Arab Center For Engineering Studies

What Arab Center For Engineering Studies does

ACES (Arab Center for Engineering Studies), founded in 1983 and headquartered in Musaffah, UAE, with a regional headquarters in Amman, Jordan, is a privately held engineering services firm specializing in construction-related testing, inspection, and consulting. The company operates the largest drilling fleet in the Middle East — 180+ rigs, of which 50+ are assembled in-house — alongside ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories and a network of 28 offices across Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, and the United States, employing over 4,000 staff. Its service portfolio spans geotechnical and geophysical investigation (onshore and offshore), land and marine surveying, materials technology and testing, environmental and chemical testing, pile testing and instrumentation, pavement evaluation, non-destructive testing and inspection, calibration, and fire testing and certification. Credentials include ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO/IEC 17025, plus ENAS/EIAC/ANAB food testing accreditations and Qatar Civil Defense product certification agency status.

ACES serves enterprise and government clients across six horizontal sectors: oil & gas (Saudi Aramco, ADNOC, Qatar Petroleum, Ma'aden), power & energy (nuclear, thermal, solar, wind), rail & light rail, roads & airports, infrastructure, and building & facilities. Landmark engagements include the geotechnical investigation for Burj Khalifa and the planned Jeddah Tower (Kingdom Tower), Etihad Rail packages across 1,200 km, the 14km cliff geotechnical scope for Qiddiya, The Line Viaducts Package at NEOM, and 72 food inspectors deployed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The company monetizes via project-based professional services — competitive tenders, direct contracts, and long-term framework agreements (e.g., a three-year ADQCC laboratory testing mandate) — supplemented by on-site project laboratories and centralized accredited facilities. Pricing is quote-based and scope-specific with no public tiers. Recent strategic moves include the 2021 leadership transition to a second-generation Co-CEO structure, the 2022 acquisition of MC2 Engineers (US entry), the 2023 acquisition of Inspection Technology Company (KSA NDT capability), and the April 2026 acquisition of Meskel & Associates Engineering (US Southeast platform expansion, taking combined US headcount above 200).

Name

Arab Center For Engineering Studies

Legal name

Arab Center for Engineering Studies

Website

https://aces-int.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ACES is a privately held engineering services firm founded in 1983, operating the Middle East's largest drilling fleet (180+ rigs) across 28 offices and 4,000+ employees. It delivers geotechnical investigation, materials testing, environmental, and non-destructive testing services to oil & gas NOCs, mega-project developers, and government clients across the Middle East and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical and Construction Materials Testing Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (213112)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

OFS Engineering, Construction & O&M (Field Development, Brownfield, Maintenance) (EUALABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM), Leak Detection, Emissions & LDAR Testing (OGI, methane, fugitive emissions) (EUAEAHAL)

Keywords

• Geotechnical investigation services
• Construction materials testing
• Marine geophysical surveys
• Pile testing instrumentation
• Environmental compliance testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Musaffah

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Geotechnical and Site Investigation Services: Project-based professional services revenue from geotechnical investigations (onshore and offshore drilling), geophysical investigations, land and marine surveying, and site investigation services. Revenue is earned through competitive tenders and direct client engagements for large infrastructure projects.
2. Materials Technology and Testing Services: Laboratory and field testing services for construction materials including concrete, soil, aggregates, asphalt, steel, and more. Services include quality control of projects, on-site materials testing, and calibration of laboratory equipment. Revenue is earned per project or through long-term site laboratory contracts.
3. Environmental and Chemical Testing Services: Environmental sampling and testing, environmental impact assessments, food safety and quality testing, and chemical analysis services. Includes food testing accredited in UAE (ENAS, EIAC) and Qatar (ANAB), and environmental testing for compliance with regulatory requirements.
4. Industrial Services: Non-destructive testing and inspection, product certification (fire testing and certification), and calibration services. These specialized services support industrial compliance requirements across the Middle East.
5. Pile Testing and Instrumentation Services: Advanced pile testing including low strain integrity testing (PIT), high strain pile dynamic testing (PDA), cross-hole sonic logging, static pile load testing, bi-directional/O-Cell testing, and thermal integrity profiling. Also includes geotechnical and structural instrumentation monitoring services.
6. Pavement Studies and Evaluation Services: Structural and functional evaluation of roads and airport pavements using destructive and non-destructive methods, roughness evaluation, road safety assessment, and pavement rehabilitation design.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ACES (Arab Center For Engineering Studies) provides specialized engineering services across the construction project lifecycle, including geotechnical and geophysical investigation, construction materials testing, quality control, pile testing and instrumentation, pavement evaluation, land and marine surveying, and chemical, environmental, and food testing. The company operates the largest drilling fleet in the Middle East (180+ rigs) and ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories, serving government, oil & gas, infrastructure, and mega-project clients across the Middle East and the United States.

Product overview

ACES (Arab Center for Engineering Studies) is a construction and engineering services company offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialized testing and consulting services. The core offerings include Geotechnical Investigation (land and marine), Geophysical Investigation, Land & Marine Survey, Materials Technology & Testing, Quality Control of Projects, Environmental Testing & Studies, Chemical Testing, Food Testing, and Industrial Services (Non-Destructive Testing, Calibration, Product Certification). The company operates as a unified service platform across multiple sectors including Building & Facilities, Infrastructure, Roads & Airports, Rail & Light Rail, Power & Energy, and Oil & Gas. With over 40 years of experience since 1983, ACES provides end-to-end engineering solutions from site investigation through quality control, serving clients across the Middle East with a network of 25+ offices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Site Investigation & Surveying Comprehensive geotechnical and surveying services providing solutions to determine underground engineering properties and recommendations for construction and infrastructure projects.
• Materials Technology & Testing Construction material testing covering laboratory testing, on-site testing, and field inspection across all project sectors including concrete, soil, aggregates, asphalt, and steel.
• Environmental Testing & Studies Full suite of environmental testing, monitoring, and compliance solutions including environmental impact assessments, sampling services, and chemical analysis.
• Industrial Services Advanced product compliance and certification, calibration, non-destructive testing, and inspection services for industrial clients.
• Geotechnical Investigation Comprehensive land and marine geotechnical investigations using the largest drilling fleet in the Middle East, including onshore and offshore drilling from jack-up pontoons in shallow to deep water.
• Geophysical Investigation Extensive range of geophysical investigation methods including surface, borehole, and marine geophysical techniques such as Marine ERT, Sub-bottom Profiler, and Side Scan Sonar surveys.
• Land & Marine Survey Topographical survey, bathymetric survey, underground utility detection, settlement monitoring, earthwork volume computation, and setting out survey services.
• Pavement Studies & Evaluation Studies and evaluations determining functional and structural condition of roads and airport pavements through visual rating, destructive and non-destructive evaluation, roughness evaluation, and pavement rehabilitation design.
• Pile Testing & Instrumentation Full range of pile testing and monitoring services before, during, and after construction including integrity testing, dynamic testing, static load testing, and geotechnical and structural instrumentation.
• Quality Control of Projects Establishing project-based site laboratories for high-frequency testing requirements with quality control programs and statistical analysis during construction.
• Environmental Testing Professional environmental sampling and testing services complying with stringent regulatory requirements, including environmental impact assessment studies and compliance monitoring.
• Food Testing Comprehensive food safety and quality testing services including microbiology testing, chemical analysis, nutritional analysis, and contaminant detection, accredited in UAE and Qatar.
• Chemical Testing Chemical tests for various material types to identify chemical composition and properties using GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, AAS, and XRF equipment.
• Non-Destructive Testing & Inspection Complete contract inspection services by certified Level I, II and III technicians including magnetic particles, liquid penetration, ultrasonic, and PMI testing.
• Calibration Services Verification and full data certificates for dimensional, electronic, and process equipment including compression machines, balances, calipers, and thermocouples.
• Product Certification (Fire Testing)
• Special Studies

Quantifiable outcome

• Completed geotechnical investigation for Burj Khalifa (world's tallest building) and Kingdom Tower (planned world tallest)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Meskel & Associates Engineering (MAE)coreOthers · 1 April 2026ACES US Holding Inc. completed the acquisition of Meskel & Associates Engineering in April 2026. MAE is a premier North Florida geotechnical engineering, materials testing and inspection, and CEI firm with over 18 years of experience. With headquarters in Jacksonville, FL and over 50 staff, MAE operates a CMEC-Certified and FDoT-qualified laboratory. Combined with MC2, ACES US exceeds 200 employees in the Southeast.
• Inspection Technology Company (ITC)coreOthers · 1 January 2023ACES completed the full acquisition of Inspection Technology Company (ITC), a specialized non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection service provider established in 2009 in Al Khobar, KSA. ITC specializes in conventional NDT testing, drill rig inspections, in-service plant equipment inspection, and other inspection-related services, with 30 employees. This acquisition enhanced ACES KSA's non-destructive testing capabilities.
• Applied Science Private University (ASU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022ACES signed an MoU with Applied Science Private University (ASU) in Amman-Jordan for cooperation in engineering and student training. ACES shall provide internship opportunities for ASU students, training courses, and joint studies & research in civil and geotechnical engineering. Signed by ACES Co-CEO Dr. Naeem Abdulhadi and ASU President Prof. Dr. Iman Basheti.
• MC2 Engineers Inc. (US Subsidiary Acquisition)coreOthers · 1 January 2022ACES acquired MC2 Engineers Inc. in 2022, establishing its US platform. MC2 is a geotechnical, heavy civil, and construction-services engineering firm with operations across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, providing geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, special inspections, and infrastructure consulting services to municipal, state, federal, and private-sector clients.
• Royal Scientific Society (RSS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021ACES signed an MoU with the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) to provide advisory services related to environment, food, and industrial chemistry testing. Both parties will collaborate on testing services in mechanics, energy efficiency and renewable energy, measurement and calibration, and conformity certificates. They also agreed to cooperate on projects in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Iraq, and Kuwait. The MoU was signed by RSS Vice President for Technical Affairs Eng. Tareq Hasan and ACES Co-CEO Eng. Izzat Katkhuda.
• Al Hussein Technical University (HTU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2021ACES signed an MoU with HTU (an initiative of the Crown Prince Foundation) for cooperation in engineering and student training. ACES shall provide two internship opportunities annually for university students and a scholarship for one student towards a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. The MoU covers training courses, joint studies & research, and cooperation in civil & geotechnical engineering, sustainability, and green buildings. Signed by ACES Co-CEO Dr. Naeem Abdulhadi and HTU President Dr. Ismael Al-Hinti.
• American Concrete Institute (ACI) - Saudi Arabia Chapter Eastern ProvincecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ACES KSA Eastern Province signed an agreement with ACI to become a certified provider of training and certification programs in KSA for construction industry tests. ACES develops materials, conducts lectures through in-house instructors, and provides facilities. Participants are tested and scored by ACI-SAC-EP, and those achieving passing grades become ACI certified.
• Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019ACES UAE signed a three-year agreement with ADQCC to provide laboratory testing services in the field of construction and building materials on behalf of the Central Laboratory of ADQCC to projects of Abu Dhabi governmental entities. Signed by UAE & Oman Regional Manager Eng. Yousef Al Marei with ADQCC Secretary General Dr. Helal Al Kaabi.
• Zayed UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2019ACES Abu Dhabi Environment Department signed an agreement with Zayed University to facilitate the Dates Research Program by offering state-of-the-art food analytical services using LC-MS/MS, HPLC, and UV Spectrometer equipment. ACES follows best market practices with strict compliance to in-house QA/QC procedures.
• ASTM InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ACES signed an agreement with ASTM International to become a regional provider of training and certification programs for tests related to the construction industry. ACES develops training course materials, conducts lectures through in-house expert instructors, and provides facilities. Participants are tested and scored by ASTM International and become ASTM certified. ACES has conducted 15 courses for 250 participants in Kuwait and 4 courses for 134 participants in Qatar.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Khatib & Alami: Large Lebanon/MENA-headquartered engineering consultancy with extensive KSA, UAE, and GCC operations delivering design, construction supervision, and infrastructure services. Direct comparable on regional mega-project engineering services and Arabic-speaking talent base.
• Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners): Major Middle East-headquartered multidisciplinary engineering consultancy with deep regional client relationships across Saudi Arabia, UAE, and wider MENA. Comparable as a regional engineering services leader with significant mega-project exposure, though broader in scope (full design).
• Fugro: Dutch-listed global leader in geotechnical, survey, and subsea services with strong MENA presence serving offshore oil & gas, renewables, and infrastructure clients. Closest direct peer given overlapping offshore geotechnical drilling, geophysics, and laboratory testing offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) major with significant Middle East operations across construction materials testing, NDT, and product certification. Closest comparator on the industrial/NDT and certification services ACES provides through its Industrial segment.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with major Middle East operations covering design, program management, and construction services. Overlaps with ACES on mega-project geotechnical and inspection scopes but competes as a much broader, integrated platform.
• WSP Global: Global professional services consultancy with strong MENA property, transport, and environment practice. Competes with ACES for testing, inspection, and geotechnical scopes within larger integrated engineering mandates across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• Arcadis: Global design, engineering, and consulting firm with established Middle East operations serving real estate, infrastructure, and water clients. Competes for similar mega-project testing and environmental scope but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Intertek: London-listed TIC major with significant Middle East footprint in product testing, fire testing, and industrial inspection. Comparable on the regulated certification/industrial testing side of ACES's portfolio, particularly fire resistance and product certification.
• SGS: Swiss-listed global TIC leader with established MENA presence in construction materials testing, environmental testing, and food/industrial inspection. Competes with ACES on laboratory-based testing and certification mandates across the region.

Regional players

• Terracon Consultants: US-based employee-owned geotechnical, environmental, construction materials, and facilities engineering consultancy with 6,000+ staff. Highly comparable to ACES's US operations (MC2 + MAE) on geotechnical engineering, materials testing, and CEI services across state DOTs and federal clients, but does not compete in MENA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arab-center-for-engineering-studies

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Arab Center For Engineering Studies