Our Story
It Began with Ballasts…
Keystone Technologies was founded more than 75 years ago by Marvin Spielman and Harold Fox, brothers-in-law returning home from World War II. Fluorescent lighting was just becoming a popular, energy-efficient alternative to incandescent, so the two budding entrepreneurs formed Keystone at A and Cortlandt Streets in Philadelphia with a singular focus on manufacturing ballasts and transformers. At the time, several of the lighting industry’s key fixture manufacturers called Philadelphia home: Keystone Lighting, Simkar, Crescent Lighting, Progress Lighting, and Sea Gull Lighting. Keystone quickly became a strategic supplier for their ballast and transformer needs.
And Evolved to Drivers…
With the advent of LED technology, we expanded our product offer beyond ballasts to include LED drivers. This was a natural transition for the company as drivers are similar in role and design to ballasts. Keystone was able to apply years of expertise in ballast manufacturing to quickly develop high quality drivers for a wide variety of applications.
And then to LED Modules and Light Engines…
Keystone’s business grew significantly along with the demand for LED drivers. It was not a big leap to start producing our own modules and Light Engines, which gave us the ability to customize complete LED systems to meet individual customer demands. Keystone has become a primary supplier for a variety of OEM accounts, who have diverse needs and product requirements.
LED Boards lead to LED Tubes
It wasn’t too long before a Keystone engineer slipped an LED board into a tube and Keystone’s LED lamp business was born. Keystone saw immediate success with both SmartDrive (plug & play) and DirectDrive (ballast bypass) technologies. We have established ourselves as a leading resource for an ever-growing list of LED lamp types including linear, compact and HID. LED products represent the fastest growing segment of our business and we are striving each day to bring you the latest in LED lamp technology.
What’s Next?
Now in our third generation of family leadership, Keystone is focused on the future, and continues to evolve with the changing demands of the lighting business. As our company experiences unprecedented growth, we pursue a path of leadership and quality, and remain committed to the legacy of truly personal service established when Marvin and Harold made their first sale in 1945.
Meet the Team
Ira Greenberg
CEO
Fred Greenberg
President
Jake Alpert
COO
Josh Brown
VP Sales – Distribution Channel
Andrew Joseph
VP Sales – OEM Channel
Company Timeline
Keystone Transformer Co. Founded
Harold Fox and Marvin Spielman establish Keystone at A and Cortlandt Streets in Philadelphia. They focus on two things: becoming experts at manufacturing ballasts and transformers and providing outstanding service to their customers.
Original Logo
Expansion of product line
Keystone expands their product offering to service appliance manufacturers with lighting transformers for inside appliance backsplashes.
Pennsburg, PA
Pennsburg, PA factory opens, focusing on ballast manufacturing and assembly.
Fred Greenberg joins Keystone
The 2nd generation of family ownership enters the company.
Trumbauersville, PA
Trumbauersville, PA factory opens specializing in metal stamping for ballast assembly.
Enters Electronic Ballast market
Keystone introduces first line of electronic fluorescent ballasts.
Begins producing fixtures
Keystone begins manufacturing fully assembled fixtures under private labels for national fixture brands.
Ira Greenberg joins Keystone
The 3rd generation of family ownership enters the company.
Enters wholesale market
Keystone aims to expand by entering the electrical wholesale market.
Keystone expands catalog
Keystone’s product category expands beyond fluorescent ballasts into high intensity discharge (HID) ballasts.
Keystone enters Mexico
Keystone opens their first distribution center outside of the USA in Monterrey, Mexico.
A step towards Light Made Easy
Beginning our commitment to Light Made Easy, the first stocking sales agency is opened in Atlanta, GA to facilitate quicker order fulfillment.
End of an era
Keystone ships high powered T12 magnetic ballasts to fixture manufacturers for the last time, ushering in the transition to energy efficient electronic ballasts.
Keystone enters LED driver market
Keystone leverages their reputation of manufacturing reliable power supplies and begins mass producing LED drivers.
Stocking agency growth
The 10th stocking sales agency is opened, continuing our commitment to Light Made Easy.
Hard at work
Power supply production output reaches 1 million units per month.
Keystone launches sensor options
Keystone adds photocell and high bay sensors to product offerings.
Introduces the LED tube
Keystone produces the first prototype of an LED tube, initiating the entrance into the LED tube market.
Launches FutureFit Kits
Keystone’s line of easy to install LED retrofit kits is added to the product catalog.
Keystone moves
Keystone expands to the new Progress Drive location in Montgomeryville, PA.
Raising the bar
Keystone sets the standard for shatterproof glass tubes, meeting all safety regulations for food service applications while offering exceptional performance and efficiency.
Keystone lights up Times Square
One of the largest signs in the world is powered by Keystone’s sign ballasts.
Expands product offering
Keystone introduces HID replacement LED lamps.
United Nations
The United Nations chooses Keystone LED tubes for a massive lighting upgrade at their Headquarters. Read the Case Study.
Rapidly growing
Keystone expands operations by moving to a larger, more updated headquarters and distribution center in North Wales, PA.
Geno’s Steaks
The iconic South Philadelphia cheesesteaks establishment chooses to retrofit their lighting with Keystone LED tubes. Read the case study.
Expansion of LED tubes
Keystone offers the widest assortment of LED tubes in the market to provide a solution for virtually every job.
Delivering on Light Made Easy
With 21 distribution centers across the nation, Keystone can facilitate exceptionally fast delivery to every point in the USA.
Introducing Sign Hero
Keystone unveils the revolutionary Sign Hero LED sign tube.
Unveiling the XFit line
Continuing the diversification of our product catalog, Keystone launches the XFit line of quality constructed LED fixtures. Keystone unveils the revolutionary Sign Hero LED sign tube.
Joining IMARK
Keystone joins the IMARK group to support independent electrical wholesalers by offering our comprehensive line of premium and innovative products to its members.
Launches Marketing Resource Center
Keystone provides easy-to-use marketing collateral templates to distribution customers.
State-of-the-art
To facilitate the rapid growth of the company, Keystone moves into a state-of-the-art location, previously part of the Ford Motor Co, in Lansdale, PA.