Barel

What Barel does

Barel AS is a Norwegian manufacturer of electronics for explosion-proof (Ex) luminaires, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Kirkenes in northern Norway. The company designs and produces a portfolio of certified electronic components for hazardous-area lighting, including the BG2 LED Driver, ARC BG5 LED Module, HFXE Emergency Driver, and VSI Indicator Light. In addition to its own branded products, Barel offers OEM contract manufacturing, Ex-advisory consulting services, and an Arctic Electronics line targeting cold-environment applications, and describes itself as the northernmost manufacturer of Ex-electronics in the world. Its manufacturing operations run on 100% renewable energy.

The company's business model is built on serving as a preferred supplier to many of the largest global luminaire manufacturers, embedding its Ex-certified electronics into tier-1 OEM lighting products sold into oil & gas, mining, marine, and other hazardous industrial environments. Revenue is generated through OEM volume contracts, direct sales of branded Ex-electronics modules, and higher-margin advisory engagements. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and DALI-2 certifications and has been recognized as a Great Place to Work since 2021, with a workforce of around 64 employees led by CEO Bård Gamnes.

In August 2024, Barel was acquired by Swedish industrial-electronics group Aluwave AB, integrating the business into a larger Nordic platform. The acquisition is intended to broaden Barel's commercial reach and product surface while preserving its Kirkenes-based manufacturing base, renewable-energy footprint, and specialist Ex-certification capabilities.

Name

Barel

Legal name

Barel AS

Website

https://barel.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Barel AS is a Norwegian manufacturer of explosion-proof (Ex) electronics for industrial luminaires, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Kirkenes. It supplies LED drivers, modules, and emergency systems, plus OEM and advisory services, to major global luminaire manufacturers serving hazardous-area markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Explosion-Proof Lighting Electronics

NAICS

Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513), Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)

SIC

Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

LED Drivers, Ballasts & Power Modules for Lighting (Constant-current/voltage drivers, ballasts, control gear) (IMAGAIAJ)

Keywords

• Explosion-proof lighting
• LED driver modules
• Ex-luminaire components
• Emergency lighting drivers
• OEM electronics manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkenes

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LED Driver and Module Sales: Sale of proprietary LED drivers, emergency drivers, and LED modules for Ex (explosive) environments to luminaire manufacturers worldwide. Products include customizations such as DALI-2, emergency battery capability, and fixed current design (200mA to 550mA).
2. OEM Contract Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for other companies, producing parts for aircraft industry, emergency escape systems for ships, and electronics for panel heaters.
3. Ex-Advisory Services: Consulting services regarding Ex certification, electronics, and standards for customers, partners, and other clients based on 30+ years of experience with Ex electronics.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Barel designs and manufactures LED drivers, emergency drivers, LED modules, and indicator lights specifically for Ex-luminaire manufacturers operating in hazardous environments. The company also provides OEM contract manufacturing for aerospace, marine, and heating applications, and offers Ex-advisory consulting services drawing on 30+ years of Ex-electronics expertise. Products are manufactured in Kirkenes, Norway using 100% renewable energy.

Product overview

Barel is a technology partner developing and manufacturing innovative lighting products for extreme environments. The core product offering is the Ex-armature platform comprising the BG2 LED driver series (certified for DALI-2), ARC BG5 LED modules, HFXE emergency drivers, and VSI indicator lights — providing a complete 'one stop shop' solution for Ex luminaire manufacturers. The company also offers OEM manufacturing services (electronics for aircraft industry, emergency escape systems for ships, panel heaters), Ex-advisory consulting services, and Arctic Electronics services for demanding climate environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BG2 LED Driver LED driver designed for Ex zone 1 hazardous environments, with DALI-2 certification and EMC Class B rating, intended for Ex-luminaire manufacturers.
• ARC BG5 LED Module LED module for EX-luminaires, available in lengths 300mm to 1500mm, color temperatures 3000K to 6500K, color rendering CRI80 to CRI97, with optional soft cover for even light output.
• HFXE Emergency Driver Emergency driver for Ex luminaires, paired with specialized batteries for emergency lighting applications, with integrated battery and indicator LED (VSI) for status indication.
• VSI Indicator Light Indicator LED showing emergency driver and battery status in Ex luminaires.
• OEM Contract Manufacturing Contract manufacturing service producing high-quality electronics for customers worldwide, including parts for aircraft industry, emergency escape systems for ships, and electronics for panel heaters.
• Ex-Advisory Consulting Consulting service assisting customers, partners, and other clients with questions regarding Ex certification, electronics, and standards, drawing on 30+ years of experience with Ex electronics.
• Arctic Electronics Services Design and manufacturing services for electronics intended for extreme climates and surroundings, leveraging Barel's location-based 'snow how' expertise in demanding conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Certified as Great Place to Work every year since 2021
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ams OSRAM: ams OSRAM is a global leader in optical semiconductors, LED light sources, and lighting electronics, supplying components and drivers across automotive, industrial, and specialty lighting. Its LED component and driver offerings place it as a broad incumbent comparable to Barel in the lighting electronics supply chain, with overlap on Ex and industrial lighting customers.
• Signify (Philips Lighting): Signify is the world's largest lighting company, with a broad portfolio of LED drivers, modules, and complete luminaires across residential, commercial, and industrial markets. While not Ex-specialised, its lighting components division competes with Barel for OEM socket share and reference designs, and it dwarfs Barel on scale, geographic reach, and R&D resources.

Direct peers

• eldoLED (Acuity Brands): eldoLED, now part of Acuity Brands, produces high-performance LED drivers and lighting controls for architectural and specialty luminaire manufacturers. It is directly comparable to Barel's BG2/ARC/HFXE portfolio in serving OEMs that need DALI-2 and programmable constant-current drivers.
• Mean Well: Mean Well is a large Taiwanese/global LED driver and power supply manufacturer serving lighting OEMs across general illumination and industrial applications. It competes with Barel in the OEM LED driver market on scale, range, and price, although Barel differentiates through Ex-certification and Nordic manufacturing.
• Tridonic: Tridonic (Austria, part of the Zumtobel Group) is one of the world's leading manufacturers of LED drivers, modules, and lighting controls for professional lighting applications. It is directly comparable to Barel as both supply the same core component category (LED drivers/modules) into luminaire OEMs across architectural, industrial, and hazardous-location segments.
• Helvar: Helvar (Finland) designs and manufactures LED drivers and DALI-2 lighting controls sold primarily to luminaire manufacturers across Europe. It overlaps directly with Barel's LED driver and DALI-2 certification portfolio, and competes for the same OEM design-in slots in commercial and industrial lighting.
• Inventronics: Inventronics is a global LED driver manufacturer supplying constant-current and programmable drivers to luminaire OEMs worldwide. It competes head-to-head with Barel in the OEM LED driver category, with comparable customisation (current ranges, dimming protocols) and similar global distribution model.
• Cortem Group: Cortem Group (Italy) specialises in Ex-proof electrical equipment and lighting fixtures for hazardous areas, including LED luminaires, drivers, and junction boxes. It competes with Barel's customer base of Ex-luminaire OEMs and overlaps on the standards/regulatory side (ATEX, IECEx).
• HEP Group: HEP Group (Germany) develops and manufactures LED drivers, modules, and lighting electronics for luminaire OEMs across Europe and Asia. It is directly comparable to Barel in offering customised drivers and modules to lighting manufacturers, with overlap in DALI-2 and emergency-driver capability.
• R. STAHL: R. STAHL (Germany) is a leading manufacturer of explosion-proof (Ex) electrical equipment, including Ex-certified luminaires, drivers, and components for hazardous locations. It is one of the closest competitors to Barel in the Ex-lighting electronics niche, addressing the same oil & gas, marine, and chemical end customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/barelelectronics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barel-as

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Barel