What Keson does

Keson, founded in 1968 by Roy Nosek in Berwyn, Illinois, is a third-generation, family-owned manufacturer and supplier of professional-grade measuring and marking tools. The company operates as Keson LLC from its headquarters at 810 N. Commerce Street in Aurora, Illinois, where it also manufactures its ProChalk line. Its product portfolio spans measuring wheels (manual and electronic MP401E), construction levels (box beam, I-beam, torpedo, screeding, and digital), long and short tape measures in steel and fiberglass, chalk line reels, marking chalk in five color-intensity grades, mason twine, marking paint, lumber crayons, flagging and barricade tape (including OSHA-compliant underground detectable tape), and surveyor stake flags. Underlying technology includes the patented FOCUS vial system from SOLA (20% magnification, break-resistant acrylic, ultrasonic welding), magnetic pick-up sensors in electronic measuring wheels, a patent-pending Thumb-Up ergonomic handle, and a patented BigMouth Chalk Port refill design.

Since 2018, Keson has operated under a formal alliance with Austria-based SOLA Measuring Tools (founded 1949) following the merger of the Nosek and Scheyer families into Keson LLC. The combined entity runs a two-brand strategy: SOLA positioned at the premium/high end with European precision engineering, and Keson at the mid-tier leveraging U.S. manufacturing and 50+ years of brand equity. Total combined market experience is 120+ years. Distribution runs through a North American network of regional distributors and specialty stores, supplemented by SOLA's international channels in 70 countries; the company does not publish pricing, with quotes handled via distributors or a 1-800 customer service line. Customer segments include professional tradespeople (primary), construction and surveying, specialty industries (landscaping, irrigation, athletic fields, golf), and technical services (insurance, appraisal, mining). Recent product launches in 2021–2022 have added Bluetooth-enabled digital levels and the GO! smart inclinometer, paired with the SOLA Measures mobile app, marking an initial move into connected measuring instruments.

Name

Keson

Legal name

Keson LLC

Website

https://keson.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Keson is a third-generation, family-owned U.S. manufacturer and distributor of professional measuring and marking tools, including measuring wheels, levels, tape measures, chalk products, and marking flags. It serves construction trades, surveyors, and specialty industries through a North American distributor network, operating under a two-brand strategy with Austria's SOLA Measuring Tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Measuring and Marking Tools

NAICS

Stationery Product Manufacturing (32223)

SIC

Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Papers & Allied Products (2600)

akta.pro primary industry

Stationery & Office Paper Products (notebooks, pads, forms) (IMAMAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial & Technical Paper Manufacturing (Electrical, Abrasive Backing, Medical/Pharma) (IMAMAEAD)

Keywords

• Measuring tools
• Marking tools
• Construction levels
• Tape measures
• Chalk line reels

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Measuring and Marking Tools Sales: Keson generates revenue through the sale of physical measuring and marking tools including measuring wheels, levels, tape measures, chalk line reels, and related products. Products are sold through distribution network and specialty stores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Keson designs, manufactures, and distributes professional-grade measuring and marking tools used by contractors and tradespeople on construction job sites. Its product portfolio includes measuring wheels, spirit and digital levels (under both Keson and SOLA brands), long and short tape measures, chalk line reels, marking chalk, mason twine, spray marking paint, lumber crayons, flagging and barricade tape, surveyor stake flags, and specialty measuring tools. The company also offers Bluetooth-enabled digital levels that connect to the SOLA Measures mobile app, and conducts U.S. manufacturing of chalk products in Aurora, Illinois.

Product overview

Keson is a third-generation family-owned measuring and marking tools company founded in 1968, now operating as Keson LLC after partnering with SOLA Measuring Tools in 2018. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional-grade measuring and marking tools organized into two main categories: Measuring Tools (Measuring Wheels, Construction Levels, Long Tape Measures, Short Tape Measures, and Specialty Measuring products) and Marking Tools (Chalk Line Reels, ProChalk Marking Chalk, Mason Twine, Marking Paint, Specialty Marking products, Flagging/Barricade Tape, and Construction Flags). Through the SOLA partnership, Keson also distributes premium SOLA branded levels and offers SOLA branded levels with Bluetooth connectivity that interface with the SOLA Measures mobile app. The core products are complemented by electronic solutions like the MP401E electronic measuring wheel, while the SOLA digital levels bring connected features to the product line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SOLA Branded Levels Premium high-end spirit and screeding levels positioned at the top of the market, featuring SOLA's patented FOCUS vial technology with 20% magnification and high contrast for superior accuracy and visibility.
• Keson Branded Levels Mid-tier levels backed by SOLA's FOCUS vial technology and Keson's 50-year reputation, offering quality and affordability to professional contractors.
• Measuring Wheels Mechanical and electronic measuring wheels for measuring long distances, including metal professional wheels, top reading center-line wheels, Roadrunner series, and electronic models with magnetic-sensor counters.
• Long Tape Measures Durable long tape measures for distances greater than 40 feet, available in steel (SNR, NRS, NR, ST_3X, ST_Y, ST series) and fiberglass (FLT, OTRS, OTR, MC series) constructions.
• Short Tape Measures Pocket-sized measuring tapes for lengths up to 40 feet, available in Toggle, Economy, AutoLock, Ultra Bright Blade, Wide Blade, Professional, and Magnetic Tip variants.
• Specialty Measuring Products Specialty measuring tools including diameter tape measures, pocket tape measures, pocket rods, surveyor's rope, depth gauges, wood rulers, and tally meters.
• Chalk Line Reels Chalk marking tools including Giant String, Bold String, Standard String, and Precision String chalk line reels for snapping straight reference lines on job sites.
• ProChalk Marking Chalk Marking chalk manufactured in Aurora, Illinois, available in five formulations: ProChalk Standard, High Visibility, Semi-Permanent, Permanent, and Ultimate Dye.
• Mason Twine Construction string for alignment and layout work, available in Braided and Twisted Mason Twine varieties.
• Marking Paint Ultra-Mark spray paint and paint applicators for marking surfaces in construction and surveying applications.
• Specialty Marking Products Marking tools including Valve Paint Markers (paint pens), Hard Lumber Crayons, Lumber Crayon Holders, Carpenter Pencils, and Soapstone Chalk.
• Flagging and Barricade Tape High-visibility tapes including Flagging Tape, Barricade Tape, and Foil Underground Detectable Tape (aluminum-core, OSHA-compliant for underground utility line location).
• Construction Flags Surveyor Stake Flags for marking and identifying locations in construction and surveying applications.
• MP401E Electronic Measuring Wheel Electronic measuring wheel with steel frame, magnetic pickup sensors (resistant to dust and dirt), sealed counter, ergonomic Swan-Neck Thumb-Up Grip handle, and multiple unit-of-measure options including ft/in, 10ths, metric, and continuous inches.
• SOLA Measures App Free mobile application that interfaces with SOLA BIG RED Bluetooth-enabled digital levels for viewing and managing digital measurement data on a smartphone or tablet.
• SOLA BIG RED Digital Levels with Bluetooth Bluetooth-enabled digital spirit levels for measuring inclinations, slopes, and angles precisely; pair with the free SOLA Measures mobile app for digital readouts and data management.
• SOLA GO! Smart Digital Inclinometer Smart digital inclinometer that combines the functions of a spirit level, an inclinometer, and a protractor in a single Bluetooth-enabled device for measuring inclinations, slopes, and angles.
• SOLA T PRO Magnetic Torpedo Spirit Level Compact 9-inch (23 cm) magnetic torpedo spirit level with a magnetic base, V-groove on the upper measuring surface, and three vials for measurements in tight spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• FOCUS vials show considerably higher contrast than standard ring vials
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SOLA Measuring ToolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018In 2018, the Nosek and Scheyer families joined together to form Keson LLC. Keson and SOLA are both family-owned, third generation companies led by grandsons of founders. Combined 120 years of market experience. Keson provides U.S. manufacturing, distribution network and strong relationships. SOLA provides European manufacturing expertise, precision engineering and FOCUS vial technology. Two-brand strategy: SOLA at high-end, Keson at mid-tier.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stanley Black & Decker: Owns Stanley and DeWalt, the dominant U.S. brands in tape measures, levels, and measuring tools. Directly competes with Keson across measuring wheels, tape measures, and levels through overlapping distribution channels.
• Stabila: German manufacturer of professional spirit levels and measuring tools. The closest direct analogue to Keson's SOLA partnership positioning, competing in the same premium level segment with comparable vial technology claims.
• Tajima Tool: Japanese maker of professional measuring and marking tools including tape measures, chalk lines, and levels. Competes with Keson in premium Japanese-import channels and on contractor jobsites.
• Bahco (Snap-on): European hand tools brand owned by Snap-on, offering tapes, levels, and marking tools. Competes with Keson/SOLA in professional contractor segments and shares a similar European-meets-North-American distribution footprint.
• Hultafors Group: Swedish construction hand tools group whose portfolio (Snickers, Hultafors, Fristads, Solid Gear) includes professional measuring and marking tools. Comparable to SOLA as a European premium hand tools platform with international distribution.
• Empire Level (Milwaukee Tool): Long-standing U.S. level manufacturer now owned by Milwaukee Tool. Direct head-to-head competitor in spirit and box beam levels sold through the same North American distributor and big-box channels.
• Apex Tool Group (Lufkin, Crescent): Owns the Lufkin tape measure brand alongside other hand tool lines. A major direct competitor in long and short tape measures and adjacent measuring products sold through industrial distribution.
• Komelon: Korean manufacturer specializing in tape measures and measuring wheels. Directly competes with Keson's long tape, short tape, and measuring wheel categories in the North American value and mid-tier segments.

Broad incumbents

• Milwaukee Tool (Techtronic Industries): Power tools leader that acquired Empire Level; offers an expanding portfolio of levels, tapes, and measuring instruments alongside its core power tool business. Competes with Keson across professional trades channels.
• Bosch Power Tools: Broad industrial and DIY tool manufacturer with a substantial measuring instruments division (laser distance meters, levels, detectors). Overlaps with Keson's professional measuring tool range but is part of a much larger portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kesonllc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KesonIndustries
• Facebookfacebook.com/kesonllc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kesonllc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Keson