Award-Winning Power: Rehlko KD Series™ Generator Earns Bronze in Plant Engineering’s 2026 Product of the Year List

Innovative and high performing. These attributes describe the promise of the mission-critical diesel KD300 generator, Rehlko’s newest addition to the KD Series. These qualities also detail the criteria Plant Engineering looked for in its 2026 Product of the Year program, where the KD300 generator earned a Bronze Award in the Power, Utilities & Facility Infrastructure category.

For Rehlko, this award is a signal from the plant engineering community that modern backup power must do more than start when the grid stops. It must respond quickly, configure easily, operate reliably, and deliver value for years.

Recognition from the People Who Depend on Power

Plant Engineering’s Product of the Year program is a reader-choice award, with qualified subscribers voting on products based on technological advancement, service to the industry, and market impact. Because the award reflects the feelings of the engineers, facility leaders, and operations professionals who understand what is at stake when power is interrupted, it makes receiving a Product of the Year Award especially meaningful.

For hospitals, telecommunications networks, manufacturers, agriculture operations, commercial facilities, and remote locations, backup power is not optional. Downtime affects safety, continuity, production, and customer confidence. The KD Series was built for that reality — bringing reliability to a broader range of applications at a time when extreme weather, grid instability, and increasing electrification are raising expectations for every power system.

Built for Critical Uptime

The KD300 generator is part of the KD Series 80 to 600 kW power range designed for mission-critical applications. Its fully integrated system meets ISO 8528-5 G3 load acceptance standards, supporting rapid response and reliable operation through demanding load transitions. It features a diesel engine that is EPA Tier 3 certified and compatible with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), giving customers a renewable fuel option without compromising dependable performance.

Customers need backup power that fits their site, supports their compliance requirements, and can be trusted when seconds matter. The KD Series can be configured for regional codes, certification needs, enclosure types, voltage and frequency settings, controller options, and emissions requirements, helping each installation match the demands of its environment.

Proven Reliability for Award-Winning Performance

Before a generator reaches its destination, it undergoes rigorous testing for performance, endurance, and safety. Thermal testing confirms output under extreme temperatures. Electrical safety checks align with global and regional standards. ISO 8528-9 vibration testing helps protect long-term mechanical stability. Load acceptance testing verifies voltage and frequency stability through transient phases.

Rehlko also prepares products for the realities customers may face outside the mechanical room. KD Series enclosures are tested for rain, high heat, extreme cold, seismic events, high winds, and hurricane-driven impact. More than 100 prototypes have been tested and approved across manufacturing plants, reinforcing that the KD Series is not only designed for tough conditions but is also proven in them.

Configured Without Compromise

Telecom sites, hospitals, manufacturing plants, and rural operations may share similar needs for uptime, but they rarely share the same system requirements. The KD Series rises to that challenge with thousands of configuration possibilities, including open units, weather or sound-attenuated enclosures, advanced controllers, regional compliance packages, and modular accessories.

When paired with the Rehlko APM603 controller, KD Series systems can support onboard paralleling for up to eight generator sets of mixed sizes and fuel types, helping reduce system complexity while supporting load management for critical operations. This is the practical value that makes backup power easier to design, easier to maintain, and easier to trust.

Domestic Strength, Global Standard

The Plant Engineering Bronze Award reinforces what the KD Series means for Rehlko in North America and across the globe. Ten diesel generator models from 80 to 300 kW at 60 Hz, are available now in North America. Customers are not only supported by the expertise of Rehlko Authorized Distributors, but they can rely on local manufacturing, testing, and genuine parts access for award-winning Rehlko engineering that’s close to home.

As the KD Series global launch expands the platform to 60–600 kW, forming part of a complete KD Series lineup from 60 kW to over 4 MW, this award reinforces Rehlko’s reputation as a power systems leader with a consistent standard of quality. With more than 220 distributor partners worldwide, Rehlko combines the scale of a global OEM with the responsiveness of local expertise.

Award-Winning Value, Recognized

Backup power is a long-term investment. The KD Series is engineered to reduce total cost of ownership, simplify access to trusted genuine parts, support lifecycle uptime, and integrate with proactive service programs such as Performance Care 360. Certified Rehlko technicians, scheduled maintenance, priority service, and real-world feedback help customers avoid unexpected downtime and keep systems running strong.

The KD300 generator earning Bronze in Plant Engineering’s 2026 Product of the Year program is confirmation of the commitment put into Rehlko’s KD Series. And it proves what many customers already know.

Dependable power is more than a feature — it is the promise behind every KD Series generator. With the KD Series, Rehlko is delivering on that promise domestically, globally, and wherever reliable power matters most. Learn more about the award-winning KD Series today for value that pays off for years.