Tectonus

What Tectonus does

Tectonus is a New Zealand-based structural engineering company that designs and manufactures patented seismic friction damper technology for buildings and industrial storage tanks. Founded in 2016 as a spin-out from the University of Auckland following the Christchurch earthquakes, the company has developed two proprietary device families: the RSFJ (Resilient Slip Friction Joint), a self-centering friction damper combining damping and re-centering in a single device using ridged steel plates with elongated holes, high-strength bolts, and disc springs; and the DFFJ (Damage-Free Friction Joint), a next-generation high-damping friction damper with proprietary surface treatment and Elastic-Perfectly-Plastic hysteresis. These technologies are packaged into branded products including DMAX braces (a direct replacement for buckling-restrained braces with a best-in-class 1.15 overstrength factor), RSFJ Braces, XBrace tension-only cross braces (3X seismic capacity uplift), RSFJ Hold Downs for rocking timber/concrete shear walls, and storage tank anchors. Every device is individually performance-tested before shipment, a quality protocol described as unique in the industry.

The company serves structural engineers, architects, developers, and building owners in seismic regions, with active markets in New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and Japan. Customer segments include critical infrastructure (hospitals, airports, emergency services buildings), mass timber buildings, steel frame buildings, and existing building retrofits. Notable projects include Nelson Airport (NZ), Lincoln University Sciences North (NZ, with 40% embodied carbon reduction), 2150 Keith Drive (Vancouver, tallest timber braced frame in North America), the Oxford Terrace seismic retrofit (Christchurch), and the Yealands Wine Estate tank seismic anchoring. Tectonus holds HCAI/OSHPD approval for California healthcare projects — described as the toughest seismic standard globally.

Revenue is generated through three streams: hardware sales of seismic devices priced per unit across a 50-5,000kN capacity range, bundled engineering and design services delivered by in-house PhD engineers, and technology licensing to manufacturing and distribution partners. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with strategic channel partnerships — The Herrick Corporation for US manufacturing and distribution (minority equity stake as of March 2026), Ramset for NZ tension-bracing products via the co-developed ReidBrace Xtrem line, and engineering firms (Beca, Fast + Epp, DIALOG) as specification partners. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based; the company explicitly positions itself on Total System Cost rather than unit price.

Name

Tectonus

Legal name

Tectonus Limited

Website

https://tectonus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tectonus designs and manufactures patented seismic friction damper devices (RSFJ, DFFJ) for buildings and industrial storage tanks. The New Zealand firm sells hardware, engineering services, and licenses to structural engineers and developers across New Zealand, Canada, USA, and Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seismic Protection Devices

NAICS

Forging and Stamping (3321), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440)

akta.pro primary industry

Plumbing Supports, Hangers & Seismic Bracing (IMADALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Foundations, Anchors & Guying Systems (helical piles, anchors, guys, grounding anchors) (EUADADAG)

Keywords

• Seismic friction dampers
• Structural bracing systems
• Earthquake protection devices
• Self-centering dampers
• Seismic hold downs

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Seismic hardware devices: Tectonus designs and manufactures structural seismic devices (friction dampers, braces, hold downs) that are sold as products to building projects. Devices are individually performance-tested before shipment. Revenue is generated per project based on device quantity and capacity.
2. Engineering and design services: In-house engineering team supports customers from feasibility and concept design through detailed design, permitting, and delivery. This support is bundled with device sales for structural engineering projects.
3. Technology licensing: Tectonus licenses its proprietary friction damper technology to manufacturing and fabrication partners. Herrick Corporation (US) and Ramset (NZ, via ReidBrace Xtrem collaboration) represent licensing/white-label partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tectonus designs, manufactures, and supplies proprietary seismic friction damper devices and structural solutions for new and existing buildings. Products include self-centering RSFJ braces, DMAX braces, XBRACE tension-only cross braces, RSFJ hold downs for rocking shear walls, and storage tank anchors. The company supports customers with in-house PhD engineering services from feasibility through to delivery of individually performance-tested devices.

Product overview

Tectonus designs and manufactures a portfolio of seismic friction damper and structural solutions products, centered around two proprietary core technologies: Tectonus RSFJ (Resilient Slip Friction Joint) - a patented self-centering friction damper combining damping and re-centering in one device - and Tectonus DFFJ (Damage-Free Friction Joint) - a high-damping friction damper with E-P-P hysteresis behavior. These technologies are packaged into branded product lines including: DMAX (brace frame friction damper, a direct replacement for BRBs), RSFJ Brace (self-centering brace for steel or timber frames), XBRACE (tension-only cross brace with 3X seismic capacity increase), and RSFJ Hold Downs (seismic connectors for rocking CLT/concrete shear walls). The portfolio also includes storage tank anchoring solutions and the collaborative ReidBrace Xtrem cross-bracing system. All devices are individually performance-tested before shipment, with products suitable for new builds, retrofits, and applications across mass timber, steel frame, concrete, and critical infrastructure building types.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tectonus DMAX Brace

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% reduction in embodied carbon at Lincoln University Sciences North by removing two concrete shear walls
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RamsetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 8 April 2024Ramset and Tectonus co-launched ReidBrace Xtrem — a cross-bracing system combining Ramset's ReidBrace tension bracing with Tectonus damping technology. ReidBrace Xtrem triples the seismic capacity of the ReidBrace system, making it viable for broader building types in high seismic regions. Ramset distributes the combined product through its established construction products channel in New Zealand.
• Culham EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulham Engineering has a joint venture with Herrick Corporation (Tectonus's US partner) on major New Zealand projects including Commercial Bay and the New Zealand International Convention Centre. This relationship predates Tectonus's partnership with Herrick.
• Fast + EppcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFast + Epp is a leading mass timber structural engineering firm headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. They have used Tectonus devices in multiple landmark projects including their own Head Office (mass timber) and 2150 Keith Drive (10-storey mass timber, tallest timber braced frame building in North America). Fast + Epp conducted their own analysis of Tectonus RSFJ test history before specifying the technology.
• Herrick SteelcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHerrick Steel (The Herrick Corporation) is partnered with Tectonus in California, USA for manufacturing and distribution of Tectonus damping technology. Herrick is described as a collaborative and non-exclusive partner. Herrick Steel has previously collaborated with Culham Engineering on major NZ projects.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Mageba: Swiss-based manufacturer of structural bearings (including seismic isolators) and expansion joints for bridges and buildings, with overlapping product positioning in seismic energy dissipation.
• CoreBrace: US-based manufacturer of buckling restrained braces (BRBs) used as the principal alternative to Tectonus's DMAX brace frame dampers in steel structure seismic design.
• Star Seismic: US-based designer and manufacturer of buckling restrained braces and other seismic energy-dissipation products, competing head-to-head with Tectonus for steel-frame seismic specifications.
• Taylor Devices: US-based, founded 1955, manufacturer of seismic dampers, shock transmission units, viscous dampers, and snubbers for buildings and infrastructure. The most established direct peer to Tectonus in the seismic energy-dissipation device category.
• FIP Industriale: Italian manufacturer of anti-seismic devices, friction dampers, and isolators for bridges, buildings, and industrial structures. Closest international (European) peer to Tectonus in friction-damper technology.
• Maurer SE: German manufacturer of structural protection systems including seismic dampers, bearings, and expansion joints. International direct peer with comparable engineering-driven product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Bridgestone: Global tire and industrial rubber products company whose high-damping rubber bearings serve seismic isolation applications; broader incumbent with overlap only in isolation/damping.

Emerging players

• Earthquake Protection Systems: California-based manufacturer of seismic isolation bearings and damping devices for buildings, bridges, and industrial facilities; a regional/niche peer with overlapping end-customer base.
• Dynamic Isolation Systems: US-based specialist in seismic isolation bearings and dampers for buildings and bridges; competes in adjacent seismic-protection categories rather than friction-dampers specifically.

Others

• Arup: Global engineering consultancy whose seismic design practice frequently specifies products from Taylor Devices, CoreBrace, and Tectonus; not a product peer but the most influential specifier in Tectonus's customer ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Tectonus_

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tectonus