What SPI does

Separation Processes, Inc. (SPI) is a US-based consulting engineering firm founded in 1980 and historically headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, specializing in the application of membrane technology and advanced processes for drinking water treatment and the advanced purification of wastewater. The firm operated as a horizontally specialized boutique serving municipal water and wastewater utilities as its primary segment, with a secondary industrial water client base, and was described as internationally recognized within its niche.

SPI's offering is a single, unified professional services engagement model rather than a packaged product platform. Services span the full project lifecycle — planning, pilot testing, design, construction, and full-scale operations support — with an integrated design-and-operations approach designed to enable continuous improvement for membrane facilities. Underlying expertise is concentrated in membrane process engineering across water and wastewater reuse, drinking water treatment, and industrial water applications. The firm had 11–50 employees and no disclosed pricing or revenue figures; its go-to-market relied on direct engineering consulting relationships with utilities and industrial clients rather than traditional marketing channels.

On June 30, 2025, SPI was acquired by Brown and Caldwell, an environmental engineering consultancy operating throughout North America and the Pacific. Following the transaction, SPI employees joined Brown and Caldwell's practice areas focused on water and wastewater solutions, and SPI's President/Owner Jim Vickers, P.E., was appointed Brown and Caldwell's Membrane National Specialty Leader. As a result of the acquisition, SPI ceased to operate as an independent entity and its membrane specialty is now delivered within Brown and Caldwell's broader full water-cycle platform.

Name

SPI

Legal name

Separation Processes, Inc.

Website

https://spi-engineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Separation Processes, Inc. (SPI) is a US consulting engineering firm founded in 1980 that specialized in membrane technology for drinking water and wastewater treatment, serving municipal utilities and industrial water clients across the full project lifecycle. Acquired by Brown and Caldwell on June 30, 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Engineering Consulting

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Softener, Filtration & Treatment System Installation (HSAOAAAH)

Keywords

• Membrane technology consulting
• Wastewater treatment engineering
• Drinking water treatment
• Water reuse solutions
• Process engineering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlsbad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Engineering Consulting Services: Consulting engineering services providing membrane technology expertise throughout the project lifecycle from planning through operations support

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

SPI (Separation Processes, Inc.) is a consulting engineering firm that provides membrane technology services for drinking water treatment and advanced purification of wastewater. Its offerings span the full project lifecycle, including planning, pilot testing, design, construction, and full-scale operations support. The firm serves water and wastewater utilities and industrial clients requiring advanced water treatment solutions.

Product overview

SPI (Separation Processes, Inc.) is a single unified consulting service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Founded in 1980, SPI provides membrane technology consulting and engineering services encompassing planning, pilot testing, design, construction, and full-scale operations support for drinking water and wastewater treatment applications. The firm operates with integrated design and operations services that enable continuous improvement in developing membrane systems and supporting clients who run membrane facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPI Membrane Technology Consulting Services SPI's integrated membrane technology consulting service covers planning, pilot testing, design, construction, and full-scale operations support for municipal water utilities and industrial clients requiring drinking water treatment and advanced wastewater purification. The service is built on 45 years of accumulated expertise and integrated design and operations practices.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Brown and CaldwellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2025Brown and Caldwell, an engineering consulting firm creating and delivering water and environmental solutions throughout North America and the Pacific, acquired SPI on June 30, 2025. The acquisition combines SPI's membrane technology expertise with Brown and Caldwell's strengths and knowledge across the entire water cycle. SPI employees joined Brown and Caldwell's practice areas focusing on water and wastewater solutions, with SPI President/Owner Jim Vickers becoming Brown and Caldwell's Membrane National Specialty Leader.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Carollo Engineers: Specialty consulting engineering firm focused exclusively on water and wastewater treatment, with deep expertise in membrane and advanced treatment processes. The closest direct competitor to SPI in the niche water-treatment consulting market.
• Hazen and Sawyer: Specialty water and wastewater consulting engineering firm serving municipal and utility clients across the U.S. Closely comparable to SPI in mission and customer base, with similar focus on advanced treatment process design.
• Brown and Caldwell: SPI's acquirer and now the parent organization. Provides end-to-end water and environmental engineering consulting across North America and the Pacific; the integrated entity is the clearest post-acquisition comparison point.

Broad incumbents

• CDM Smith: Large diversified environmental and water infrastructure consulting firm offering full-service water/wastewater engineering. Competes for the same municipal and industrial water treatment mandates but from a much broader portfolio.
• Black & Veatch: Global EPC and consulting firm with a substantial water treatment and reuse practice. Provides similar engineering services to SPI's municipal and industrial clients as part of a much larger infrastructure portfolio.
• Stantec: Global engineering, consulting, and construction firm with a sizable water treatment practice serving municipal and industrial markets. Overlaps with SPI in water/wastewater treatment design and operations.
• HDR: Engineering consulting firm with established water treatment and infrastructure practices serving utilities and industrial clients. Competes for membrane and advanced treatment design mandates.
• Tetra Tech: International consulting and engineering firm with strong water, wastewater, and environmental practices. Competes broadly with SPI/B&C for municipal and industrial water treatment projects.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with a substantial water practice spanning treatment, supply, and reuse. Serves overlapping municipal and industrial water clients with broader project capabilities.
• GHD: Global engineering and consulting firm with established water and wastewater treatment capabilities across the Americas, Australia, and beyond. Competes for water treatment consulting mandates at a broader geographic scale than SPI.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 SPI