Diving Equipment & Supply Company

What Diving Equipment & Supply Company does

Diving Equipment & Supply Company (DESCO Corporation) is a privately-held specialty manufacturer of commercial diving equipment headquartered in New Berlin, Wisconsin, founded in 1937 by Thomas Fifield. The company designs, manufactures, and retails surface-supplied free-flow diving helmets, Air Hats, diving masks, dry suits, diving shoes, knives, communication systems, and related accessories. Its core technical differentiation lies in continuous production of U.S. Navy Mark V and Helium diving helmets built to U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships drawings since 1942 — products that are functional, military-specification gear rather than replicas. The Air Hat, developed by founder Thomas Fifield, remains a flagship product characterized by simple design, durability, and minimal maintenance requirements for hazardous commercial diving operations.

DESCO monetizes through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel at divedesco.com (consolidated in 2013), authorized dealer networks, and direct phone sales. Revenue streams include one-time equipment sales (helmets priced up to ~$9,168, diving shoes ~$1,209 per pair), replacement parts, professional services (helmet repair, modification, factory training certification in Air Hat maintenance to meet ADCI requirements), and custom engraving. The company is an authorized Ansell Viking Dry Suits dealer, enabling it to source and custom-order the full Viking product line for contractors. Pricing carries a 3.5% credit card processing surcharge with 15% restocking on returns.

The customer base spans U.S. Navy and military divers (government), major and small commercial diving contractors (enterprise), Historical Diving Society members (collectors at 10% discount), sportsmen/outdoor enthusiasts, and individual collectors of antique diving helmets. Acquired brands include A.J. Morse & Son (purchased April 2016), broadening the helmet parts catalog. Strategic partnerships include HDS-USA & Pacific and HDS Australia-Pacific for historical diving preservation. The company operates with 11-50 employees and has no venture, private equity, or institutional capital, reflecting its status as a traditional family-controlled niche manufacturer.

Name

Diving Equipment & Supply Company

Legal name

DESCO Corporation

Website

https://divedesco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Diving Equipment & Supply Company (DESCO), founded in 1937 in New Berlin, Wisconsin, manufactures and retails commercial diving equipment including U.S. Navy-spec Mark V diving helmets, Air Hats, Viking Dry Suits, and diving accessories. It serves commercial diving contractors, military/Navy divers, collectors, and sportsmen through direct e-commerce and authorized dealer networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Diving Equipment

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Diving & Snorkeling Retail (Scuba Gear) (CRAMAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Manned Submersible & Deep-Sea Research Vehicle Manufacturing (IMAJAOAD)

Keywords

• Commercial diving equipment
• Diving helmets
• Surface supplied diving
• Dry suits
• Diving accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

New Berlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Commercial Diving Equipment Sales: Direct sales of diving helmets, air hats, diving masks, commercial dive equipment, accessories, apparel, jewelry, and decor items through e-commerce and dealer networks.
2. Diving Equipment Repair & Servicing: Company servicing of Air Hat and Standard helmets, factory training certification in Air Hat maintenance for operators to meet ADCI maintenance requirements.
3. Custom Diving Helmet Services: Customization and collectors services for diving helmets including repair, modification, general maintenance, presentation helmets with engraved tags, custom created special order helmets.
4. Replacement Parts Sales: Sales of replacement parts for air hats, diving helmets, diving shoes, and various diving accessories through online catalog and specialty price lists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DESCO manufactures and sells commercial diving equipment including surface-supplied free-flow diving helmets (U.S. Navy Mark V, Helium, Heavyweight, Lightweight, Shallow Water, Nuclear, Stillson), the proprietary Air Hat, Viking Dry Suits (as authorized Ansell dealer), diving masks, shoes, knives, gloves, and accessories. The company also provides helmet customization, repair, modification, custom engraving, and factory training certification services. Products are sold directly through divedesco.com, by phone, and via authorized dealer networks worldwide.

Product overview

DESCO Diving Equipment and Supply Company is a manufacturer and retailer of commercial diving equipment and related products. The company operates a business-to-consumer e-commerce platform selling a comprehensive portfolio of diving equipment and accessories. Core products include DESCO Air Hats (surface supplied diving helmets designed for hazardous diving since 1937), DESCO Diving Helmets including U.S. Navy Mark V, Helium, Heavyweight, Lightweight, Shallow Water, Nuclear, and Stillson models (all conforming to US Navy Bureau of Ships drawings), and Viking Dry Suits (as an authorized Ansell dealer). The product portfolio extends to diving accessories including communications equipment, diving masks, diving shoes (A.J. Morse & Son Heavyweight and Lightweight models with leather uppers), diving knives, dry suit accessories, pumps, and replacement parts. DESCO also offers watersports products including Ash and Mahogany Wood Water Skis, diving-themed jewelry and collectibles, apparel, and decor items. Services include custom engraving, helmet customization and modification, repair and maintenance services, and factory training certification for Air Hat maintenance. The company maintains historical product archives including antique diving gear and rebreather replicas, reflecting its manufacturing heritage since 1937.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• A.J. Morse & Son: Acquired brand providing diving helmet parts and equipment, originally a separate manufacturer that DESCO purchased in April 2016.

Products and services

• DESCO Air Hat Surface-supplied diving hat designed for hazardous and contaminated-water commercial diving, eliminating contamination risk with simple, low-maintenance operation.
• DESCO Diving Helmets (Mark V, Helium, Heavyweight, Lightweight, Shallow Water, Nuclear, Stillson) Full range of classic-style breast-plated surface-supplied free-flow diving helmets, including U.S. Navy Mark V and Helium models conforming to US Navy Bureau of Ships specifications, for commercial and military divers.
• Viking Dry Suits Authorized Ansell Viking Dry Suits supplied to major and small diving contractors, including HAZTECH model for contaminated-water diving and HD dresses, with custom sizing available.
• A.J. Morse & Son U.S. Navy Heavy Weight Diving Shoes with Leather Uppers Heavy brass-sole U.S. Navy-design diving shoes with leather upper, solid Maple inner sole, and cast brass safety toes; approximately 40 lbs per pair.
• DESCO U.S. Navy Light Weight Diving Shoes with Leather Uppers Lightweight brass-sole U.S. Navy-design diving shoes with leather upper, Maple inner sole, lacing and strap, and cast brass safety toes; approximately 25 lbs.
• U.S. Navy Divers Knife (Model 29228) 7-inch stainless steel blade diving knife with Maple handle, polished brass sheath with Acme threads, saw-tooth upper edge, and leather belt strap, made per U.S. Navy specifications.
• DESCO Neoprene Kevlar Divers Gloves Economical 3mm Neoprene diving gloves with Kevlar-reinforced palms, fingers, and fingertips and Velcro wrist straps; suitable for over-gloves on contaminated dives and for sportsmen.
• US Navy Divers Dressing Stool (Cat. No. 27070) Yellow Pine dressing stool made to original BuShips specification, replicating the stool U.S. Navy divers use to dress in for dives.
• Light Duty Diving Outfit (Compressor Package) Complete light-duty diving outfit with air compressor, 100 ft of air hose, weight belt, and 4.5-gallon air holding tank for depths to 30 feet.
• DESCO Diving Helmets Communications Equipment Deep-sea diving communication equipment providing high-quality underwater safety communications for professional diving operations.
• Diving Masks Commercial diving masks for diverse commercial diving needs including pool-cleaning masks.
• Canvas Dry Suits Traditional canvas dry suits for commercial diving applications.
• Custom Engraving Custom engraving service for diving helmets, including presentation helmets with engraved tags for collectors and operators.
• Helmet Customization, Repair, and Modification Services Repair, modification, and general maintenance of diving helmets; mixing parts from different helmet models; building custom special-order helmets; factory training certification in Air Hat maintenance for ADCI compliance.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Historical Diving Society (HDS-USA & Pacific)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2017DESCO teams up with HDS-USA & Pacific providing 10% discount to all active HDS members. Partnership supports historical diving preservation and provides visibility through HDS Journal of Diving and events.
• Viking Dry Suits (Ansell Protective Solutions)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDESCO is an authorized dealer of Ansell Viking Dry Suits, supplying major and small diving contractors with Viking HD dresses routinely. Has access to entire line of Viking dresses and parts and can custom order dresses directly from Viking to fit customer needs.
• A.J. Morse & SoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDESCO purchased Morse Diving in April 2016, acquiring the A.J. Morse product line including U.S. Navy diving helmets and diving shoes.
• Historical Diving Society Australia-PacificminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with Historical Diving Society Australia-Pacific for international diving history preservation and member benefits.

Scale indicators2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Diving Unlimited International (DUI): DUI designs and manufactures dry suits and thermal protection for commercial, military, and technical divers. Comparable to DESCO's Viking dry suit line and broader commercial diving apparel/accessories offering, especially in HazMat and contaminated-water use cases.
• Ocean Technology Systems: OTS manufactures commercial and military diving communication systems, including through-water and hardwire units integrated with surface-supplied helmets. Directly comparable to DESCO's communications equipment category for professional diving operations.
• Kirby Morgan Dive Systems: Kirby Morgan is a leading manufacturer of commercial diving helmets and full-face masks used by military, public safety, and commercial divers worldwide. Directly comparable to DESCO as a competing producer of surface-supplied commercial diving helmets with overlapping Navy and contractor customers.
• American Diving Supply: American Diving Supply is a U.S.-based distributor and retailer of commercial diving equipment, parts, and accessories. Closely comparable to DESCO's e-commerce and dealer-driven go-to-market model serving commercial divers and contractors.
• Northern Diver: Northern Diver manufactures and distributes a broad range of diving equipment, dry suits, and accessories for military, commercial, and recreational divers. Comparable product breadth to DESCO with overlapping commercial and military end markets, particularly in dry suits and accessories.

Emerging players

• Poseidon Diving Systems: Poseidon develops advanced rebreathers and diving life-support systems used by technical and military divers. Partially comparable to DESCO in serving professional and military diving customers, but with a focus on modern closed-circuit systems rather than traditional helmets.

Others

• Subsalve USA: Subsalve designs and manufactures commercial and military inflatable lift bags, buoyancy products, and associated underwater equipment. Adjacent to DESCO as a U.S.-based supplier of professional diving and underwater operations gear, but focused on inflatable products rather than helmets.

Regional players

• Mike's Dive Shop: Mike's Dive Shop is a UK-based retailer and distributor of scuba and commercial diving equipment. Comparable to DESCO as a specialty e-commerce-first retailer of diving gear, but operates primarily in the UK/European market rather than the U.S.

Broad incumbents

• Aqua Lung: Aqua Lung is a major global diving equipment manufacturer spanning recreational, military, and commercial segments. A broad incumbent that overlaps with DESCO's commercial diving helmet and accessory categories but is much larger and more diversified.
• Ansell Protective Solutions (Viking): Ansell owns the Viking dry suit line that DESCO distributes as an authorized dealer. Ansell is a global incumbent in protective equipment and a key partner, but operates across a much broader PPE portfolio beyond diving, making it a broader incumbent than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Desco-Corp-100057191570708
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deep-sea-commercial-diving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Diving Equipment & Supply Company