Rehlko – The Next Step in Kohler Power Systems

Kohler Energy has been acquired by Platinum Equity and will be changing its name to Rehlko. The updated branding reflects the change to establish Kohler Energy as its own separate, independent business in which Platinum Equity is the majority owner of the energy side of the business, while Kohler Co. remains an investment partner. This rebranding is set to usher in a continued focus for the growth of Rehlko (formerly Kohler Energy) by allowing the company to strategically position themselves within the global energy marketplace and enabling them to invest more in developing a new generation of innovative energy resilience solutions by operating as a standalone company outside of Kohler Co. Included in the portfolio are Power Systems, Home Energy, Kohler Uninterruptible Power, Clark Energy, Curtis Instruments, and Heila Technologies.

Meeting increasing demands

As the demand for resilient energy is constantly growing, there has been an increase in demand for backup power systems like generators for power generation. Until now, Kohler Co. has rigorously split its focus between their global Kitchen & Bath, Wellness, Hospitality, and Energy businesses in efforts to meet shifting consumer demand and needs while maintaining innovations in all business sectors. By establishing Rehlko under Platinum Energy, Kohler can focus more on their general consumer side of business while also ensuring that their energy business can reach its full potential within the industrial sector.

A Brief Introduction of Kohler Energy

With the advent of the first automatic standby generator in 1920—the Kohler Automatic Power and Light—Kohler quickly positioned itself as a major player within the reliable energy market. A few years after the introduction of the Kohler Automatic Power and Light, Admiral Richard Byrd relied heavily on Kohler generators on his history expedition to Antarctica. Driven by a relentless pursuit to innovate and create a sustainable future for power needs, Kohler further positioned themselves as a cornerstone in the energy industry by powering lighting equipment during the construction of the Hoover Dam and providing radio communications during World War II.

Since then, Kohler Energy has been a global leader in distributed energy solutions that are known to bring bold designs and powerful impact to the energy systems that help sustain people and communities around the world. Kohler Energy played an integral part of Kohler Co., as it pertained to Home Energy, Industrial Energy Systems, and Powertrain Technologies solutions that helped build resilience when the utility grid is down or non-functional due to power outages or other errors.

A Storied History

While Kohler Co. and its product offerings have long been known as a household name and staple in many homes, hotels, and businesses across the globe, the energy side of their business also has quite a storied history. Decades of pushing the envelope, technological investments, and the drive to consistently innovate have brought Kohler Energy and now Rehlko to become the leaders in the reliable energy market as they are now.

In 1966, the Meunier family created SDMO to distribute MWM (Motoren Werke Mannheim AG) marine engines and soon phased them out to focus on manufacturing generating sets in 1969. Between 1970 and 1973, SDMO began to grow due to the increase of poultry farming and food processing in Brittany. Soon after finding success regionally, SDMO made the decision to develop its presence within the French market by opening an office in Paris and built its head office, along with a plant next to it, to accommodate for future growth. Between 1974 and 1983, SDMO opened two sales offices in France to strengthen its national development. A distribution network was also set up in Africa to expand their reach and establish their first export sales representative. After finding success in Libya, SDMO found itself winning an increasing number of contracts throughout the Middle East and French-speaking Africa, essentially establishing themselves in those regions. At this time, SDMO made the decision to diversify by offering a range of low-capacity gensets at 30 kVA (24 kW). Between 1984 and 1985, SDMO further diversified their capability in field-specific applications such as standalone power stations, telecommunications, military, offshore, etc. by acquiring the “AMAN” generating set division from ALSTOM while also acquiring SOREEL at the same time. SOREEL specialized in automatic cabinets, which SDMO purchased with the intent to control its more sensitive products. In 1986, SDMO was able to significantly develop in France and earned its position as leader in the energy market thanks to their technical engineering expertise and superiority in after-sales service. Due to the French national electricity board (EDF) launching its peak saving system (EJP), which provided a strong incentive to buy generating sets to produce and sell energy for high and moderate consumers of electricity, SDMO was able to increase their sales volume and expand into other new export markets within Europe. After establishing a network of distributors in Europe, SDMO opened subsidiary companies in Spain, England, and then soon Singapore to expand their reach in Asian markets between 1989 and 1992.

Continuing their quest to grow, SDMO decided to expand their development of exports between 1993 and 1996 due to an anticipation of a predicted drop in the French market. Additional resources were allocated to its export business, where a distributor network was set up in South Africa. In 1996, SDMO opened a new sizably large plant located in the industrial area of Brest, France, to support its continued expansion and development for the sales and manufacturing of standard generating sets. SDMO continued their focus on developing its exports between 1997 and 2001 by increasing their efforts in areas where they already had a strong presence. They did this by opening subsidiaries in the USA, Brazil, and Argentina. At the same time, they also opened a sales office in Algiers.

Between 2001 and 2005, SDMO restructured its range of products and introduced the standardization in color for their generating sets. They also opened subsidiaries in Nigeria and Belgium. 2005 brought a shift in power when Meunier Holding sold SDMO to the Kohler group in America. This is a pivotal moment, as the Kohler group has already established its own presence by owning and distributing their own range of generator sets internationally. After the merge, SDMO continued operations by setting up distribution offices in Johannesburg, Dubai, and Moscow, all while dividing sales regions across the world between themselves and Kohler based on their existing market presence and capability of market penetration. This sparked a rapid increase in business and further increased demand, which required more investment. This led to Kohler approving plans for an extension of SDMO’s main manufacturing plant that would be over double the size of their existing plant, which began in 2009. This investment focused on utilizing resources that would expand their product ranges and even offer hybrid energy solutions.

In 20102011, SDMO launched the new Rental Compact range, which was specifically designed to target the rental market, as well as introduced new technology such as biogas engine generator sets. Development was further bolstered by Kohler including their engines in the portable power and power product ranges. With the extension of their main production site in 2012, SDMO was able to continue strengthening their presence in the Middle East and opened an office in Cairo, Egypt.

Marking a turning point in their company history, SDMO was renamed to Kohler SDMO in 2016. This signified a change of positioning, as they were now manufacturers of their own engines. This led to the release of their new KD series product range, which were fitted with Kohler engines that provided ratings over 700 kVA (560 kW). In 2021, the company took another step in their brand transition by renaming their company from Kohler SDMO and Kohler BES, respectively, to Kohler.

A New Era in Power Generation

Now in 2024, Rehlko (Kohler Energy) is poised to further expand their reach, capability, and innovative product offerings within the industrial energy sector under the leadership of Platinum Equity. Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $47 billion of assets under management and has a proven track record of expertise within the energy sector, as it has also acquired businesses such as Ball Corporation, Caterpillar, Emerson Electric, and Ingersoll Rand, as well as other companies such as Johnson & Johnson. With 28 years of experience acquiring and operating global businesses, they anticipate that by enabling Kohler Energy to focus solely on power generation products, there can be greater strides in technological advancements and innovation.

While these may be some big changes, there is no expected impact to the production and manufacturing of Kohler generators.

If you’re looking for a generator in diesel or natural gas configurations, Woodstock Power Company has hundreds of new Kohler (Rehlko) generators in stock. We also have hundreds of brand new generators on order. If you’re in the market for a backup generator for your business or facility, then Search New Kohler (Rehlko) Generators

In addition to our large inventory of new Kohler (Rehlko) generators, we also buy used and cancelled orders from other dealers to ensure we can always help you find the right solution when it comes to having reliable backup power.

If you’re looking to buy a new Kohler (Rehlko) generator or stuck with a cancelled order, reach out to us at Woodstock Power Company by filling out our Contact Form or giving us a call at 610-658-3242

Notice of Non-Affiliation and Disclaimer

We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Kohler Energy, Kohler Co, and Rehlko, or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates. The official Rehlko website can be found at: https://www.kohlerenergy.com/rehlko

The names Kohler Energy, Kohler Co, and Rehlko as well as related names, emblems and images are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

The Woodstock Power Company Experience

We have industry experts that focus on generator sets and generator engines, with in-depth industry knowledge to help you choose the right generator that fits your needs.

Our experts are ready to assist you from answering any questions you may have about power generator sets to helping you find the best selection in our inventory based on:

  • Peak & Average Power Requirements
  • Fuel Preference (Natural Gas or Diesel)
  • Portability & Stationary Power
  • Prime & Standby Generator Requirements
  • Available Space & Exhaust Restrictions

Our experts are also able to help coach you on Final Tier 4 regulations and the potential impact it can have on your generators.

We carry only the most top rated new, used, and surplus power generator sets for sale, providing you with a great value generator that will fit your budget.

Our generators have been thoroughly inspected, serviced, and verified, which ensures that you will be buying a quality generator that you can depend on. If a generator is not up to par with industry standards, we make all necessary repairs or modifications, and fully test every generator before we sell. This ensures a full turnkey generator that’s ready to fire up and go!

Due to our wide selection of generator sets, we’re confident that we can find the model that best suits your operational needs.

We also buy used generators in good quality, if you have already upgraded and you’re looking to sell your older model.

Feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns, or inquiries to learn more about the Woodstock Power Company experience and the quality level of products & services we provide.

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