LW Survey Company

What LW Survey Company does

LW Survey Company (LWS), founded in 1998 by Les Welch and headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, is a privately held, full-service professional land surveying, geomatics, mapping, and data management firm operating from 14 offices across the United States and Canada. The company delivers five core service lines: traditional surveying (boundary, topographic, ALTA/ACSM, mortgage location, and construction surveys), UAV/drone-based aerial mapping, geospatial/GIS services, full-lifecycle data management for linear projects, and pipeline integrity services. LWS has managed data for over 45,000 miles of linear projects using GPS, robotic total stations, LiDAR, aerial platforms, GIS, and Blue Sky software for automated alignment sheet production.

The firm's primary customer segment is the energy sector (oil, gas, and utilities), with named enterprise engagements including ONEOK, Sunoco, Crestwood Midstream, Nicor Gas, Detroit Edison, Grand River Dam Authority, and Power Up Wisconsin on multi-hundred-mile pipeline and transmission programs. Secondary verticals include transportation, government, land development, telecom, and regulatory compliance. The business operates on a project-based professional services model, billing hourly rates of $175-$250 for boundary survey crews and project-specific pricing for larger linear and infrastructure engagements, secured primarily through master service agreements and direct enterprise relationships with engineering primes such as EN Engineering and Villagomez Engineering. The firm holds NMSDC and MBE certifications, positioning it as one of the largest MBE survey firms in the US.

LWS has no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no public revenue disclosure. Regional leadership was formalized in 2021 with Bradley Boysen as President of US operations and Shaun Ewen as President of Canada. Recent strategic emphasis has been on expanding into renewable energy (solar, wind, battery storage), extending the UAV service line under dedicated management, and leveraging supplier diversity certifications to access enterprise utility and government procurement.

Name

LW Survey Company

Legal name

LW Survey

Website

https://lwsurvey.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

LW Survey Company is a privately held, full-service land surveying, geomatics, and data management firm with 14 offices across the US and Canada, serving primarily oil, gas, and utility clients on large linear infrastructure projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Land Surveying Services

NAICS

Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Gas Leak Detection & Survey Services (Mobile/Walking/Vehicle-Based) (EUAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Distribution Grid Asset Management (MV/LV) (EUAEAMAD)

Keywords

• Land surveying services
• Geospatial mapping
• UAV drone surveying
• Pipeline integrity services
• Data lifecycle management

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Surveying Services: Core surveying services including boundary surveys, topographic surveys, construction surveys, ALTA/ACSM surveys, and mortgage location surveys for commercial and residential properties
2. UAV/Drone Services: Unmanned aerial vehicle services for surveying, mapping, inspection, and data collection including power line inspection, pipeline inspection, thermal imaging, and 2D/3D modelling
3. Geospatial Data Services: Mapping and GIS services including preliminary design alignment sheets, as-built/construction alignment sheets, permit drawings, site plan development drawings, and certified property plats
4. Data Management Services: Data management consulting and processing including initial data collection, alignment sheet creation, geodatabase creation, and full lifecycle data management for linear projects

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LW Survey Company is a full-service professional land surveying, geomatics, mapping, and data management firm delivering boundary, topographic, ALTA/ACSM, construction, and mortgage location surveys, UAV/drone-based aerial mapping and inspection, GIS and geospatial services, full data lifecycle management for linear projects, and pipeline integrity services. The company serves enterprise clients across the energy, telecom, transportation, government, and land development sectors in North America.

Product overview

LW Survey Company is a premier full-service professional land survey, geomatics, mapping and data management company offering a comprehensive suite of surveying and geospatial solutions. The company's portfolio consists of five interconnected service lines: Surveying Services (boundary, topographic, ALTA, mortgage location, and construction surveys) as the foundational offering; UAV Services providing drone-based aerial mapping and data acquisition; Geospatial Services delivering mapping and GIS solutions; Data Management Services handling full data lifecycle management; and Pipeline Integrity Services for the energy sector. These services work together to serve markets including Energy, Telecom, Regulatory Compliance, Transportation, Government, and Land Development across North America and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surveying Services
• UAV Services
• Geospatial Services GIS and mapping services including preliminary design alignment sheets, as-built/construction alignment sheets, certified property plats, permit drawings, site plan development drawings, and water retention design schematics using GPS and GIS technology.
• Data Management Services Full data lifecycle management from initial data collection through alignment sheet creation to geodatabase creation, using automated technologies and Blue Sky software to produce quality deliverables across more than 45,000 miles of linear projects.
• Pipeline Integrity Services Comprehensive pipeline survey and monitoring services including AGM placement, GPS surveys, anomaly dig layout, asset mapping, depth of cover surveys, ILI tool tracking, pipe replacement as-built surveys, and pipeline pig tracking for energy sector clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed data through full data lifecycle for over 45,000 miles of linear projects
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered key client and core.

• EN Engineeringkey clientStrategic or Co-development PartnerEN Engineering is a key client partner that LWS works with on project engagements. The relationship is characterized by LWS providing surveying and geomatics services as part of engineering project teams, with positive feedback on LWS's ability to meet expectations across project types and locations.
• Villagomez Engineering Companykey clientStrategic or Co-development PartnerVillagomez Engineering Company partners with LWS on engineering and design projects. LWS serves as a vital member of the design team, providing exceptional attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines on surveying and mapping projects.
• Multiple Large-Scale Full-Service Engineering FirmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLWS maintains long-standing service relationships with multiple large-scale full-service engineering firms throughout the U.S. These partnerships allow firms to focus on their strengths while LWS provides specialized surveying and geomatics capabilities, bringing value to clients through expanded capabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Stantec is a global engineering, surveying, and geomatics consultancy serving energy, infrastructure, and environmental clients — a large incumbent competing with LWS for large pipeline and transmission survey packages.
• KCI Technologies: KCI is a larger multi-disciplinary engineering and surveying firm serving utilities, transportation, and government — overlapping with LWS on survey and geomatics work but operating at broader scale and scope.
• Halff Associates: Halff is a mid-sized engineering and surveying firm serving Texas/South-Central energy, transportation, land development, and government clients — overlapping with LWS in Texas-heavy energy corridor work.
• Manhard Consulting: Manhard provides land surveying, civil engineering, and geospatial services to land development, energy, and municipal clients — comparable to LWS in service mix though with a stronger land-development tilt.

Direct peers

• NV5 Global: NV5 provides infrastructure, environmental, and geospatial services including surveying and pipeline integrity support to utilities and government — overlapping with LWS's energy and government end markets at a larger scale.
• Aero-Graphics: Aero-Graphics is a surveying and aerial mapping firm specializing in LiDAR, photogrammetry, and GIS for energy, transportation, and government — directly comparable to LWS's UAV and geospatial service lines.
• Woolpert: Woolpert is a national architecture, engineering, and geospatial firm with strong surveying, LiDAR, and GIS capabilities serving energy, transportation, and government — a close peer in both service mix and end-market focus.
• Surveying And Mapping (SAM) LLC: SAM is a national provider of surveying, mapping, and geospatial services for infrastructure, energy, and transportation clients — a direct competitor for the same linear-project (pipeline, transmission, highway) survey work that LWS pursues.
• Bowman Consulting Group: Bowman offers surveying, geomatics, and engineering services nationwide to energy, utility, transportation, and land development clients — directly comparable to LWS in end markets and core delivery model.

Regional players

• Pickett and Associates: Pickett and Associates is a Florida-based surveying and mapping firm serving utilities, transportation, and government — a regional peer comparable to LWS's U.S. office footprint model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LWSurveyCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lw-survey-company
• Xx.com/lwsurveycompany

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 LW Survey Company