Hunter Industries
A privately held American manufacturer of irrigation, landscape lighting, agricultural irrigation, and dispensing equipment.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Hunter Industries is a privately held American manufacturer headquartered in San Marcos, California. The company is best known for irrigation equipment used in residential landscapes, commercial properties, golf courses, sports facilities, agricultural operations, and public spaces. Its portfolio includes pop-up spray sprinklers, gear-driven rotors, valves, irrigation controllers, central control systems, weather sensors, drip and subsurface irrigation products, and related water-management technologies. Hunter also operates in adjacent product categories through brands and businesses focused on landscape and architectural lighting, agricultural and mining irrigation, custom manufacturing, and sanitary dispensing equipment. The company was founded in 1981 by Edwin J. Hunter and Paul M. Hunter to commercialize the PGP, a compact professional gear-driven pop-up sprinkler. The PGP introduced a matched-precipitation approach intended to distribute water more evenly across different arcs and radii. That product established the company in the professional irrigation market and became the foundation for a broader portfolio of residential, commercial, golf, and agricultural products. Hunter expanded organically and through acquisitions. Its growth included the addition of the MP Rotator product line, the Legacy Golf irrigation line, custom molding capabilities, landscape-lighting businesses, agricultural irrigation specialist Senninger Irrigation, Wi-Fi irrigation company Hydrawise, dispensing-equipment supplier Dispensing Dynamics International, and Australian architectural-lighting company Lumascape. These additions broadened Hunter beyond conventional landscape sprinklers while preserving irrigation and water management as its central business. The company reports operations or commercial activity in approximately 125 countries and has manufacturing facilities in San Marcos, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, as well as overseas offices including China. Its products are used at locations ranging from residential gardens and hotels to city parks, sports stadiums, golf courses, and national landmarks. Hunter has also developed products intended to reduce water use, including short-range rotary sprinklers, dripline systems, and subsurface irrigation solutions such as eco-mat. Hunter remains a private, family-associated business. Edwin Hunter served as president and chief executive for 19 years before retiring in February 2013, when his son Richard E. Hunter succeeded him. The company has also been recognized for its workplace culture, including a 2016 recognition from the Center for Executive Excellence. A major 2003 arson fire at the San Marcos manufacturing plant caused substantial damage, but the company rebuilt and used the disruption to modernize and expand its operations.
History
Hunter Industries was established in 1981 by Edwin J. Hunter and Paul M. Hunter. Its founding product was the PGP, a compact professional gear-driven pop-up sprinkler designed for landscape irrigation. The sprinkler used matched-precipitation principles, seeking to apply water consistently across different spray arcs and radii. This design gave Hunter an entry point into the professional irrigation market and helped shape the company's long-term emphasis on application engineering and water management. The company subsequently developed a broad irrigation portfolio. Its products came to include pop-up sprays, gear-driven rotors, valves, residential and commercial controllers, central control systems, and weather sensors. Hunter's equipment serves residential landscapes as well as golf courses, commercial developments, public parks, sports facilities, agricultural operations, and other large managed landscapes. The company has reported holding more than 250 product patents and 40 trademarks, although the applicable dates and categories of those figures are not specified in the available reference material. Hunter's expansion has combined internal product development with acquisitions and product-line purchases. In 1999, it acquired the Legacy Golf irrigation product line from Buckner Incorporated. In 2007, it obtained the MP Rotator product line from Walla Walla Sprinkler through an agreement involving Nelson Irrigation Corporation. In 2008, it acquired Grizzle & Hunter Plastics LLC, a custom molding business later known as Hunter Custom Manufacturing. In 2009, it acquired landscape-lighting company FX Luminaire. In 2015, it acquired the landscape-irrigation products, patents, and trademarks of Alex-Tronix Controls. In 2016, it acquired Senninger Irrigation and Hydrawise. Senninger strengthened Hunter's position in agricultural and mining irrigation, while Hydrawise added connected controllers and web-based software. In 2017, Hunter acquired Dispensing Dynamics International, entering sanitary and commercial dispensing categories. In 2019, it acquired Australian architectural-lighting company Lumascape. The acquisitions created a group of specialized brands. The Hunter name serves residential, commercial, and golf irrigation markets. Senninger focuses on agricultural and mining irrigation. FX Luminaire supplies landscape and architectural lighting, particularly LED-based systems, while Holm serves commercial and industrial lighting applications. Lumascape provides custom exterior architectural, landscape, and underwater lighting. Dispensing Dynamics supplies dispensers for products such as towels, tissue, soap, napkins, wipes, and air-care materials. Hunter Custom Manufacturing provides molding and related manufacturing services. Hunter's manufacturing footprint has included San Marcos, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, with overseas offices including China. A plant in Cary, North Carolina, operated from 1992 until its closure in 2009 amid weak market conditions. The San Marcos site suffered an arson attack on October 26, 2003. Accelerants were reportedly used to start fires in eight locations, damaging production and inventory areas and causing approximately $17 million in losses. The suspected motive involved a disgruntled current or former employee, but no one had been prosecuted by 2006. Hunter rebuilt and modernized the facility; at its October 2006 reopening, company leadership presented the recovery as an opportunity to expand operations. Water conservation has remained an important theme in Hunter's product development. The company has introduced shorter-range rotary sprinklers, dripline products, and subsurface irrigation systems such as eco-mat as part of efforts to improve irrigation efficiency. Its connected-control products also reflect the industry's movement toward weather-informed and remotely managed irrigation. Edwin Hunter served as president and chief executive for 19 years before retiring in February 2013. He was succeeded by his son, Richard E. Hunter. Hunter Industries remains privately held and is based in San Marcos, where the reference material identifies it as the city's second-largest employer after the San Marcos Unified School District. The company reports doing business in approximately 125 countries and continues to operate across irrigation, lighting, manufacturing, and dispensing categories.
- 2019
Lumascape acquired
[1]The acquisition adds Australian architectural, facade, high-output, and underwater lighting capabilities.
- 2017
Dispensing Dynamics International acquired
[1]Hunter enters sanitary and commercial dispensing through the acquisition of Dispensing Dynamics International.
- 2016
Senninger Irrigation and Hydrawise acquired
[1]The acquisitions expand Hunter into agricultural irrigation and connected, software-managed irrigation control.
- 2015
Alex-Tronix landscape-irrigation assets acquired
[1]Hunter acquires Alex-Tronix Controls' landscape-irrigation products, patents, and trademarks.
- 2013
Leadership passes to Richard E. Hunter
[1]Edwin Hunter retires after 19 years as president and chief executive, and Richard E. Hunter succeeds him.
- 2009
FX Luminaire acquired
[1]The company expands into landscape lighting through the acquisition of FX Luminaire.
- 2008
Custom molding business acquired
[1]Hunter acquires Grizzle & Hunter Plastics LLC, later rebranded as Hunter Custom Manufacturing.
- 2007
MP Rotator product line acquired
[1]Hunter obtains the MP Rotator line from Walla Walla Sprinkler through an agreement involving Nelson Irrigation Corporation.
- 2006
Rebuilt San Marcos facility reopens
[1]Hunter reopens the modernized facility after the 2003 fire and uses the reconstruction to expand operations.
- 2003
San Marcos manufacturing plant is damaged by arson
[1]A fire causes extensive damage to the company's principal manufacturing facility and inventory.
Products and positioning
A professional, technology-oriented irrigation and outdoor-solutions provider positioned around water efficiency, product reliability, application-specific engineering, and service to landscape, golf, agricultural, commercial, and public-sector users.
Gear-driven pop-up sprinkler · 1981
PGP Rotor
Hunter's founding professional gear-driven pop-up sprinkler. The PGP was designed for landscape applications and introduced a matched-precipitation approach intended to distribute water more evenly across varying arcs and radii. It established the product architecture from which Hunter's later rotor portfolio developed.
Rotary spray nozzle
MP Rotator
A multi-stream rotary nozzle product line used in landscape irrigation. The MP Rotator is associated with lower-precipitation application and water-management objectives, and is designed to retrofit or complement spray-head irrigation installations.
Irrigation controller
Pro-C Controller
A Hunter irrigation controller for residential and light commercial landscape applications. It forms part of the company's controller portfolio for scheduling and managing multiple irrigation zones.
Connected irrigation control · 2016
Hydrawise
A Wi-Fi-enabled irrigation-control platform combining compatible controllers with web-based software. Hydrawise extends irrigation management beyond local timer programming by supporting connected monitoring and remote schedule administration.
Agricultural and mining irrigation · 1963
Senninger Irrigation
Hunter's agricultural and mining irrigation business, offering application-specific irrigation equipment for larger-scale and specialized water-delivery environments.
Landscape and architectural lighting · 2009
FX Luminaire
A Hunter lighting brand focused on landscape and architectural applications, with an emphasis on LED outdoor lighting products for residential and other property environments.
Architectural and exterior lighting · 2019
Lumascape
An Australian lighting business acquired by Hunter in 2019. Lumascape specializes in architectural, facade, high-output, exterior landscape, and underwater lighting applications.
Sanitary and commercial dispensers · 2017
Dispensing Dynamics
A dispensing-equipment business supplying automatic and commercial dispensers for towels, tissue, wipes, napkins, soap, and air-care products. Its addition broadened Hunter's activities beyond irrigation and landscape products.
Controversies
2003
Arson at the San Marcos manufacturing plant
On October 26, 2003, an arson fire damaged Hunter Industries' main San Marcos manufacturing plant. Fires were reportedly started at eight locations with accelerants, damaging inventory and production areas and causing approximately $17 million in losses. A disgruntled employee or former employee was considered a possible motive, but the available reference states that no one had been prosecuted by 2006. Hunter rebuilt and modernized the facility, which reopened in October 2006.
Brand decisions
2019
Expand architectural-lighting portfolioM&ABackground
Hunter already operated landscape-lighting businesses and sought additional capabilities in architectural and high-output exterior applications.
Action taken
Hunter acquired Lumascape, an Australian architectural-lighting company.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Hunter's lighting portfolio into facade, high-output, exterior landscape, and underwater applications.
2017
Diversify into dispensing equipmentM&ABackground
Hunter's core activities were concentrated in irrigation and landscape products.
Action taken
The company acquired Dispensing Dynamics International from Kinderhook Industries.
Aftermath
The acquisition became Hunter's first major move into a market unrelated to irrigation or landscape products.
2016
Expand into connected and agricultural irrigationM&ABackground
Hunter sought to broaden its irrigation capabilities across agricultural applications and internet-connected control systems.
Action taken
The company acquired Senninger Irrigation and Hydrawise.
Aftermath
The transactions added agricultural and mining irrigation expertise along with Wi-Fi controllers and web-based irrigation-management software.
2009
Close Cary manufacturing plantStrategyBackground
The Cary, North Carolina facility operated during a period when market conditions weakened.
Action taken
Hunter closed the Cary plant after operating it from 1992.
Aftermath
The available reference attributes the closure to poor market conditions at the time; further financial or workforce effects are not specified.
2003
Rebuild and modernize after plant fireOtherBackground
A major arson fire damaged the San Marcos manufacturing plant, creating a serious disruption to production and inventory.
Action taken
Hunter rebuilt and expanded the facility rather than treating the fire as a terminal business interruption.
Aftermath
The modernized plant reopened in October 2006, and company leadership described the recovery as an opportunity to become larger and stronger.
Reported fire damage. $17 million in damage (2003)
Sources2 sources
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