Kohler is no more

[Tinhack]

This is probably a year late and already posted somewhere, but Kohler has been bought out. This was the first I heard about it but I'm not in the mainstream. This occurred back in September of 2024. It will hence forth be called Rehlko (pronounced RELL-koh). What used to be called Kohler Energy is being rebranded. Brian Melka, Rehlko chief executive officer. “Our company’s new name is derived from the six letters of Kohler and reflects the reliability, resolve, reinvention, and resilience that have been – and will remain – the hallmarks of this organization in addressing the ever-evolving distributed energy needs of the marketplace.”

Perhaps it just to shed the low ratings Kohler engines have accumulated. I don't know.

 

[RandyT]

Rehlko has made a lot of changes over the last year. Name change which I still think will kill the company in the end. I feel it sets up the misunderstanding that Rehlko will be considered a new chinese engine company, and even if people are told it is just a name change for Kohler people will think that Kohler is now owned by a Chinese company. Not the big equity company Platinum Equity which also owns, other companies like Oregon Tool, and Club car.

Rumor has it the name change was the direct result of the Kohler family not wanting their name on the product after the buyout.

 

[TMGT]

Rehlko has made a lot of changes over the last year. Name change which I still think will kill the company in the end. I feel it sets up the misunderstanding that Rehlko will be considered a new chinese engine company, and even if people are told it is just a name change for Kohler people will think that Kohler is now owned by a Chinese company. Not the big equity company Platinum Equity which also owns, other companies like Oregon Tool, and Club car.

Rumor has it the name change was the direct result of the Kohler family not wanting their name on the product after the buyout.

I don't think the name change requirement is a rumor, an interview is saw with a company rep. said they only had the Kohler name rights through '26.

They did state that they would be made in the US, so hopefully that means actually made and not just assembled.

I hope they survive and keep supporting the older engines also.



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[RandyT]

I hope they survive and keep supporting the older engines also.



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Hundreds of spec numbers and in some cases entire models were not even included in the official Kohler partners website for dealers. And that goes back probably 3-4 years now.

 

[TMGT]

Hundreds of spec numbers and in some cases entire models were not even included in the official Kohler partners website for dealers. And that goes back probably 3-4 years now.

Well if they are series like the older single cylinder Courage, then I'm ok with that!

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[RandyT]

Well if they are series like the older single cylinder Courage, then I'm ok with that!

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Old K single and twins and KT opposed twin series engines. some of the newer CH/CV series engines are missing some of the spec numbers for parts lookup.

 

[BravoXray]

Here is an interview that youtuber Chicanic had with the new Rehlko CEO.

 

[Tomtint]

We have had nothing but problems with every Kohler engine I have ever owned. A couple years back I finally decided that if a machine had one.. I'd buy another one that didn't. I'm now a fan of the Kawasaki motors.. they have been extremely reliable thus far and I have 5 of them.the only Kohler left is a 23hp in a Walker mower that has 700 hours on it.. and it has recently started giving me problems.. I had expected 2k -2500 hours out of it.. but that won't happen.

 

[grsthegreat]

i had a great old Onan cast iron generator, was super reliable and quiet running. than Onan sold generator business to Cummins and they dropped all parts line for older units. i could not get some parts i needed. i ended up selling my generator to someone else who bought it for parts. i wonder whay will happen down the line for Kohler. i dont think i have anything remaining with a kohler engine...that i can recall. possibly my riding mower, but id have to go look.
i had not heard they sold out.

i guess Kohler generator section was also bought out.

Private equity firms generally SUCK. im constantly being sent letters offering to buy out my electrical contracting company. i know 2 Veterinarian offices near me have been sold to private equity firms. prices have doubled and no more nice local people. workers are always changing. i hardly ever see the same people between visits. they always push useless tests.

a private equity company purchased nearly every HVAC company in town. still kept the old names, but prices have ALL gone out the window. every time you call for an appt they want to sell you a membership??? and Push Push Push to replace.

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

Nothing is as good as it once was. Or at least that seems to be the case with most things that have brands that go back several years. I use to swear by Briggs and Stratton when I was young, and lately I just seem to swear at them.

I just bought a whole house generator and Kohler was in the running as a choice. I ended up going with Generac only because the area here is saturated with their dealers and techs. It used to be that Kohler made a good cast iron engine, sad to hear that it like everything else is rolling down hill and picking up speed.