine environments.
• Fog Bells and Sound Signaling Devices Sound signaling devices including fog bells, fog horns, and ball whistles for marine safety and navigation in low-visibility conditions.
• Cabinet Hardware Interior cabinet hardware including hasps, hinges, barrel bolts, ship bolts, and door accessories for marine cabinetry applications.
• Fishing Equipment Marine fishing accessories including angled rod holders in chrome-plated bronze, stainless steel, zinc alloy, and proprietary Marinium corrosion-resistant alloy materials.
• Underwater Lights Submersible marine lighting including thru-hull underwater lighting, trim tab underwater lighting, and surface mount underwater lighting for vessel aesthetics and visibility below the waterline.
• Odor Eater Waste Tank Vent Filter Advanced waste tank vent filter with patent-pending quick-disconnect design, advanced check valve, and high-capacity odor absorbent media. Targets boats and RVs with holding tank systems. Ships to distributors November 2024, retail availability December 2024.
• Lightship Series LED Floodlights High-performance LED floodlights and spotlights available in Lightship 50 (7,500 lumens), Lightship 100 (13,300-16,670 lumens), Lightship 300, and Lightship 300-DEC (remote electric mount). IP68 certified, MIL-STD-202G vibration resistance, with advanced thermal management, proprietary energy efficiency circuitry, and engineered optics control developed in partnership with DuraBrite.

Quantifiable outcome

• LED lights draw less than half the energy of standard incandescent units
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DuraBritecoreTechnology or Integration · 12 April 2024Strategic alliance to bring advanced LED technology to recreational and commercial boats. DuraBrite contributes patented technologies including advanced thermal management systems, proprietary energy efficiency circuitry, and highly engineered optics control. Collaboration enables Lightship Series LED floodlights and high output LED retrofit kits for existing Perko searchlights.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marinco: Marinco (a Power Products brand) makes marine electrical products, shore power, and battery management solutions that compete head-to-head with Perko's battery switches and electrical hardware.
• Attwood Marine: Attwood manufactures marine hardware, lighting, fuel system components, and electrical accessories for OEM boat builders and aftermarket channels—directly overlapping Perko's navigation lights, deck hardware, and fuel system lines.
• Raritan Engineering: Raritan manufactures marine sanitation, plumbing, and hardware for OEM and aftermarket channels, overlapping with Perko's through-hulls, valves, and the newly launched Odor Eater waste tank vent filter.
• Sea-Dog Line: Sea-Dog Line is a broad marine hardware distributor and manufacturer offering deck hardware, navigation lights, and accessories—competing in many of the same commoditized categories as Perko.
• Hella Marine: Hella Marine specializes in LED navigation lights, interior/exterior lighting, and spotlights for recreational and commercial vessels—directly competing with Perko's navigation lights, Lightship Series, and lighting fixtures.
• Aqua Signal: Aqua Signal (a Glamox brand) produces marine navigation lights, searchlights, and signaling equipment certified to international maritime standards—competing with Perko's navigation and searchlight product lines globally.
• Blue Sea Systems: Blue Sea Systems manufactures marine electrical distribution, battery management, and circuit protection products serving the same OEM boat builder and aftermarket customer base as Perko.
• Edson International: Edson manufactures marine steering wheels, pedestals, and hardware for offshore and commercial vessels—a direct competitor in the marine deck hardware and outfitting space Perko serves.
• Lumitec: Lumitec designs and manufactures high-performance LED marine lighting for OEM and aftermarket channels, including underwater lights and floodlights that overlap with Perko's Lightship and underwater lighting lines.

Broad incumbents

• West Marine: West Marine is the largest US marine retail chain and a key Perko distribution partner, but also sells competing brands of navigation lights, hardware, and electrical products across all marine categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@perkoinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/perkoinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/perkoinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/perko-inc-

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 PERKO Inc