NELLO
NELLO is an engineer-owned U.S. manufacturer of custom steel infrastructure — power transmission poles (115kV–765kV), wireless cell towers, substation structures, and met towers — serving utilities, wireless carriers, tower companies, government/military, and renewable energy developers across North America and international markets from its South Bend, Indiana campus.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersSouth Bend, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What NELLO does
NELLO (Nello Corporation, operating under Nello Industries Investco) is an engineer-owned U.S. manufacturer of steel infrastructure for the electric grid and wireless networks. Founded in 2001 by Professional Engineer Dan Ianello and headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, the company designs and fabricates power transmission and distribution poles (115kV to 765kV), wireless cell towers and concealment structures (monopoles, self-supporting and guyed towers, stealth designs up to 250 feet), substation structural components, and meteorological towers for wind resource assessment. NELLO operates a vertically integrated manufacturing platform on a 100+ acre, 320,000+ sq ft South Bend campus, supported by LaX Industries facilities in Spring Grove, Minnesota and Westby, Wisconsin. In-house capabilities include structural engineering using PLS-POLE and PLS-CADD software, heavy-tonnage brake presses for tapered shafts, AWS D1.1 qualified robotic and manual welding, hot-dip galvanization to ASTM 123, and CWI-overseen quality inspection with NDT testing.
The company sells exclusively through direct, engineering-led enterprise field sales — no channel partners or resellers — targeting utility companies, energy and wind providers, wireless carriers, tower companies, turn-key service providers, government and military entities, and general contractors across North America, Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico. Revenue is generated through one-time, custom-engineered hardware sales priced per project via quote; over 7,000 structures have been deployed worldwide. NELLO is privately held by engineer-owners (founder Dan Ianello, VP of Engineering, and CFO), holds AISC, ISO 9001:2015, and AWS D1.1 certifications, and reports no institutional venture capital, private equity, or public shareholders. Customer-facing differentiators emphasized include an 80+ year galvanized service life versus 30–40 years for wood poles, 50–70% lighter weight than wood for transport, and a proprietary inset attachment design for concealment poles that improves wind resistance versus competitor bolt-on approaches.
NELLO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- NELLO
- Legal name
- Nello Corporation
- Website
- https://nelloinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- NELLO is an engineer-owned U.S. manufacturer of custom steel infrastructure — power transmission poles (115kV–765kV), wireless cell towers, substation structures, and met towers — serving utilities, wireless carriers, tower companies, government/military, and renewable energy developers across North America and international markets from its South Bend, Indiana campus.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
NELLO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Steel Infrastructure Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (3353)
- SIC
- Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Structural & Civil Engineering for Sites (Design, Reinforcement, Foundations) (HDAIAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Engineering design services (line design, substation design, civil/structural) (EUADAKAG), Overhead Distribution Line Construction (MV/LV) (EUAEACAA)
Keywords
Where NELLO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Bend
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
NELLO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Steel Infrastructure Manufacturing: One-time sale of custom-engineered steel structures for energy transmission, wireless, and substation infrastructure. Revenue derived from fabrication and delivery of poles, towers, and structural components to utilities, wireless carriers, tower companies, and contractors. No recurring revenue model indicated.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quote-based pricing for infrastructure solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
NELLO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
NELLO manufactures custom-engineered steel infrastructure for the energy and communications sectors. The company designs and fabricates transmission poles (115kV-765kV), substation structures, wireless/cell towers including concealment structures (monopines, monopalms, flag poles), and meteorological towers. All production is done in-house at a 320,000+ sq ft facility on a 100+ acre campus in South Bend, Indiana, using PLS-POLE and PLS-CADD engineering software combined with robotic welding, CNC operations, hot-dip galvanization, and AWS D1.1 qualified welding processes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Transmission Infrastructure
Quantifiable outcome
- 7,000+ structures deployed worldwide
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use NELLO
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
NELLO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
NELLO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LaX IndustriescoreLaX Industries is a division of Nello Industries Investco, combining two facilities in Spring Grove, MN and Westby, WI that specialize in substation fabrication and custom fabrication. The division manufactures structural steel products including electrical substations columns, beams, and awnings, with all products inspected by in-house Certified Welding Inspectors. This partnership enables the group to provide vertically integrated steel supply chain from massive transmission towers to precision substations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
NELLO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- American Tower: Global tower operator that procures monopoles, stealth structures, and related wireless infrastructure. Major enterprise customer segment for NELLO's wireless infrastructure products.
- Quanta Services: Largest specialty contractor for electric, gas, telecom, and renewable infrastructure construction. Adjacent participant that often procures poles and towers from manufacturers like NELLO for utility and wireless deployments.
- MasTec: Infrastructure construction company building electric transmission, distribution, and wireless networks. Key downstream buyer and EPC channel for NELLO-style engineered steel structures.
- SBA Communications: Tower owner-operator with active capital deployment on wireless infrastructure including concealment/monopole structures. Comparable buyer profile to NELLO's wireless carrier and tower company segment.
Direct peers
- Valmont Industries: Largest North American manufacturer of steel utility poles, transmission structures, and wireless communication towers. Direct competitor to NELLO across transmission, distribution, and telecom infrastructure markets with significantly larger scale.
- Sabre Industries: Designs and manufactures steel utility structures, substations, and wireless communication towers. Closely comparable to NELLO across transmission poles, substation fabrication, and wireless/telecom infrastructure.
- Engineered Tower Solutions: Specialty fabricator of steel monopoles, lattice towers, and concealment structures for telecom and utility customers. Directly comparable niche in wireless towers and engineered structures with similar concealment design focus.
Broad incumbents
- Trinity Industries: Diversified industrial manufacturer with structural steel products including utility poles and infrastructure components alongside rail and barge businesses. Broad incumbent with overlapping but wider product portfolio than NELLO.
- GE Vernova: Major power equipment and grid solutions provider covering generation, transmission, and grid modernization. Larger incumbent with overlapping scope in high-voltage transmission infrastructure where NELLO supplies pole structures.
Regional players
- Helios Towers: Africa-focused tower operator with growing Latin America presence that procures telecom tower infrastructure. Comparable buyer in the same emerging markets where NELLO already has export deployments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
NELLO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
NELLO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
NELLO subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
NELLO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
NELLO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about NELLO
What does NELLO do?
NELLO manufactures custom-engineered steel infrastructure for the energy and communications sectors. The company designs and fabricates transmission poles (115kV-765kV), substation structures, wireless/cell towers including concealment structures (monopines, monopalms, flag poles), and meteorological towers. All production is done in-house at a 320,000+ sq ft facility on a 100+ acre campus in South Bend, Indiana, using PLS-POLE and PLS-CADD engineering software combined with robotic welding, CNC operations, hot-dip galvanization, and AWS D1.1 qualified welding processes.
Is NELLO a public or private company?
NELLO is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was NELLO founded?
NELLO was founded in 2001. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is NELLO based?
NELLO is headquartered in South Bend, United States, in the North America region.
How does NELLO make money?
One revenue line is on record: steel Infrastructure Manufacturing.
Who are NELLO's main competitors?
Others on record are American Tower, Quanta Services, MasTec and SBA Communications. Direct peers are Valmont Industries, Sabre Industries and Engineered Tower Solutions. Broad incumbents are Trinity Industries and GE Vernova. Helios Towers is listed as a regional player.
Does NELLO have an API?
No public API is recorded for NELLO.
What industry is NELLO in?
NELLO's product category is Steel Infrastructure Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAKAI, Structural & Civil Engineering for Sites (Design, Reinforcement, Foundations), with a secondary code of EUADAKAG, Engineering design services (line design, substation design, civil/structural). Its NAICS code is 3353 and its SIC code is 3440.