Kalipso

What Kalipso does

Kalipso EPI — operating as Kalipso Equipamentos Individuais de Proteção Ltda (CNPJ 00.204.589/0001-40) — is a Brazilian manufacturer and distributor of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE/EPI), founded in 1994 and headquartered at Av. Tucuruvi 248 in São Paulo, SP, with a 10,000+ square meter distribution center on Rod Fernão Dias in Extrema, Minas Gerais. The company serves industrial manufacturing, metalworking, automotive assembly, oil and gas, mining, chemical processing, civil construction, agribusiness, and general service-sector buyers requiring hand, eye, hearing, body, and signaling protection. The legal entity is a privately held Brazilian Limitada with 131 employees and no disclosed external investors, parent company, or capital raises.

Kalipso's product portfolio spans six categories — hand protection (latex, nitrile, leather, PVC, PU-coated, cut-resistant, impact, welding, and temperature-resistant gloves), eye protection (safety glasses and goggles such as MÔNACO, Kronos, Paraty, Veneza, Ilhabela with anti-fog and anti-scratch treatments), hearing protection (K10 earplugs and Ark-series earmuffs), signaling (cones, reflective vests, pedestals, plastic chains), body protection (KT6 coveralls, ergonomic belts), and accessories (lenses, filters, Safe Bandage, suspenders). Technical differentiation rests on materials engineering rather than software: TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) impact protection on glove dorsal faces, multi-layer composites using Kevlar and elastane, nitrile foam sandy-finish coatings for grip in wet/oily conditions (EN374-1 chemical certification), polycarbonate lenses with anti-fog treatment, and an Oeko-Tex-certified eco-latex line (Blue Eco). The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for commercialization and distribution of EPI and EPC, and every product carries a CA (Certificado de Aprovação) from Brazilian labor authorities.

Kalipso operates an exclusively B2B model — no direct-to-consumer sales — monetizing through one-time product sales priced privately through a nationwide network of authorized sales representatives, distributors, resellers, and home centers. Marketing is channel-mediated: a website with email-gated catalog downloads, a WhatsApp Business sales line, the UNIK (Universidade Kalipso) educational platform for technical training content, an Instagram brand presence, industry events, and a partner-recruitment form for new representatives and distributors. Payments are processed through Banco do Brasil via boletos, and the Extrema distribution center supports 72-hour delivery to the São Paulo metropolitan region. End-market pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Kalipso

Legal name

Kalipso Equipamentos Individuais de Proteção Ltda

Website

https://kalipso.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kalipso is a Brazilian PPE manufacturer and distributor (founded 1994) selling safety gloves, eyewear, hearing protection, body protection, and signaling products through a nationwide B2B network of authorized representatives, distributors, and home centers serving industrial, construction, automotive, oil and gas, agribusiness, and service-sector buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Protective Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

PPE, Safety & Infection Control Supplies Distribution (JanSan-adjacent) (CRAOAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protective Disposable Wear (Masks, Gloves, Shoe Covers, Hairnets) (CRADALAJ)

Keywords

• Safety gloves manufacturing
• Eye protection equipment
• Hearing protection devices
• Personal protective equipment
• Industrial safety supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B PPE Product Sales: Kalipso generates revenue through the sale of Personal Protective Equipment (EPI and EPC) to B2B customers including retailers, distributors, resellers, and industrial companies. Products include safety gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, signage, and body protection equipment.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kalipso manufactures and distributes Personal Protective Equipment (PPE/EPI) including safety gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, body protection, and signaling products. The company operates exclusively as a B2B supplier, selling through a network of authorized representatives, distributors, resellers, and home centers across Brazil. All products carry CA (Certificado de Aprovação) certifications from Brazilian labor authorities and are ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Product overview

Kalipso EPI is a Brazilian manufacturer and distributor of Personal Protective Equipment (EPI/EPC) offering a comprehensive portfolio organized across six main product categories: Hand Protection (gloves in latex, nitrile, leather, PVC, PU, cut-resistant, impact, welding, and temperature-resistant variants), Eye Protection (safety glasses and goggles), Hearing Protection (earplugs and earmuffs), Signaling (cones, reflective vests, pedestals), Body Protection (coveralls and ergonomic belts), and Accessories (lenses, filters, suspenders). The company positions itself as a quality-focused provider with ISO 9001:2015 certification, serving industries including manufacturing, construction, agribusiness, mining, automotive, oil and gas, food processing, and services sectors. Key product lines include the Impact series for impact protection, K-ARGON series for welding, NBR Ultra and Nitrili-ka for chemical/mechanical protection, and the Flex and Eco lines for specialized applications. Kalipso also operates UNIK (Universidade Kalipso), an educational platform providing technical training content about their products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Impact Ultra High-performance impact protection gloves made with poliamida, poliuretano, Kevlar, and elastano, featuring TPR impact protection on the dorsal face and a neoprene cuff with pull tab. Designed for industrial workers requiring impact and cut resistance. CA 50185.
• Ilhabela Wide-vision safety goggles with PVC frame and polycarbonate lens, offering scratch and fog resistance, indirect ventilation, and UV radiation protection. CA 50838.
• MÔNACO Modern versatile safety glasses with polycarbonate lenses, anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment, indirect ventilation system, adjustable nose bridge, and removable rubber-coated temples. CA 50839.
• NBR Ultra Seamless poliamida fiber gloves (gauge 15) with full nitrile rubber coating and foam nitrile sandy finish on palm and fingertips for superior grip in wet and oily conditions. CA 50683.
• Impact Pro HPPE gloves with fiberglass, nitrile foam sandy coating, nitrile reinforcement between thumb and index finger, and TPR anti-impact protection on the dorsal face. CA 50750.
• K-ARGON ULTRA Premium welding gloves made of leather with fireproof leather reinforcement, natural fiber lining with para-aramid stitching, 40cm length, certified for MIG/MAG welding, coated electrode, and oxyacetylene. CA 50803.
• K-ARGON Welding gloves made of leather with fireproof leather reinforcement, natural fiber lining with para-aramid stitching, 35cm length. CA 50277.
• Blue Eco Eco-friendly gloves made of seamless polyester knit with natural eco latex coating on palm, face, and fingertips; Oeko-Tex certified with no chemical solvents in production. CA 50682.
• K-ARGON PRO Premium TIG welding gloves made of flexible bovine vaqueta leather with fireproof raspa leather cuff, full 100% cotton lining, and para-aramid stitching. CA 49675.
• Nitrili-ka 03 Latex-free nitrile gloves without lining, with anti-slip finish on palm and back of hands, suitable for food handling, chemical resistance, and biological protection. CA 50695.
• Flex Foam Synthetic fiber gloves with full PVC and nitrile foam coating, seamless textile support, impermeable to 11 chemical types, biological protection, and thermal protection up to 250°C for 15 seconds. CA 43.565.
• Maiorca Unlined natural latex safety gloves with extra forearm protection, anti-slip finish on palm and fingertips, ribbed forearm region, suitable for immersion activities. CA 45.045.
• Atacama Pro Nylon and Spandex knit gloves with nitrile Micro Foam coating on palm, fingers, and 3/4 of back, 1/4 ventilated back, PVC pigment on palm for enhanced grip. CA 34714.
• Paraty Safety glasses with adjustable temples in three stages, anti-scratch treatment, UV protection, available in colorless, yellow, and gray lenses. CA 20.030.
• Veneza Safety glasses with nylon frame, anti-scratch and anti-fog treatment, available in gray mirror, brown, and colorless mirror I-O lenses. CA 35.157.
• Kronos Sporty design safety glasses with scratch and fog resistant lenses, rubber anti-slip temples, ANSI Z87+ certified, 99.9% UV protection, available in colorless AF, gray AF, blue mirror, and red mirror.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72-hour delivery to São Paulo metropolitan region
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Banco do BrasilminorOthersBanco do Brasil serves as the payment processor for Kalipso, issuing bank slips (boletos) for customer payments. All official boletos are generated through Banco do Brasil and sent via postal service. This partnership enables secure B2B payment processing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Diversified global conglomerate whose Safety & Industrial segment sells PPE, respirators, eye and hearing protection through industrial distributors. Overlaps with Kalipso on hand, eye, and hearing protection but as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Honeywell: Operates a Personal Protective Equipment business spanning eye, hearing, hand, and fall protection sold globally through industrial channels. Competes with Kalipso across multiple categories but as part of a much larger industrial conglomerate.
• Kimberly-Clark Professional: Sells gloves, eye protection, and other PPE through its Safety division to industrial customers via distributors. Comparable distribution model and product categories, though broader in scope and global in reach.
• Dupont Personal Protection: Supplies protective garments, gloves, and chemical/biological protection suits to industrial markets globally. Comparable to Kalipso's body protection and chemical-resistant glove lines but with a broader specialty-chemicals heritage.

Regional players

• Marluvas: Brazilian safety footwear and PPE manufacturer headquartered in Minas Gerais, with overlapping product categories (hand, body, footwear) sold through the same industrial and construction reseller channel in Brazil.

Direct peers

• Showa Group: Specialist glove manufacturer with broad chemical, cut, and impact protection offerings comparable to Kalipso's NBR Ultra, Nitrili-ka, Flex Foam, and Impact series. Sells into the same industrial B2B channel through safety distributors.
• Delta Plus: European-headquartered PPE manufacturer covering hand, eye, hearing, body, and fall protection with a similar multi-category B2B distribution model. Directly comparable portfolio breadth to Kalipso's six-category catalog.
• MSA Safety: Industrial safety company offering head-to-toe PPE including gloves, eye and hearing protection sold to industrial and construction customers through safety distributors — directly overlapping Kalipso's go-to-market.
• Ansell: Global leader in safety gloves and PPE, with a strong industrial glove portfolio directly overlapping Kalipso's core hand-protection lines (cut, impact, chemical, welding). Ansell also absorbed Mapa, a legacy Brazilian safety glove brand, making it a directly comparable in-country competitor.
• UVEX Safety Group: Specialist in safety eyewear, gloves, and hearing protection; comparable to Kalipso's eye (MÔNACO, Kronos, Paraty) and hearing categories. Competes globally in the same premium industrial PPE niches.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kalipsoepi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kalipso