Backup power sources are used in homes, businesses, and infrastructure facilities to provide power during outages. Generators automatically start and keep equipment and household systems running. The Generac logo is associated with a company that manufactures generators and backup power systems for residential and commercial properties.
Generac was founded in 1959 by engineer Robert Kern in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The company began by developing portable generators for farmers and homeowners who needed backup power. In the 1960s, Generac opened its own plant and built a dealer network across the Midwest.
In the 1970s, the company entered the commercial market and began producing more powerful generators. After selling the business to investors in 1980, Generac continued to grow. By 1989, it had modernized production and become a national player.
In 1998, the company introduced the first automatic standby power system for homes operating on natural gas and propane. Rising demand after the 2005 hurricanes led to an expansion of production capacity. In 2006, Generac was acquired by the investment fund CCMP Capital for $ 950 million. The deal accelerated investment in new product development.
In 2010, the company held an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. It raised about $400 million and reached a market valuation of $1.5 billion. In 2011, Generac acquired Magnum Products. In 2014, it acquired the Italian company Tower Light. In 2016, it introduced a line of inverter generators for the recreational segment.
Since 2019, the company has been developing smart and hybrid energy solutions. It acquired Neurio, Pika Energy, and Chilicon Power. In 2022, Generac launched integrated systems combining solar panels, batteries, and generators.
In 2024, a new plant was opened in South Carolina to produce battery systems.
The company controls over 70 percent of the U.S. market for home automatic generators. It develops autonomous energy supply technologies.
Meaning and History
What is Generac?
An American manufacturer from Waukesha, Wisconsin, is the global leader in backup generators. Annual revenue exceeds 3 billion dollars, and its share of the U.S. home generator market is about 75%. The product range includes stationary, portable, and mobile units from 800 W to 9000 kW powered by natural gas, propane, diesel, and gasoline. The company also produces light towers, mobile heaters, pressure washers, pumps, and battery energy storage systems. It owns the first automatic home generators that start within 10 seconds after a power outage.
before 2009
Engineer Robert Kern founded Generac in Wisconsin in 1959. The first production facility occupied a compact space in Wales near Waukesha. Five employees manufactured portable generators based on Kern’s designs. Early models were sold through Sears under the Craftsman brand. The company later began producing backup power systems for homes, commercial properties, and industrial facilities.
The Generac name is connected to generators and electrical engineering. In the early logo, the final letters “AC” were treated separately. AC stands for “alternating current.” The form GenerAC combined part of the word “generator” with the technical designation for this type of current. The letters later adopted a consistent case, and the name became Generac.
The corporate emblem resembled an equipment nameplate. An orange-gold name and a description of the company’s business appeared on a black quadrilateral background. This format was used on generator housings, products, and technical materials.
The large uppercase word GENERAC occupied the upper level. A thin orange-gold line ran beneath it across the full width of the name. The smaller words POWER SYSTEMS, INC. appeared below. They identified the full corporate name, while GENERAC remained the primary part of the logo.
GENERAC used a heavy sans-serif typeface with large proportions and thick strokes. Dark edges and metallic highlights gave the letters a raised appearance. Orange and gold shades transitioned from light to dark, creating depth against the black background.
POWER SYSTEMS, INC. used thin uppercase letters in a sans-serif typeface. The dividing line had the same golden-orange color. The logo appeared on equipment and in corporate materials until the 2009 identity update.
2009 – today
Generac introduced a new logo in 2009. A flat wordmark replaced the three-dimensional golden letters on a black background with a bright orange stripe below. The company called the stripe the “power bar.” Orange preserved a connection with the former identity while receiving a new geometric form.
The uppercase word GENERAC occupies the upper section. The name uses a bold sans-serif typeface with heavy proportions and thick strokes of uniform width. Narrow letter spacing creates a compact horizontal block. The primary version uses a black wordmark, while some materials use dark blue.
The orange power bar appears beneath the name. It extends across almost the entire width of the wordmark. The left side ends in a point, while the stripe height gradually increases toward the right. The lower edge remains straight. A solid orange fill gives the figure the appearance of an elongated wedge.
The public logo uses the shorter Generac name. The full names Generac Holdings Inc. and Generac Power Systems, Inc. appear in corporate reports and legal documents. The shortened form appears on products, in advertising, and in dealer materials.
The primary color version combines black or dark blue letters with an orange stripe. A version with a white wordmark and orange power bar is available for dark surfaces. Another version is entirely white. Every version retains the same proportions, arrangement, and stripe shape.
Following Generac’s stock market listing, the logo expanded across different product categories. It appears on portable generators, home backup systems, industrial equipment, energy storage systems, and energy management products. The Generac wordmark represents the operating company and its product lines.




