As a kid growing up in Northern California, there was nothing cooler than that jacked-up 4x4 down the road in the high school parking lot. With its double rack of massive lights towering above its triple-chrome roll bar and dual exhaust stacks. They were yellow with big smiley faces. There was something about that truck that just said, “I’m bad … and the chicks dig me.” I dreamed of the day that I’d have my own truck, could pony up 50 bucks for a pair of lights, and become part of the smiley-face, chicks-dig-me crowd.
Seven hundred miles to the south, in Prescott Valley, Arizona, a young Michael DeHass suffered the same ailment. Each day he’d peer out the school bus window at a yellow Chevy 4x4, and each day a set of yellow smiley faces peered back at him. He too envisioned the day.
I eventually got my 4x4, scraped together the 50 bucks, and life was good. And DeHass, little did he know at the time, but the owner of that smiley-faced company, KC HiLites, would soon take Michael’s mother as his new bride. DeHass soon found himself working in KC’s warehouse, shipping those yellow lights all over the country. Earning his bachelor’s degree landed him a spot in the front office, and an MBA elevated him to director of sales. After a 22-year tenure with KC, he bought the company from the founder, Pete Brown. We bumped into DeHass at the Overland Expo in Prescott Valley. Realizing we were just a few miles from KC headquarters, we took the opportunity to check out this icon of American off-road sports.
The first thing we noticed as we walked into the non-assuming 30-year-old building — which is tucked in between pine trees and small ranches — was five Best of SEMA awards on the wall. The other thing we noticed was a stack of boxes with the words “Made in the USA” stamped on them. Stepping into the production facility we found employees bundling wiring looms, fitting lenses, and transforming piles of parts into consumer-ready off-road lights.
If you own a company that...
If you own a company that specializes in off-road gear, you need a place to display your products … and your toys. In addition to KC’s main plant in Williams, Arizona, it also operates several distribution warehouses.
Though some of KC’s products are still sourced overseas, DeHass feels good about keeping a majority of the manufacturing in the states. Even the wire is made in the states. DeHass said KC buys its designer-labeled wire, miles of it each month, from Bee Wire in Los Angeles, and wiring looms are bundled in-house by American hands. It was clear after mingling with the staff that a strong family atmosphere prevails, and assembling a quality product is job-one.
KC’s legacy is not unlike many homegrown success stories. Back in 1970, it was just Pete and a few neighborhood housewives assembling lights and wiring harnesses in his garage. Pete worked his day job as a computer operator, and spent the wee hours of the night filling orders, marketing, and working on patent applications. Four years later Pete was able to quit his job, move the company to Williams, Arizona, and give KC 100 percent of his time. Today, KC has 30-plus people on payroll, some of which have been with the company for more than three decades, and more than half with 10 years under their belts.
The first thing we noticed...
The first thing we noticed when we walked into the KC HiLites lobby (in addition to the five Best of SEMA Awards on the wall), was a stack of boxes that said “Made in the USA.” Taking a look out back revealed exactly that: American hands hard at work. DeHass is proud of this anomaly and said, “Producing these lights locally affords us better quality control … and we feel good about them being made in the USA.”
From the original smiley-faced, 6-inch Daylighter, KC’s product line has expanded to hundreds of lighting applications in dozens of sizes. They’ve also come out with light bars, light brackets for Jeeps, and a new rack-mounting system. With the recent introduction of the KC POD, bazillion-candle-power HID racing light, KC is leading the way in high-tech lighting options.
Thirty years have passed. Terms like “way cool,” “groovy,” and “far out” are as dated as Angel Flight leisure suits. Triple-chrome roll bars can be found on eBay for a song. As for DeHass’ dream of the 4x4 with big yellow lights? Well, his business card now has the word “owner” next to a big yellow KC logo, and his company has millions of customers in dozens of countries on six continents. What began as a dream in Pete Brown’s garage has become an international icon and industry leader of off-road lighting. The KC legacy is one we can aspire to. And as it approaches its 40th anniversary, we expect the yellow smiley faces will be lighting the way well into the 21st century.
The first thing we noticed when we walked into the KC HiLites lobby (in addition to the five Best of SEMA Awards on the wall), was a stack of boxes that said “Made in the USA.” Taking a look out back revealed exactly that: American hands hard at work. DeHass is proud of this anomaly and said, “Producing these lights locally affords us better quality control … and we feel good about them being made in the USA.”
A majority of components are...
A majority of components are made right here in the USA. And all of KC light covers and stone guards, as well as dozens of other components, are made at an injection molding facility in Prescott Valley, Arizona. By the way, that’s a $30,000 mold in the background.
Most of the KC wiring looms...
Most of the KC wiring looms are fabricated in Williams, Arizona, with private-label, American-made wire from Bee Wire in Los Angeles, California. DeHass said, “We buy miles of wire each month.”
We could tell that DeHass’...
We could tell that DeHass’ pride and joy is KC’s new HID POD. Specifically designed for racing, the POD is nearly indestructible, and one of the brightest and most durable off-road lights to date. The body is crafted from 100-percent carbon fiber, the lens of hard-coated Lexan (unbreakable), and illumination fires from the 70-watt KC HID self-mounted ballast.
From the days of their original...
From the days of their original product, the smiley-faced Daylighter, KC HiLites has morphed into a true international entity, and they can be found from Dubai to Australia.
Fresh off the mold! KC’s new...
Fresh off the mold! KC’s new light bracket is crafted (in the USA) from high-strength composite material and will securely mount any KC light to a 1.5- to 2-inch round tube.
From the first transcendental...
From the first transcendental race in 1905, racers have recognized the need for reliable lights. KC HiLites sponsors dozens of racing teams and has more podium finishes than it can count.
The new Jeep windshield bracket...
The new Jeep windshield bracket uses the stock mounting holes and fits 2007 to 2009 JKs.
When the U.S. military and...
When the U.S. military and the United Nations needed high-powered lighting for their combat vehicles, they called KC. Note the array of KC POD HIDs.