MBS Equipment Co.

What MBS Equipment Co. does

MBS Equipment Co. is a private, US-domiciled equipment rental and production-services company operating as a division of The MBS Group. It provides lighting (LED, intelligent, fluorescent, HMI, quartz), grip equipment, expendable supplies, mobile generators, and truck-package rentals to film, television, commercial, and event productions. The company is headquartered in Sylmar, California, and operates 120+ locations across North America and Europe, including a European HQ in the UK and offices in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Canada, and the Dominican Republic.

The business is organized around several integrated divisions. ISS Props supplies more than 1.5 million props for rent or custom creation, described by the company as the industry's largest full-service prop shop. Studio Art & Technology (SAT FX) in Chatsworth, California, provides custom fabrication for art, set design, set construction, and special effects departments. MBSi Innovations is an internal R&D division that develops proprietary equipment, including the Vulcan Automated Par 18 Head, AquaBat submersible LED batten, TiLite T-600 edge-lit soft lights, the VFX 20:40 inflatable VFX wall, LEDtrix panel kits, and the LV Range of custom LED drivers and DMX distribution units. VSS (Video Screen Services) extends the offering into virtual production, real-time content, in-camera VFX, and large-scale LED volume installations.

Revenue is generated through usage-based equipment rentals on a quote-based, project-specific pricing model, complemented by direct-to-customer e-commerce sales of expendable supplies via mbsexpendables.com and prop rentals from ISS Props. GTM is sales-led, with equipment contacts embedded at major studio facilities across North America and Europe to support both on-lot and on-location productions.

Name

MBS Equipment Co.

Legal name

The MBS Group

Website

https://mbsequipmentco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

MBS Equipment Co. rents lighting, grip, trucks, generators, and expendables to film, television, commercial, and event productions across 120+ locations in North America and Europe, complemented by ISS Props, SAT FX custom fabrication, MBSi proprietary equipment, and VSS virtual production services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Equipment Rentals

NAICS

Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental (MPADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Audio & Communications Equipment Rental (MPADAFAC)

Keywords

• Film production equipment
• Lighting rental services
• Grip equipment rental
• Production expendables supply
• Virtual production technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices27 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rentals: Rental of lighting, grip equipment, trucks, generators, and studio equipment to film and TV productions. Revenue generated through time-based rental agreements with productions on-lot or on-location.
2. Expendables Sales: Sale of consumable production supplies including tape, gels, globes, hardware, ropes, lumber, paint, textiles, and backdrops. Direct sales through mbsexpendables.com e-commerce platform.
3. Prop Rentals and Services: ISS Props division provides rental from inventory of more than 1.5 million props, or custom prop creation services to major productions worldwide.
4. Studio Art & Technology Services: Custom manufacturing and fabrication services for art, set design, set construction and special effects departments through SAT FX division.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MBS Equipment Co. rents lighting, grip, trucks, generators, and expendables to film, television, commercial, and event productions from 120+ locations across North America and Europe. It complements the rental fleet with proprietary MBSi technology products (automated lights, submersible LEDs, LED soft lights, VFX walls, LED drivers), ISS Props prop rentals from an inventory of 1.5+ million items, and Studio Art & Technology custom manufacturing for set design and special effects.

Product overview

MBS Equipment Co., a division of The MBS Group, operates as one of the world's largest equipment sources for lighting, grip, and expendables in the film and television industry. The company offers a platform-plus-services model combining standard equipment rentals with proprietary MBSi technology innovations. Core offerings include Lighting and Grip equipment (LED, Intelligent Lighting, Fluorescent, HMI, Quartz and grip gear), Truck Fleet Packages (2-10 ton), Generators, and Expendables (tape, gels, hardware available online). The portfolio includes ISS Props (1.5M+ prop inventory) and Studio Art & Technology (SAT FX) for custom manufacturing. MBSi Innovations develops proprietary technology including the Vulcan Automated Par 18 Head, AquaBat submersible LED system, TiLite T-600 soft lights, VFX 20:40 inflatable walls, VSS Video Screen Services for virtual production, Weather Shields, LEDtrix panel kits, and the LV Range of LED drivers. The company maintains 120+ locations across North America and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MBSi (MBS Innovations): Think tank and innovation division focused on designing, developing and delivering forward-thinking production solutions including Vulcan Automated Par 18 Head, AquaBat, TiLite T-600, LEDtrix, LV Range products

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ISS PropscoreOthersISS Props is a division of The MBS Group and the industry's largest full-service prop shop serving major productions worldwide. Provides rental from inventory of more than 1.5 million props or custom prop creation services. Locations include Sunland, CA HQ, Lancaster, CA, and East Point, GA.
• Studio Art & Technology (SAT FX)coreOthersStudio Art & Technology is a division of The MBS Group providing custom manufacturing for art, set design, set construction and special effects departments. Located at Winnetka Ave., Chatsworth, CA. Creates virtually anything needed for productions.
• MBSi (MBS Innovations)coreOthersMBSi (MBS Innovations) is the company's think tank focused on designing, developing and delivering forward-thinking production solutions. Develops proprietary technology including Vulcan automated lighting, AquaBat submersible LEDs, TiLite LED panels, LV driver systems, VFX walls, and Weather Shields.
• VSS - Video Screen ServicescoreOthersVSS is a specialist provider of virtual production, real time content, in camera VFX and immersive digital environments. Supports cinematographers, gaffers, and VFX departments on projects of all sizes from small in-camera effects to large scale LED installations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ARRI: ARRI is a leading manufacturer and rental provider of professional cinema cameras, lighting (including LED) and grip equipment; overlaps with MBS's lighting/grip rental business and competes with MBSi proprietary LED products.
• Panavision: Panavision is a major incumbent providing cameras, lenses and production equipment rental to the film/TV industry; overlaps with MBS's equipment rental model for major studio productions.
• NEP Group: NEP Group is a broad incumbent in broadcast and live event production services with equipment rental and virtual production capabilities — adjacent to MBS in serving large-scale productions with equipment and visual solutions.

Direct peers

• Production Resource Group (PRG): PRG is one of the largest entertainment technology and production services companies, offering lighting, rigging and equipment rental to film/TV/events — a direct competitor in scale and service breadth to MBS Equipment Co.
• Cinelease: Cinelease is a direct competitor providing lighting, grip and generator rentals to film and TV productions across the US, with growing virtual production/LED volume services — overlapping directly with MBS's lighting/grip and VSS offerings.
• Solotech: Solotech is a North American provider of entertainment production services and equipment rental including lighting and video, overlapping with MBS's lighting/grip/equipment rental offering for productions and live events.
• Cinequipt: Cinequipt is a Minneapolis-based production equipment rental company serving film, TV and event productions with lighting, grip and camera gear — a smaller-scale direct peer to MBS's lighting/grip rental business.

Emerging players

• LiteGear: LiteGear is a specialty LED lighting manufacturer for film and TV productions — directly comparable to MBS's MBSi Innovations LED product line (e.g., TiLite, AquaBat, LEDtrix).
• Creamsource: Creamsource is a specialty manufacturer of high-output LED lighting for film and TV — comparable to MBS's MBSi LED product portfolio and competes for the same professional gaffer/DP customers.
• BB&S Lighting: BB&S Lighting manufactures professional LED fixtures for film, TV and broadcast — an emerging peer whose products compete for placement in MBS's rental fleet and at customer productions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thembsgroupofficial
• YouTubeyoutu.be/IJqBhce-A9o
• Xx.com/MBSECO

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 MBS Equipment Co.