What rutec Licht does

rutec Licht GmbH & Co. KG is a German family-owned LED lighting manufacturer founded on September 1, 1990 by Manfred Rullhusen, Birthe Eikmeier, and Holger Rullhusen, headquartered in Syke, Lower Saxony. The company specializes in two core product lines: LED recessed downlights built on COB (Chip On Board) technology — including the flagship configurable CYRA+ modular renovation downlight system — and VARDAflex LED strips covering indoor, outdoor, sauna/high-temperature (up to +90°C), UV/salt-water resistant, and mobile/work-light applications. The portfolio is completed by LED modules, aluminum profiles for strip mounting, LED power supplies/converters, and a comprehensive control and bus technology range spanning KNX, DALI, DMX, 1-10V, and Zigbee actuators, wireless controllers, and PIR-based stair light controllers.

The business operates as a B2B hardware manufacturer selling through a three-tier distribution chain (manufacturer → electrical wholesalers → trade professionals/installers), with nine regional sales representatives covering Germany and named international distributors in the Netherlands (LedSupport B.V.), Belgium (WALCARIUS International), France (SAS LUXYLUM), Switzerland (MLT, Licht & Concept, Novoline), Austria (Höllinger Elektronik), and Eastern Europe (D & A d.o.o.). Primary customer segments are electrical wholesalers and electricians/installers; secondary segments include lighting designers and architects (supported via DIALux Premium Partner integration), maritime and outdoor applications, and SPA/wellness facilities. Distribution is complemented by trade show participation (gedatec, GET Nord), a 140-page annual Komfortkatalog, and a digital presence spanning rutec.de with multilingual support (German, English, Dutch), YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Xing.

The corporate group has been built up over time with three wholly-owned subsidiaries: rutec Einkauf GmbH (founded 2013, shared purchasing services), rutec LIGHTDESIGN GmbH (founded 2015, lighting design), and rutec Projekt GmbH (founded 2020, decorative interior lighting and customized solutions). Revenue was approximately €15 million as of 2014 with 30 employees, with the company having since expanded its warehouse footprint to approximately 2,800m² across multiple facilities in Syke. Management currently comprises Managing Directors Holger Rullhusen (Procurement, Engineering) and Ole Rullhusen (Marketing, Sales, HR), with planned third-generation family succession in 2026 when Ole Rullhusen assumes full management from co-founder Birthe Eikmeier.

Name

rutec Licht

Legal name

rutec Licht GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://rutec.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

rutec Licht is a German family-owned LED lighting manufacturer (founded 1990, Syke) producing configurable recessed downlights, LED strips, modules, and control systems, sold B2B through electrical wholesalers and a network of regional sales representatives across Germany and seven European countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Syke, Lower Saxony

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. LED Lighting Products: rutec generates revenue through the sale of LED lighting products including downlights, LED strips, LED modules, aluminium profiles, and operating/control equipment. Products are sold through a three-tier distribution chain.
2. Wholesale B2B Sales: Products are sold primarily to electrical wholesale distributors and trade professionals. The company operates on a business-to-business model with stable pricing in a three-tiered distribution chain.
3. Secondlife Outlet: The Secondlife shop sells products with minor defects or discontinued items at discounted fixed prices, exclusively to electrical wholesalers. Craft tradespeople can also access after one-time activation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

rutec Licht manufactures and distributes LED lighting products as a German "Made in Germany" specialist. The portfolio centers on VARDAflex LED strips (indoor, outdoor, sauna, mobile/work light variants) and COB LED recessed downlights including the configurable flagship CYRA+ system, supported by aluminum profiles, LED modules, power supplies/converters, and KNX/DALI/DMX/Zigbee lighting control actuators. Products are sold through electrical wholesalers, regional sales representatives, and international distributors across Europe.

Product overview

rutec Licht GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer specializing in LED lighting solutions. The product portfolio centers on two core product lines: LED recessed downlights (Einbaustrahler) with COB technology and VARDAflex LED strips. The flagship CYRA+ system offers configurable renovation downlights with modular interchangeable components. Supporting products include aluminum profiles for LED strip mounting, LED modules in various sizes, and comprehensive control systems (KNX, DALI, DMX, Zigbee, 1-10V) for professional lighting control. The company also provides power supplies, converters, and specialized solutions for mobile/work light applications. Products are distributed through a three-tier sales chain and supported by DIALux professional lighting planning software integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VARDAflex LED-Strips Flexible LED strips for indoor, outdoor, sauna, and mobile/work light applications. Available in 12V, 24V, and 230V variants, single-color and RGB/RGBW (multicolor), with IP67/IP68 outdoor and special-purpose variants (e.g., VARDAflex Sauna, VARDAflex Work Light). Sold to electrical wholesalers and trade professionals for residential, commercial, sauna, and outdoor lighting projects.
• LED-Einbaustrahler COB (Chip On Board) Recessed LED downlights using Chip On Board (COB) LED technology across multiple product families (CYRA+, GLAN, TALAN, GAIL, TALU, SANYA, GLAW, RINCA), including high-IP, inground, and furniture-integrated variants. Sold through electrical wholesalers for new construction, renovation, and specialty installations.
• CYRA+ Configurable Sanierungsdownlight Flagship modular renovation downlight with interchangeable lens and light source; configurable across sizes, colors, performance, connections, color temperatures, lens shape, and beam angle, with asymmetric lens options and custom RAL colors on request. Targeted at renovation, retrofit, and new-construction projects where existing ceiling cut-outs must be reused.
• Einbaustrahler für wechselbare Leuchtmittel Recessed downlights for replaceable bulbs, including the MixMi aluminum die-cast series, solid aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and cardanic variants, with various IP ratings for different installation environments. Sold through electrical wholesalers and trade professionals.
• LED-Module LED modules including VARDAflex Wallpaper, modules in 35mm, 50mm, and 111mm sizes, plus LED light points and specialized modules for various luminaire and lighting applications. Sold to OEMs and trade professionals via the wholesale channel.
• Aluminiumprofile (Aluminum Profiles) Aluminum profiles and coves for mounting VARDAflex LED strips, including tile profiles, clothing rail profiles, U and collar profiles, corner profiles, ceiling profiles, wall profiles, IP68 profiles, stair profiles, and recessed profiles. Sold as accessories alongside VARDAflex strips via the wholesale channel.
• LED-Steuer- und Bustechnik (Control & Bus Technology) Comprehensive LED control and bus technology product family including wireless controllers, KNX actuators, DALI actuators, DMX actuators, 1-10V actuators, LED repeaters, IR motion sensor boards, Zigbee actuators, and stair light controllers. Used by integrators and installers for professional lighting control in residential, commercial, and architectural projects.
• Betriebs- und Steuergeräte (LED-Netzgeräte und Konverter) LED power supplies and converters (drivers), including constant-voltage, constant-current, and dimmable variants in multiple power ratings. Sold through the wholesale channel for powering LED downlights, strips, modules, and control systems.
• VARDAflex Work Light Mobile LED strip work lights for construction sites and trades, including the VARDAflex E Work Light (battery-powered with 18V compatibility) and the VARDAflex AC Work Light+ (230V, extendable up to 45m). Sold via the wholesale channel to electricians, contractors, and trade users.
• PIR Sensor Controller Stair Light LED staircase light controller supporting up to 32 individually controllable steps, with PIR sensors, a brightness sensor, multiple programs, and button functions (5V–24V DC PWM input/output). Sold through electrical wholesalers for residential and commercial staircase lighting.
• VARDAflex Sauna LED-Strip Specialized LED strip for demanding SPA, wellness, and sauna applications, sealed in UV-, chlorine-, saltwater-, and solvent-resistant special silicone with operating temperatures up to +90°C. Sold via the wholesale channel for sauna and high-temperature wellness installations.
• Secondlife Outlet Outlet selling products with minor defects or discontinued items at discounted fixed prices, exclusively to electrical wholesalers; approved craft tradespeople can also access the outlet after one-time activation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Daily shipping capability with DHL
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• rutec Projekt GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2020rutec Projekt GmbH is a subsidiary company specializing in decorative lighting solutions. The company offers standardized stock items as well as customized solutions for demanding lighting tasks, with manufacturing 'Made in Germany'. They operate a separate website (rutecprojekt.de) showcasing the full product portfolio and reference projects.
• DIALuxcoreTechnology or Integrationrutec is a Premium Partner of DIALux, providing comprehensive product data through a DIALux plugin for professional lighting planning. The plugin enables architects and lighting designers to visualize rutec products in their projects, including indoor/outdoor areas, entire buildings or individual rooms. The free software supports visualization under artificial or daylight conditions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves17 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4xlq2ITok2uZdu7Dr6DYFQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/rutec.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rutec-licht
• Instagraminstagram.com/rutec.de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 rutec Licht