Our History

Customers have relied on Keystone’s quality for more than 60 years.

After returning from the second World War, Harold Fox dreamed of starting his own manufacturing company. Looking for the perfect product to assemble, Harold decided to consult some close friends in the hardware and electrical trade. He asked them if there were any products that were always in high demand but short 
supply. The resounding answer was lighting ballasts. So the enterprising young businessman bought a sample ballast from another manufacturer and put his own label on it. He took this “prototype” around to hardware and electrical stores in Philadelphia and they unanimously expressed strong interest in the product. In fact, one customer even gave Harold a blanket purchase order with a cash advance payment so that Harold could begin producing his ballasts. And so Keystone was formed, with the singular purpose of manufacturing ballasts and transformers in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, Harold’s brother-in-law, Marvin Spielman, joined the budding manufacturing company.

Over 60 years later, Keystone continues to evolve and grow with the changing demands of the lighting business. Now in its third generation of family leadership, Keystone’s line has grown substantially beyond Harold’s original core and coil product to offer magnetic and electronic ballasts for all lighting types and categories. Throughout the years, Keystone has shipped millions of ballasts to North America’s leading lighting fixture manufacturers and premier electrical distributors. We continue on a path of leadership and quality, but our legacy of truly personal service remains as strong today as when Marvin and Harold made their first sale in 1945.