Kenick
Kenick, Inc. engineers and manufactures surge protection devices for US electric utilities and cable/broadband operators, supplying meter base, panel, and plug-in SPDs plus utility-branded recurring surge protection and extended warranty programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersClearwater, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kenick does
Kenick, Inc. is a privately held US manufacturer founded in 1989 and headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, that designs, engineers, assembles, and tests surge protection devices (SPDs) primarily for electric utilities and their residential and commercial end customers. Its product portfolio of more than 500 SKUs spans three architectural tiers — meter base protectors (e.g., SS320), hard-wired panel protectors (e.g., MPAF, MPAF-P, MINI MAXX T1, DRS Series, PC642), and point-of-use plug-in protectors (e.g., PE Single Outlet, MPM8-AV, PJ40) — built around Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) and multi-stage hybrid MOV/X-coil circuitry, including the VSS20-PM high-exposure protector designed to defend critical infrastructure. The company operates an in-house surge testing laboratory rated up to 200,000 Amps and reports a 0.05% product failure rate.
Kenick monetizes through two complementary channels. The first is direct hardware sales of SPDs, battery backup units, and — as of February 2026 — broadband products (SMPSI, Power Disconnect) into electric utilities and cable/broadband operators. The second, and strategically more important, is a recurring-revenue utility partnership model in which Kenick helps an IOU, cooperative, or municipality design, market, and operate a residential or commercial surge protection program; the utility enrolls customers onto a monthly bill line item (typically under $10/month), and Kenick supplies the hardware, training, customer escalation support, and — optionally — an Extended Electronics Warranty add-on. Documented program economics project roughly $1.2M in annual non-electric revenue per 10,000 surge-program participants, with an additional ~$800K per 10,000 if the warranty attach is adopted.
Kenick sells through enterprise field sales to over 110 utility clients nationally, supplemented by a small e-commerce storefront (kenick.com) for individual consumers and licensed electrical contractors, and by limited OEM/assembly relationships with US-based manufacturing partners. The company holds NRECA associate membership, operates a wholly-owned Spikestop sub-brand, and is led by co-founders Ken Elder and Nick Pusta with a recently expanded leadership bench (Chip Winchell, Broadband Products Division). It remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investment.
Kenick firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kenick
- Legal name
- Kenick, Inc.
- Website
- https://kenick.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kenick, Inc. engineers and manufactures surge protection devices for US electric utilities and cable/broadband operators, supplying meter base, panel, and plug-in SPDs plus utility-branded recurring surge protection and extended warranty programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kenick industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Surge Protection Devices
- NAICS
- Power, Distribution, and Specialty Transformer Manufacturing (335311), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circuit Protection Devices (MCBs, MCCBs, ACBs, fuses, RCD/GFCI, surge protection) (IMAGAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Busbars, Insulators, Surge Arresters & Substation Primary Hardware (EUADACAI), Surge Protection & Power Conditioning (Whole-Home/Point-of-Use) (HSAOADAH), Power Protection & Power Conditioning (Surge Protectors, UPS for Consumer Devices) (CRACATAJ), EMI/Shielding, Grounding & Surge Protection for Cabling Systems (HDAFALAL)
Keywords
Where Kenick is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clearwater
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kenick business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Surge Protection Device Sales: Sale of hardware surge protection products including meter base protectors, plug-in protectors, hard-wired panel protectors, battery backups, and broadband power products. Products are sold directly to electric utilities and cable/broadband operators, as well as to individual consumers through the Kenick website.
- Utility Surge Protection Program Revenue (Recurring): Kenick helps utilities design and operate residential and commercial surge protection programs where end customers pay a monthly fee (typically under $10/month) billed through their electric utility. Kenick earns revenue from program design services and product supply to participating utilities.
- Extended Electronics Warranty: An extended warranty program offered in partnership with utilities to cover electronics (televisions, computers, tablets, home theaters, gaming systems) for customers enrolled on a surge protection program. Utilities earn additional recurring revenue per participant, with Kenick providing claims processing and reimbursement.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Residential Meter Base Surge Protection Program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Extended Electronics Warranty Program |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Surge Protection Products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Kenick product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kenick engineers, manufactures, and supplies utility-grade surge protection devices (SPDs) including meter base protectors, plug-in protectors, hard-wired panel protectors, battery backups, and broadband power quality products. The company partners with electric utilities to design and operate residential and commercial surge protection programs, and sells directly to cable/broadband operators for critical infrastructure protection. Kenick also offers an extended electronics warranty program administered through utility partners.
Product overview
Kenick offers a comprehensive portfolio of over 500 surge protection and power quality products designed primarily for electric utilities and their customers. The product lineup centers on three layers of protection: meter base surge protectors (SS320, meter base accessories) installed behind the electric meter as the first line of defense; panel hard-wired devices (MPAF, MPAF-P, MINI MAXX T1, DRS Series, PC642) for main and branch panel protection; and point-of-use plug-in protectors (PE Single Outlet, MPM8-AV, PMD2, PJ40) for sensitive electronics. The company also offers VSS-20 high-exposure multi-stage hybrid protectors for critical infrastructure, broadband products including SMPSI and Power Disconnect for cable operators, and battery backup solutions (PJ60, PXST, PS70, PC60, PV80, PP80) for uninterruptible power. Bundled solutions (Complete Bundle, Core Protection Bundle, Classic Plug-In Bundle) combine multiple protection tiers. Products are UL listed to three SPD types and supported by utility program design, training, and extended warranty services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Broadband Products Division: Strategic expansion division focused on supporting cable and broadband operators, initially featuring the SMPSI (Switched-Mode Power Supply Interface) product.
Products and services
- SS320 Meter Base Surge Protector
- MINI MAXX T1 Compact Type 1 Hard-Wired Surge Protector
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million meter base surge protectors installed with a failure rate of 0.05%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kenick
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kenick technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kenick partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CableServcoreChip Winchell, former CableServ executive, joined Kenick as the leader of the new Broadband Products Division. Chip brought extensive experience in delivering solutions for legacy equipment upgrades including mid-band/high-band reverse splits, node segmentation, and headend amplifiers, strengthening Kenick's entry into the broadband surge protection market.
- NRECA (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)minorKenick holds Associate Membership with NRECA, indicating a formal relationship with the national association representing electric cooperatives. This association membership helps facilitate partnerships with cooperative utilities across the US.
- US Local Manufacturers and Assembly HousescoreKenick has partnered with local US sourcing, manufacturers, and assembly houses for over 30 years. This approach enables responsive customer service, prompt delivery despite COVID-era supply chain disruptions, and continued product quality management.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kenick competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ABB: ABB produces surge arresters and substation protection equipment for utilities worldwide, competing with Kenick at the higher-exposure grid infrastructure tier while offering far broader electrical equipment portfolios.
- ASCO Power Technologies: ASCO (an Emerson subsidiary) provides power quality and surge protection products for commercial, industrial, and utility customers, overlapping with Kenick's panel and control cabinet protection products at the industrial tier.
- Schneider Electric (Square D): Schneider Electric's Square D brand offers whole-home and commercial surge protection solutions marketed through electrical contractors and utility channels, directly competing with Kenick's residential and panel-mount product lines.
- Hubbell: Hubbell manufactures electrical products including surge protective devices for utility, commercial, and residential applications, with established utility channel relationships that overlap Kenick's customer base.
- Siemens: Siemens offers surge protection devices and electrical distribution equipment through its smart infrastructure division, with global utility relationships that overlap Kenick's high-exposure and meter base product offerings.
- Eaton (Cooper Power Systems): Eaton's Cooper Power Systems division offers utility-grade surge arresters and protection equipment used by IOUs and cooperatives globally, competing with Kenick's meter base and high-exposure surge products as part of a much broader electrical portfolio.
Direct peers
- Leviton: Leviton manufactures residential and commercial surge protective devices, including Type 1, 2, and 3 SPDs, competing directly with Kenick's plug-in and panel-mounted product lines through electrical distribution channels.
- Ditek: Ditek specializes in surge protection for low-voltage electronics, including dedicated product lines for cable/broadband and industrial applications, directly overlapping Kenick's VSS20-PM and SMPSI product offerings.
- PolyPhaser: PolyPhaser designs surge protection specifically for RF, cable, and broadband network infrastructure, directly competing with Kenick's VSS20-PM and SMPSI broadband products in the cable/broadband channel.
Emerging players
- Intermatic: Intermatic offers surge protective devices and energy management products sold through electrical distribution and utility channels, representing a comparable residential and small-commercial SPD competitor in Kenick's core plug-in product category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kenick social profiles
Digital presenceKenick compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Kenick financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kenick leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Kenick subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kenick funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kenick M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kenick
What does Kenick do?
Kenick engineers, manufactures, and supplies utility-grade surge protection devices (SPDs) including meter base protectors, plug-in protectors, hard-wired panel protectors, battery backups, and broadband power quality products. The company partners with electric utilities to design and operate residential and commercial surge protection programs, and sells directly to cable/broadband operators for critical infrastructure protection. Kenick also offers an extended electronics warranty program administered through utility partners.
Is Kenick a public or private company?
Kenick is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kenick founded?
Kenick was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kenick based?
Kenick is headquartered in Clearwater, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kenick make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Surge Protection Device Sales are the primary driver. The others are utility Surge Protection Program Revenue (Recurring) and extended Electronics Warranty.
Who are Kenick's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ABB, ASCO Power Technologies, Schneider Electric (Square D), Hubbell, Siemens and Eaton (Cooper Power Systems). Direct peers are Leviton, Ditek and PolyPhaser. Intermatic is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kenick have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kenick.
What industry is Kenick in?
Kenick's product category is Surge Protection Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAEAB, Circuit Protection Devices (MCBs, MCCBs, ACBs, fuses, RCD/GFCI, surge protection), with a secondary code of EUADACAI, Busbars, Insulators, Surge Arresters & Substation Primary Hardware. Its NAICS code is 335311 and its SIC code is 3600.