What Happened To Kohler Engines?

If you've ever spent a Saturday wrestling with a lawnmower or fired up a generator during a blackout, you might know the name Kohler. It's a brand synonymous with tough, reliable engines. But lately, things have gotten a major shakeup. Thanks to a corporate move in 2024, the name you knew is gone and has been swapped out for another. Kohler's entire energy division has also been spun off into its own thing. So, it's fair to be concerned about the future of the legendary engine maker. The good news is that Kohler Engines didn't disappear; they just got a whole new identity.

Investment firm Platinum Equity is now the majority owner of Kohler's former energy business after the transaction closed in May 2024. Kohler Co. itself remains on board as an investment partner, but its main focus is now squarely on its well-known kitchen and bath products. The energy side of the house, including those iconic engines, now operates under a new name, Rehlko. This name was announced in September 2024 at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, and it's a deliberate anagram of the original six letters of Kohler. The rebrand of Kohler Engines and its sister divisions to Rehlko was slated to be completed by the end of 2024. Cut to 2025, and Rehlko is transitioning from the previous beige color across its product lineup to a grey and blue palette. This is set to be completed by the end of the year.

For the uninitiated, Kohler first started making engines back in 1873. Over the years, they grew into workhorses powering a ton of generators, professional landscaping equipment, and industrial machinery. Kohler's liquid-cooled diesel engine generators are especially popular. The company first jumped into the power business way back in 1920 to supply electricity to rural farms. Then it began specifically marketing small engines in 1948. Their reputation for being practically indestructible comes from using top-tier materials like cast iron cylinder liners designed for heavy use.

That reputation isn't all hype either, as the engines almost have a mythical track record. For instance, in 2007, they were used to power modified debris sweepers that helped save lives in Iraq by clearing roads to expose hidden bombs. A decade earlier, a man named Ryan Tripp rode a mower powered by a Kohler engine all the way from Salt Lake City to Washington, D.C., where he proceeded to mow a bit of the U.S. Capitol's lawn. The OHC 18 engine was also named the "Best New Product" in 1998 by the National Society of Professional Engineers. This is the same title that was held by the Boeing 777 the previous year.

Under the new Rehlko banner, the company is now a standalone business with a renewed and singular mission. CEO Brian Melka believes the global demand for resilient energy is growing, and the new structure allows the company to pounce on that opportunity. This means that alongside engines, Rehlko will be putting a heavy focus on broader technologies like energy storage and renewables, encompassing its other brands like Heila Technologies and Curtis Instruments.

As for the employees and customers, the transition thankfully appears to be smooth. A spokesperson told WISN that the company has actually added people and will continue growing its team. The Sheboygan Press also reported that workers represented by UAW Local 833 would retain identical collective bargaining agreements for the next several years.

Finally, the company aims to focus more heavily on tech like Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) and hybrid engines, so the move seems less like an ending and more like a reboot. It's fitting, then, that Rehlko's new marketing theme is simply, "Resilience is Reinvention."