Koehler-bright Star
Koehler-Bright Star LLC is a Hanover Township, PA-based manufacturer of intrinsically safe LED portable lighting (flashlights, lanterns, cap lamps, headlamps) for hazardous-location markets including mining, fire/rescue, and industrial sectors, operating as a wholly-owned Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1910
- HeadquartersHanover, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Koehler-bright Star does
Koehler-Bright Star LLC is a Hanover Township, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of portable LED lighting solutions for hazardous and demanding work environments, founded in 1910 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway. The company sells its products under two principal brands — Koehler (mining and construction) and Bright Star (industrial and safety) — plus newer lines KBS Innovations, EDC by KBS, and KBS Power Solutions. Its core technology is intrinsically safe LED lighting certified to Class I, II, and III Division 1 (Groups A-G) hazardous-location standards, alongside MSHA (mining), UL/CSA, ATEX, and IECEx certifications. Products span handheld flashlights, right-angle lights, headlamps, rechargeable lanterns and area lights, and corded/cordless mining cap lamps, with prices ranging from roughly $30 to $667. Manufacturing, design, and testing are conducted in-house at a 75,000 sq. ft. ISO9001-certified facility in Pennsylvania.
The company sells primarily through its own e-commerce site (kbsinnovations.com) and a network of authorized distributors, supplemented by an active trade-show presence across fire, mining, defense/outdoor, and emergency-response verticals. Revenue streams consist of one-time product sales and a paid repair service ($20 consultation fee plus $60/hour labor). Recent strategic activity has emphasized product refresh and new-line introductions — including the Cordless Wheat XL cap lamp (2024), Raptor Spot rechargeable lantern (2024), and the April 2026 launch of an EDC by KBS consumer flashlight line — alongside sustained trade-show and distributor-channel investment. No public financials, headcount, or management-team details are disclosed, consistent with its private status within the Berkshire portfolio.
Primary end-markets are fire and first-response, underground and surface mining, and industrial/construction sites where flammable gases, vapors, dusts, or fibers are present; maritime and consumer EDC are secondary. Customer concentration is distributed across multiple vertical segments with no named anchor accounts disclosed, though revenue exposure is sensitive to cyclical mining capex and municipal safety-equipment budgets. No AI/ML capabilities are referenced in the product portfolio or operations.
Koehler-bright Star firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Koehler-bright Star
- Legal name
- Koehler-Bright Star LLC
- Website
- https://kbsinnovations.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1910
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Koehler-Bright Star LLC is a Hanover Township, PA-based manufacturer of intrinsically safe LED portable lighting (flashlights, lanterns, cap lamps, headlamps) for hazardous-location markets including mining, fire/rescue, and industrial sectors, operating as a wholly-owned Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Koehler-bright Star industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Portable Safety Lighting Equipment
- NAICS
- Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hazardous Location & Explosion-Proof Lighting (ATEX/IECEx, intrinsically safe fixtures) (IMAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights) (IMAGAIAK)
Keywords
Where Koehler-bright Star is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hanover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Koehler-bright Star 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
- Product Sales: One-time sales of portable lighting equipment including flashlights, lanterns, headlamps, area lights, and cap lamps. Products are sold directly through e-commerce and through distributor network.
- Repair Services: Paid repair and consultation services for lighting products. Consultation fee of $20 to diagnose issues (refunded if under warranty). Labor charged at $60 per hour plus parts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | EDC Flashlights |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional/Responder Flashlights |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lanterns and Area Lights |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mining Cap Lamps |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Repair Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Koehler-bright Star product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Koehler-Bright Star designs, manufactures, and sells intrinsically safe portable LED lighting products for hazardous work environments. The portfolio spans handheld flashlights, right-angle flashlights, lanterns and area lights, headlamps, and mining cap lamps, organized under the Koehler brand (mining/MSHA) and the Bright Star brand (industrial, fire/rescue, maritime, and safety). Products are certified to UL/CSA, ATEX, IECEx, MSHA, and Class I/II/III Division 1 standards and built at an ISO9001 facility in Hanover Township, PA. The company also offers paid repair services with a $20 consultation fee and $60/hour labor plus parts.
Product overview
Koehler-Bright Star LLC offers a comprehensive portfolio of portable lighting solutions organized under two main brands: Koehler (mining and construction products) and Bright Star (industrial and safety lights). The product portfolio includes handheld flashlights (Razor, Responder Pro, EDC by KBS), area lighting (Raptor lanterns, B.F.L., LightHawk), headlamps (Big Ol' Beam, Vision), mining cap lamps (LI-8000 XL, LI-6000-G, LI-5300-G Cordless/Corded), personal safety lights (The Freakin' Beacon), and accessories. The company leads in safety-approved lighting with more Class I, II, and III Division 1 certified lights (Groups A-G) than any other manufacturer. Products are designed for hazardous work environments including mining, fire/rescue, industrial manufacturing, and maritime applications. Most products are designed and assembled in the USA at the ISO9001-certified Hanover Township, PA facility.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Responder Pro Right-Angle LED Flashlight Right-angle LED flashlight designed for first responders with hazardous-location safety certification; available in alkaline and rechargeable variants.
- Razor LED Flashlight LED flashlight with Class I, Division 1 safety rating available in standard, FSL, and Pro variants for industrial and safety applications.
- Raptor Spot Rechargeable Lantern Rechargeable lantern with 3 modes, 135,000 candela peak beam intensity, and 735-meter range, certified for hazardous environments; priced $288.00-$379.99.
- Raptor Flood Rechargeable Lantern Flood-pattern rechargeable lantern for area illumination; made in USA; priced $449.99-$454.99.
- LightHawk LED Rechargeable Gen II Lantern Second-generation rechargeable lantern with enhanced performance; made in USA; priced $298.57-$315.56.
- B.F.L. Area Light Area lighting solution providing 3,000 lumens for illuminating larger work areas; priced at $208.99.
- The Freakin' Beacon Personal Safety Light Personal safety light available in MSHA-approved version for mining applications and non-MSHA version for general use; MSHA version priced at $54.56.
- Cordless Wheat Cap Lamp XL-NA First ground-up redesign in 15 years of the Wheat cap lamp series; brighter, longer run time; made in USA; priced at $159.99.
- LI 6000-G Cordless MSHA Cap Lamp MSHA-certified cordless cap lamp for mining applications; made in USA; priced at $322.48.
- LI-5300-G Corded MSHA Cap Lamp Corded MSHA-certified cap lamp for mining; made in USA; priced at $667.39.
- LI-8000 XL Mining Cordless Cap Lamp Cordless cap lamp for mining applications with included charger; priced at $199.99.
- EDC by KBS 1G10FO Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight Rechargeable tactical flashlight in the EDC by KBS consumer line with USB-C recharging and a 6000-Series aluminum body; priced at $29.99.
- EDC by KBS 1G05PL 500-Lumen Pocket Rechargeable LED Flashlight 500-lumen pocket rechargeable LED flashlight in the EDC by KBS consumer line; priced at $29.99.
- EDC by KBS 1G12RH 1200-Lumen USB-C Rechargeable 90° Rotating Head LED Flashlight 1200-lumen USB-C rechargeable LED flashlight with a 90° rotating head in the EDC by KBS consumer line; priced at $51.99.
- Big Ol' Beam (B.O.B.) LED Headlamp High-output LED headlamp for hands-free illumination in industrial and mining environments.
- Vision LED Headlamp LED headlamp available in standard and rechargeable versions for industrial applications.
- Ion Penlight Compact penlight for portable illumination; subject to 1-year warranty, excluded from limited lifetime warranty.
- Koehler-Bright Star Repair Services Paid repair and consultation services for Koehler-Bright Star lighting products; $20 consultation fee (refunded if under warranty) plus $60/hour labor and parts.
Companies that use Koehler-bright Star
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Koehler-bright Star technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Koehler-bright Star partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Koehler-bright Star competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ledlenser: Ledlenser is a German manufacturer of professional LED flashlights, headlamps, and area lights for industrial and outdoor use. It overlaps with Koehler-Bright Star's industrial, mining, and EDC product categories and competes via similar distribution channels.
- Pelican Products: Pelican is a direct competitor in rugged, industrial-grade portable lighting and area lights, serving similar end markets including hazardous-location, military/law enforcement, and industrial customers. The 9000-series and tactical/right-angle lights overlap with Bright Star's responder and intrinsically safe SKUs.
- Wolf Safety Lamp Company: Wolf Safety is a UK-based specialist in portable safety lamps and explosion-proof lighting for hazardous areas (ATEX/IECEx certified), making it a direct functional peer with overlapping certifications and end-use environments, despite its regional (European) orientation.
- Streamlight: Streamlight is the closest direct competitor, manufacturing portable and safety-rated flashlights, lanterns, and headlamps for fire/rescue, industrial, and tactical use. It competes head-to-head with Koehler-Bright Star's intrinsically safe and MSHA-certified product lines in North American first-responder and industrial channels.
- Underwater Kinetics (UK International / Princeton Tec): Underwater Kinetics designs and manufactures rugged portable lighting, including hazardous-location and industrial work lights, with overlapping use cases in mining, marine, and first-responder environments. Princeton Tec complements this as a headlamp-focused peer with industrial/professional SKUs.
- Bayco Products (Nightstick): Bayco Products, through its Nightstick brand, manufactures intrinsically safe and safety-rated portable LED flashlights, headlamps, and area lights. It is one of the most direct competitors to Koehler-Bright Star's Class I Div 1-certified industrial and fire/rescue products.
- SureFire: SureFire is a direct peer in tactical and EDC flashlights, with strong overlap in first-responder, right-angle, and weapon-mounted lighting. The brand competes in the same premium portable lighting category that Koehler-Bright Star now addresses via its EDC line.
Regional players
- Adalit (Cooper Lighting / Signify): Adalit is a Spanish specialist in professional safety lamps for firefighters and hazardous locations, with strong overlap in ATEX-certified products. It is a regional peer focused primarily on European municipal and emergency-response markets rather than North American mining.
Emerging players
- Olight: Olight is an emerging D2C-led brand specializing in rechargeable EDC and tactical flashlights, targeting the same premium consumer/professional crossover that Koehler-Bright Star's new EDC by KBS line is entering. It competes on price, USB-C rechargeable design, and brand-led marketing.
Broad incumbents
- Energizer Holdings: Energizer is a broad incumbent in consumer flashlights and batteries that competes in the lower end of Koehler-Bright Star's portfolio, particularly via mass-market retail and EDC distribution. Its scale and brand reach in general-purpose lighting make it a strategic adjacency rather than a direct hazardous-location rival.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Koehler-bright Star social profiles
Digital presenceKoehler-bright Star compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Koehler-bright Star financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Koehler-bright Star leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Koehler-bright Star funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Koehler-bright Star 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 Koehler-bright Star
What does Koehler-bright Star do?
Koehler-Bright Star designs, manufactures, and sells intrinsically safe portable LED lighting products for hazardous work environments. The portfolio spans handheld flashlights, right-angle flashlights, lanterns and area lights, headlamps, and mining cap lamps, organized under the Koehler brand (mining/MSHA) and the Bright Star brand (industrial, fire/rescue, maritime, and safety). Products are certified to UL/CSA, ATEX, IECEx, MSHA, and Class I/II/III Division 1 standards and built at an ISO9001 facility in Hanover Township, PA. The company also offers paid repair services with a $20 consultation fee and $60/hour labor plus parts.
Is Koehler-bright Star a public or private company?
Koehler-bright Star is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Koehler-bright Star founded?
Koehler-bright Star was founded in 1910. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Koehler-bright Star based?
Koehler-bright Star is headquartered in Hanover, United States, in the North America region.
How does Koehler-bright Star make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are repair Services.
Who are Koehler-bright Star's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ledlenser, Pelican Products, Wolf Safety Lamp Company, Streamlight, Underwater Kinetics (UK International / Princeton Tec), Bayco Products (Nightstick) and SureFire. Adalit (Cooper Lighting / Signify) is listed as a regional player. Olight is listed as an emerging player. Energizer Holdings is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Koehler-bright Star have an API?
No public API is recorded for Koehler-bright Star.
What industry is Koehler-bright Star in?
Koehler-bright Star's product category is Portable Safety Lighting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAC, Hazardous Location & Explosion-Proof Lighting (ATEX/IECEx, intrinsically safe fixtures), with a secondary code of IMAGAIAK, Specialty & Task/Workstation Lighting (Inspection/task lights, cleanroom/food-grade, portable work lights). Its NAICS code is 335132 and its SIC code is 3640.