Essel Environmental

What Essel Environmental does

Essel Environmental (legal name Essel Technology Services Inc.) is a privately held, dual-service firm headquartered in Oakland, California that provides specialized staffing and environmental consulting services to construction, real estate development, and environmental engineering customers. The company's staffing operation sources, screens, and places environmental technicians, AEC professionals, skilled trades workers, safety personnel, technology staff, and emergency response crews for project-based engagements. Its environmental consulting practice delivers Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments compliant with ASTM E1527-21, asbestos surveys by Certified Asbestos Consultants (AHERA/NESHAPS), lead-based paint and water testing, commercial mold inspection, and Capital Needs Assessments meeting HUD, Cal-HFA, and TCAC standards.

The business generates revenue through professional services fees — placement markups on temporary and direct-hire staffing engagements, plus project-based fees for environmental site assessments and hazardous materials surveys. Essel operates a direct, sales-led go-to-market motion via phone (+1 800-595-7616), a website contact form, content marketing, and LinkedIn/Facebook presence, targeting enterprise and mid-market buyers primarily in construction, real estate development, and environmental services. GTM is differentiated by a "Staffing With Standards" methodology (Cast, Collect, Screen, Deploy) emphasizing competency, character, and culture-fit screening rather than commodity labor supply.

The company is founder/management-led by CEO Nik Lahiri, with vertical sales leadership covering Environmental/Emergency Response and general sales. Essel operates from five offices across California (Oakland HQ, San Pedro), Louisiana (New Orleans), Oregon (Portland), and Texas (Houston), claiming 100+ active customers and a 20+ year operating history (founded circa 2004). Reported customer logos include KKR, Terracon, CTEH, Creekside, Descor, ERRG, SCS, and Eastwood Development. The firm is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no M&A or partnership activity on record; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Essel Environmental

Legal name

Essel Technology Services Inc.

Website

https://esseltek.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Essel Environmental is a privately held, dual-service staffing and environmental consulting firm providing Phase I/II ESAs, hazardous materials testing, and specialized AEC, construction, and emergency response staffing to construction, real estate, and environmental engineering clients across multiple US states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental staffing and consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAJAC

Site Assessment & Remediation (Phase I/II, Cleanup Oversight)

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Consulting

SECONDARYBPAHAJAA

Environmental Compliance & Permitting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Consulting

SECONDARYEUAHAEAA

All Appropriate Inquiries (AAI) & ASTM Phase I ESA

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Environmental Compliance, Monitoring & Consulting/Environmental Risk Assessment & Due Diligence (Phase I/II ESA)

SECONDARYBPACAGAA

Independent Contractor Compliance & Classification (IC vs Employee)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Contract Staffing & Independent Contractor Management

Keywords

• Environmental staffing
• Construction staffing
• Phase I ESA
• Hazardous materials testing
• Environmental consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Environmental Staffing Services: Provides staffing solutions for environmental technicians, project engineers, and AEC professionals. Revenue generated through placement fees for skilled trades and professional staffing engagements.
2. Environmental Consulting Services: Environmental management firm providing Phase I/II ESAs, hazardous materials testing (asbestos, lead, mold), capital needs assessments, and environmental due diligence services.
3. Construction Staffing: Skilled trades staffing for construction projects ranging from retail to multifamily, including superintendents, project managers, and general laborers.
4. Emergency Response Staffing: Rapid staffing for emergency remediation projects, providing skilled workers for disaster response and hazardous cleanup situations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Essel Environmental provides specialized workforce staffing for environmental, construction, safety, technology, and emergency response roles, alongside environmental consulting services including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, asbestos/lead/mold testing, and Capital Needs Assessments. The firm sources, screens, and places environmental technicians, project engineers, skilled tradespeople, superintendents, and project managers for construction firms, developers, and environmental engineering clients nationwide. Clients range from real estate developers and general contractors to private equity firms and environmental remediation companies seeking rapid deployment of qualified AEC and skilled trades talent.

Product overview

Essel Environmental operates as a dual-service company offering staffing solutions and environmental consulting. The staffing division provides specialized workforce solutions across six core staffing services: Environmental Staffing, Construction Staffing, Safety Staffing, Technology Staffing Services, Emergency Response Staffing, and Talent Acquisition on Demand. These staffing services are complemented by Direct Hire Recruiting for executive-level placements and Skilled Trades Staffing for construction project support. The environmental consulting division offers comprehensive assessment and testing services including Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, Asbestos Testing/Survey, Lead Testing, Mold Testing, and Capital Needs Assessments. The Environmental Management Firm service integrates these consulting capabilities. Together, these services support commercial real estate transactions, construction projects, and environmental compliance needs primarily in California with expansion to Oregon, Texas, and Louisiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Staffing Staffing services providing environmental technicians, project engineers, and AEC professionals for environmental site assessments, hazardous materials testing, and remediation projects, sold to environmental engineering and consulting firms.
• Construction Staffing Staffing services for skilled trades workers including laborers, superintendents, and project managers supporting construction projects from retail to multifamily residential nationwide, sold to general contractors and developers.
• Safety Staffing Staffing services providing workplace safety professionals and compliance personnel for construction, environmental remediation, and industrial operations requiring OSHA-compliant safety staffing.
• Technology Staffing Services Staffing services providing technology professionals and skilled labor for project-based engagements, sold to construction and environmental firms needing technology-enabled project support.
• Emergency Response Staffing Rapid staffing solutions for emergency remediation projects including punch list management and deployment of skilled workers for disaster response and hazardous cleanup situations, sold to companies and municipalities with time-sensitive remediation needs.
• Talent Acquisition on Demand Flexible staffing engagement model providing precision-driven talent sourcing tailored to exact client needs, sold to organizations requiring customized workforce solutions for short-term or specialized projects.
• Environmental Management Firm Services Environmental consulting and management services integrating Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments, hazardous materials surveys (asbestos, lead, mold), and compliance support, sold to property developers, real estate companies, and construction firms requiring environmental due diligence.
• Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I ESA) Environmental assessment evaluating historical and current uses of a property to identify potential contamination risks and Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs), compliant with ASTM E1527-21 standards, sold to property developers and real estate transaction parties.
• Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (Phase II ESA) Subsurface investigation involving soil borings and sampling of soil, soil vapor, and groundwater to assess actual contamination presence following Phase I findings, sold to property owners, developers, and lenders requiring confirmed contamination status.
• Asbestos Testing and Survey Asbestos surveys and testing services performed by Certified Asbestos Consultants (CAC) prior to renovation for buildings built before 1980, following AHERA and NESHAPS standards, sold to property owners, contractors, and developers needing pre-renovation compliance.
• Lead Testing Lead-based paint and water testing services including painted surface testing and campus-wide water testing for lead contamination, sold to property owners, schools, and developers with regulatory or transaction-driven lead testing needs.
• Mold Testing Commercial mold inspection and testing services using moisture meters and surface inspection to identify mold presence and conditions at high risk of mold growth, sold to property owners, property managers, and commercial tenants.
• Capital Needs Assessment (CNA) Assessment providing long-term budget planning and viability analysis for housing and building projects, compliant with HUD, Cal-HFA, and TCAC standards, sold to affordable housing developers, lenders, and public agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Claims to serve 100+ companies

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EsselEnv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/essel-environmental-consulting
• Xx.com/esselenv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Essel Environmental