The Ledlenser Compay
Ledlenser – we are a group of more than 1,500 employees at sites in Germany, Italy, Japan, China and Switzerland, producing a range of flashlights and headlamps unmatched anywhere in the world. But who are the people behind the products and brands? What is our story? Where are we today and where do we want to go in the future? You’ll find illuminating answers below.
How LED Lenser reinvented the flashlight
In 1993, the bank refused to grant them a business loan and they had no real estate to offer as collateral, just fresh ideas and the prototype of the first LED Lenser V8 flashlight. For the gentlemen at the bank, who told them that the V8 was unsellable, that wasn't enough. So In 1994, with 1,000 DM, a sketch book, toolbox and old Atari® computer, twin brothers Rainer and Harald Opolka struck out on their own and founded LED Lenser in their garage in Germany.
With all the passion and courage of two young, newly-minted entrepreneurs, they managed without the bank and to their own surprise ended up selling more than 200 million Euros' worth of LED flashlights in the first five years. The V8 became an international design classic and one of the the top-selling LED flashlights in the world.
Harald OpolkaNow as they like to say, "We are our own bank." As if to remind anyone of this who might happen by, today a lone, tattered, pirate flag waves over their Solingen headquarters.
Fast forward 25 years, hundreds of patents and design awards later, and Ledlenser is now a company of more than 1,500 employees, three manufacturing bases and a range of some of the world's highest-quality LED flashlights. And today, just as in the beginning, we remain driven by light - the emission, channeling and powering of light.
A good light has its price. A first class one has prizes.
Once our lights shine their bright beams, they can no longer be overlooked: Not even by the experts. This has been demonstrated by around 200 awards, prizes and test ratings for more than 70 of our flashlights and headlamps.
Ledlenser Technologies
Beneath LED Lenser's award winning designs is an advanced yet practical technology that enhances the light, its output and the user's ability to direct it all. It's what it means when your light is a German-engineered LED Lenser.
From innovative lenses to future-oriented batteries – we work tirelessly to further develop our technological edge. And this is why we already have over 100 patents. And there are no doubt 100 more to come.