What Cel Electrical Contractors does

CEL Electrical Contractors is a privately held, Calgary-based industrial electrical and instrumentation contractor founded in 1980, operating across Western Canada from six branch offices (Calgary HQ, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Camrose, Langley BC, and the Red Deer office opened August 2025). The company delivers design-build electrical construction, instrumentation, custom CSA-approved electrical equipment manufacturing, and ongoing predictive/preventative maintenance to industrial, agricultural, energy and resources, and commercial and institutional clients. Its wholly-owned engineering division, Comco Engineering Ltd., holds engineering licenses in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario and provides in-house engineering packages, arc flash hazard assessments, control panel manufacturing, and design-build automation integration.

CEL's revenue model is a mix of project-based electrical construction contracts (multi-year, multi-phase capital projects) and recurring maintenance and service contracts (thermography, inspections, calibration, shutdown and turnaround support). Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales and competitive public procurement, with sales cycles tied to capital project timelines in grain terminals, mining, oil and gas, food processing, and municipal infrastructure. The company employs over 150 qualified tradespeople, estimators, project managers, and engineers, and cites a 45-year track record including the build-out of approximately 80% of western Canada's inland grain infrastructure for operators such as G3 Canada, GrainsConnect, and Bunge.

The integrated offering — engineering, equipment manufacturing, installation, instrumentation, and maintenance under one contract — is the company's primary commercial differentiator, supported by COR safety certification across four western provinces and a stable, long-tenured leadership team led by CEO Ryan Haskey (30 years tenure). Recent activity targets geographic expansion (Red Deer), vertical diversification (data center infrastructure via Zayo, plant-based protein processing via Louis Dreyfus and Verident Foods), and organizational build-out (new VP Strategic Growth, senior hire in March 2025).

Name

Cel Electrical Contractors

Legal name

CEL Electrical Contractors

Website

https://celelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CEL Electrical Contractors is a privately held, 45-year-old Western Canadian industrial electrical and instrumentation contractor delivering design-build construction, custom equipment manufacturing, and maintenance services from six branches across Canada, primarily serving grain, mining, energy, and food processing clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electrical Contracting Services

NAICS

Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (23821), Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (238210), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (3353), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Electrical Work (1731), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Oil, Lubricants & Industrial Fluids Recovery/Recycling (IMAIAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electrical Contracting & Wiring (IMAFALAA), Transmission line EPC & construction (overhead) (EUADAKAA), Power Plant Electrical Systems EPC (Switchyard, Transformers, Protection & Controls) (EUAEAAAM)

Keywords

• Electrical contracting services
• Industrial electrical construction
• Electrical engineering design
• Instrumentation services
• Commercial electrical installations

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electrical Construction Services: CEL generates revenue through project-based electrical construction contracts spanning design, installation, and commissioning of electrical and instrumentation systems for industrial, agricultural, commercial, and energy facilities across Canada. Revenue is driven by large capital projects with multi-phase delivery timelines.
2. Maintenance and Service Contracts: CEL provides ongoing preventative and predictive maintenance services including thermography, inspections, calibration, and shutdown/turnaround support, generating recurring service revenue from existing client facilities.
3. Electrical Engineering and Design Services: Through Comco Engineering (a division of CEL), the company provides engineering packages, arc flash hazard assessments, energy management studies, and plant reliability studies as standalone or bundled service offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CEL Electrical Contractors delivers turnkey electrical construction, instrumentation, custom CSA-approved electrical equipment manufacturing, and design-build electrical engineering services for industrial, agricultural, energy, and commercial facilities across Western Canada. The company covers the full project lifecycle from engineering and design through installation, commissioning, and ongoing preventative/predictive maintenance, with licensed engineering capabilities in five provinces via its Comco Engineering division.

Product overview

CEL Electrical Contractors operates as a single integrated service portfolio rather than a platform with discrete products. The company offers a comprehensive suite of electrical contracting and instrumentation services organized across seven major service lines: Industrial, Agricultural, Commercial & Institutional, Energy & Resources, Maintenance, Instrumentation, and Electrical Engineering Services (delivered through its Comco Engineering division). The Design Build capability integrates across these service areas to deliver turnkey solutions. Services span the full project lifecycle from design and engineering through construction, installation, and ongoing preventative/predictive maintenance. The company maintains strategic geographic locations across Canada to serve industrial, agricultural, and commercial facilities nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial Electrical Services

Quantifiable outcome

• CEL helped build nearly 80% of western Canada's inland grain infrastructure
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered notable and core.

• Todd & SargentnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEL works with Todd & Sargent as a construction partner on grain and milling facility projects. Notable collaboration includes the P&H Milling Springbrook project in Red Deer County, AB — described as a key project relationship in the agricultural construction sector.
• Norstar Power SolutionsnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEL teamed up with Norstar Power Solutions for a unique design-build 3000A switchgear upgrade project at a Zayo data centre in downtown Calgary. Norstar provided design collaboration on the custom Schneider lineup and standby generator ATS integration.
• Comco Engineering Ltd. (Division of CEL)coreOthersComco Engineering Ltd. is a division of CEL that provides licensed electrical engineering services across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC, and Ontario. Comco manufactures all control panels and distribution equipment for CEL projects and provides design-build engineering/electrical and automation integration services.
• Graymont (Client/Project Partner)notableImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCEL was engaged by Graymont to design-build the electrical and automation systems for new automated bagging lines at their Exshaw plant. CEL and Comco carried out installation and commissioning of the HMI control station and integrated the client-supplied robotic packaging system.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EMCOR Group: Global electrical and mechanical construction services firm with industrial, commercial, and utility exposure — competes with CEL on larger industrial and institutional bids as a broad incumbent, but with a vastly broader portfolio.
• Quanta Services: Large North American infrastructure contractor specializing in electric power, oil & gas, and renewable energy construction — a broad incumbent that competes with CEL for energy and utility-scale work, though at vastly greater scale and scope.
• Black & McDonald: National Canadian multi-trade contractor (electrical, mechanical, infrastructure) with broad institutional and industrial reach — operates in CEL's end markets but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Houle Electric: BC-headquartered electrical contractor serving industrial, commercial, institutional, and agricultural clients across Western Canada with design-build, maintenance, and 24/7 service — directly overlapping CEL's vertical mix and regional footprint.
• Ainsworth: Canadian electrical and mechanical services firm delivering industrial, commercial, and energy projects with in-house engineering and prefabrication — a comparable integrated electrical contractor with national scope and similar end-market exposure.
• PTW Energy Services: Energy-focused electrical, instrumentation, and maintenance services provider serving oil & gas, power, and industrial clients across Western Canada — directly comparable to CEL's Energy & Resources and instrumentation offerings.
• Alltrade Industrial Contractors: Western Canadian industrial electrical contractor specializing in mining, energy, and large-scale infrastructure builds — directly comparable to CEL's industrial and energy & resources project portfolio.
• Canem Systems: Calgary-based electrical and instrumentation contractor serving industrial, oil & gas, and utility customers across Western Canada — directly comparable regional peer with similar industrial project mix.
• Trenergy: Western Canadian electrical contractor delivering industrial, agricultural, and commercial projects with design-build capabilities — a regional peer overlapping CEL's core service lines and Prairies-based customer base.

Emerging players

• Shermco Industries: Electrical testing, maintenance, and engineering services provider with strong industrial and utility focus — comparable to CEL's predictive maintenance, thermography, and arc flash services, with overlapping Canadian field-service presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cel-electrical-contractors

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Cel Electrical Contractors