It won’t be too long before the familiar Kohler logo stamped and decaled on engines and generators will have a whole new look. That’s because, last week, Kohler Energy officially announced it has rebranded under a new name: Rehlko (pronounced RELL-koh).
This change comes a few months after the private equity firm Platinum Equity and family-owned Kohler Co. closed on a deal that established Kohler Energy as an independent entity separate from Kohler’s hospitality, wellness and home products businesses. While Kohler Co. continues to serve as an investment partner, the new Rehlko branding further solidifies a clear distinction between businesses.
Rehlko promises to continue providing the dependable industrial and residential energy solutions that consumers have come to expect from Kohler, including engines and generators.
Why Rehlko?
If you haven’t already noticed, the new brand has taken the letters from the Kohler name and rearranged them, creating a familiar yet refreshing impression. As Brian Melka, Rehlko’s CEO, explains in a recent press release, this creative branding decision simultaneously reflects the reliability that Kohler Co. has established throughout its 100+ years of operation and an embracement of innovative approaches for “tackling the most complex energy challenges.”
Elaborating more on Rehlko’s mission, Francis Perrin, the company’s chief brand and sustainability officer, notes that the brand launch crystallizes the company’s focus on “building and powering a sustainable energy future,” adding that they are “more purpose-driven than ever before.”
What does this mean for the future of Kohler engines?
Rehlko’s press release has stated that the introductory brand rollout will take place over the coming months through marketing campaigns and trade industry publications to raise awareness, but specifics have not yet been provided on when to expect rebranded products.
While kohlerenergy.com now features an animated Rehlko logo and boldly displays their new identity, Kohler-branded generators and engines are still being advertised on this domain at the time of writing this post. It’s safe to assume that this rebranding announcement won’t have an effect on current stock of Kohler engines.
Currently, Equipatron continues to offer an expansive selection of Kohler-branded engines that are in stock and available for purchase on our website. Through our close relationships with our engine distributors, we promise to provide transparency and relay details to our customers as soon as they are received. Our engine listings will be kept up-to-date, reflecting any product changes that we are made aware of. We expect a visual change to this line of engines months down the road, but anticipate that the quality and reliability will remain unchanged.
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