Hoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc. functioned as a corporation that built starships. During the Clone Wars, they manufactured vessels utilized by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, notably the Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighter, the Lucrehulk-class Battleship, and the Munificent-class star frigate.
The initial reference to Hoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc. appeared in The Star Wars Sourcebook, a 1987 Star Wars Legends supplement for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game authored by Bill Slavicsek together with Curtis Smith. Its status shifted to canon upon its inclusion in Ultimate Star Wars, a reference work co-authored by Patricia Barr, Adam Bray, Daniel Wallace, and Ryder Windham, which saw release on April 28, 2015.