HATO

What HATO does

HATO is a Dutch engineering and manufacturing company founded in 1974 by Hans and Ton (Obers family, currently led by CEO Max Obers) that designs and produces species-specific LED lighting systems for agricultural environments. Its product portfolio spans five livestock and crop verticals: poultry (CORAX, BUBO, PULSA, STERNA, SURNIA, SYLVA, PICA, PICA FLX), dairy cattle and youngstock (RUDAX with Lactivus spectrum), swine (FERAX, FORTIS), aquaculture (NIMBUS), and mushroom farming (CHAMPI LED). Core technical differentiation rests on proprietary animal-adapted light spectra (e.g., Lactivus for cattle hormonal optimization, CORAX Dynamic Daylight Simulation mixing warm/cool white, blue, red, and UV-A), CoreCall power line communication technology enabling four-color control over two wires, IP67-rated dimmable fixtures built for high-pressure washing and humid growing environments, and a warranty of up to 8 years on premium lines. Smart-control accessories (HATO Light Manager, Multi Colour Dimmer 2, AtA Signal Converter, Dual Dali Converter) extend the core hardware into a networkable lighting ecosystem, alongside the HATO ONE all-in-one poultry light meter for (galli)lux, flicker, spectrum, and CRI measurement.

The company's revenue model is anchored in one-time LED hardware sales of proprietary fixtures and accessories, with pricing not publicly disclosed and instead handled on a quote basis with free lighting plans. Distribution is built around a worldwide network of dealers and channel partners supplemented by direct enterprise field sales and website-led engagement. The company maintains wholly-owned regional operations in the Netherlands (engineering and production HQ in Sittard), plus sales and support hubs in China, Poland, Pakistan, and Minneapolis, USA. Customer segments are organized vertically by livestock type (Poultry Farmers is the primary segment, followed by Dairy Cattle Farmers, with Pig, Veal Calf, Aquaculture, and Mushroom growers as secondary segments), each with quantified operational outcomes (e.g., 8%+ milk yield uplift with RUDAX, 30% reduction in broiler leg deformities with SYLVA, 2.2% feed conversion improvement, 2%+ hatchability gain). HATO is privately held by the Obers family with no external funding or institutional investors identified.

Name

HATO

Legal name

HATO BV

Website

https://hato.lighting

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HATO is a Dutch agricultural lighting company founded in 1974 that designs and manufactures species-specific LED lighting systems for poultry, dairy cattle, pig, fish, and mushroom farmers, selling globally through a worldwide dealer network and direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Lighting

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (3351), Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Livestock & Dairy Equipment (IMAHACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Controlled Environment Lighting (LED Grow Lights, Controls) (AFAAAHAC)

Keywords

• Agricultural LED lighting
• Poultry lighting solutions
• Livestock lighting systems
• Dimmable farming lights
• Animal welfare lighting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sittard

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LED Lighting Hardware Sales: HATO generates revenue primarily through the sale of proprietary LED lighting fixtures, systems, and accessories for agricultural environments. Products range from entry-level (PICA) to premium professional systems (CORAX, RUDAX). The business operates as a product company with one-time hardware transactions as the core revenue driver, supplemented by related accessories and software tools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HATO designs, manufactures, and sells proprietary LED lighting fixtures and control systems for livestock and agricultural facilities, including poultry houses, dairy barns, pig farms, veal calf operations, fish farms, and mushroom growing rooms. The company offers dimmable and spectrum-tunable luminaires, light management hardware, and an all-in-one light meter, serving commercial farmers globally through a dealer and direct sales network.

Product overview

HATO Agricultural Lighting is a Dutch engineering and manufacturing company founded in 1974, offering a comprehensive portfolio of species-specific LED lighting solutions for agricultural environments. The product line includes poultry lighting solutions (CORAX, BUBO, PULSA, STERNA, SURNIA, SYLVA, PICA, PICA FLX), cattle lighting (RUDAX), pig lighting (FERAX, FORTIS), fish lighting (NIMBUS), and mushroom lighting (CHAMPI LED). These core lighting products are complemented by smart control accessories including HATO Light Manager, Multi Colour Dimmer 2, signal converters, and dimmers. The HATO ONE all-in-one poultry light meter provides measurement and analysis capabilities. The company emphasizes Dutch engineering quality with products designed in the Netherlands and increasing local production, backed by warranty terms ranging from 2 to 8 years depending on the product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HATO ONE: All-in-one poultry light meter that measures all key aspects of poultry lighting including (galli)lux, flicker, spectrum, CRI, with extensive analysis and reporting capabilities.
• CoreCall Technology
• Lactivus Spectrum

Products and services

• CORAX

Quantifiable outcome

• 8%+ higher milk production in dairy cattle with RUDAX lighting
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Worldwide Dealers and PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHATO operates through a worldwide network of valued partners and dealers who distribute its agricultural lighting products. The company emphasizes shared knowledge and experiences with partners, positioning 'partnership and collaboration' at the core of the HATO brand experience. Partners receive access to HATO's product portfolio, training, and collaborative lighting plan development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Big Dutchman: Global leader in poultry and pig housing equipment (feeding, ventilation, climate control) that also offers LED lighting systems. Comparable to HATO as a supplier of integrated barn equipment with overlapping customer base and channel into commercial poultry/pig producers.
• Signify (Philips Lighting): Global lighting giant whose Once brand offers animal/agricultural LED solutions, including poultry and livestock lighting. Directly comparable to HATO as a competitor in agricultural LED but operates at much larger scale across consumer, professional, and IoT lighting.
• Lely: Dutch global leader in dairy automation (milking robots, barn equipment) with limited but growing lighting offerings. Comparable to HATO in serving dairy farmers and Dutch-engineering heritage, though lighting is a small portion of Lely's portfolio.

Direct peers

• Agrilight: Dutch-based agricultural lighting company specializing in dairy and livestock barn LED lighting. Closely comparable to HATO in target customer (dairy/livestock farmers), product type (LED barn fixtures), and European heritage.
• Greengage Agri: UK-based agricultural LED lighting specialist serving poultry, pig, and dairy sectors. Direct competitor to HATO with similar species-specific product positioning and channel-led distribution into European livestock farmers.
• ONCE by Signify: Signify-owned brand specializing in animal-centric LED lighting for poultry, swine, and aquaculture. Most direct head-to-head competitor to HATO on species-optimized lighting, backed by Signify's global scale and distribution.
• CBM Lighting: LED lighting manufacturer focused on agricultural and industrial applications including livestock barns. Comparable to HATO as a niche agricultural LED specialist with overlapping product lines for poultry and dairy.

Emerging players

• Heliospectra: Swedish LED lighting company focused on horticulture and controlled environment agriculture. Comparable to HATO in the controlled-environment LED niche, with similar spectrum-engineering approach, though more plant- than animal-focused.
• Valoya: Finland-based horticultural and research-grade LED lighting manufacturer with growing presence in agricultural settings. Adjacent peer to HATO with overlapping LED technology and spectrum-engineering expertise applied to plant and animal cultivation.

Others

• Plasson Livestock: Israeli-based supplier of livestock housing equipment (drinking, feeding, climate) with adjacent lighting offerings. Comparable ecosystem participant serving the same commercial poultry/pig producers that HATO targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hato_lighting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 HATO