PRO-PIPE

What PRO-PIPE does

PRO-PIPE (originally Professional Pipe Services) is a U.S. wastewater infrastructure services company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Tolleson, Arizona, with operational locations in Tucson, Denver, Grand Prairie, Albuquerque, and Boca Raton serving Western US, Texas, and Florida markets. The company provides an integrated suite of underground pipeline services including CCTV sewer inspection, robotic lateral launch inspection, manhole inspection, laser/LiDAR/sonar profiling, GIS integration, hydro vacuum excavation, pipeline cleaning, utility locating, and trenchless rehabilitation through CIPP lining and UV-cure methods. Its technology stack centers on a self-steering Robotic Lateral Launch System capable of inspecting up to 1,000 feet of mainline per run with 360-degree, unfolded, and geometric views, complemented by a proprietary cloud-based GIS-integrated data portal that links inspection footage to GPS coordinates and integrates directly with customer GIS databases.

The company serves five primary customer verticals — Municipal/Government, Engineering Firms, Gas Utilities, Pipe Contractors, and Fiber Optics & Telecommunications — with municipal/government, engineering, and gas utility segments designated as primary. PRO-PIPE operates on a project-based professional services revenue model with quote-based pricing tailored to project scope and pipe diameter, executing recurring inspection and rehabilitation engagements without publicly disclosed pricing. Revenue is generated through inspection services, cleaning, trenchless rehabilitation, vacuum excavation, and utility locating, with the latter enabled by a 2018 licensed installer partnership with Perma-Liner Industries for the InnerSeal CIPP lateral lining system.

PRO-PIPE is an operating division of National Underground Group, which was acquired by ORIX Capital Partners in 2017 as part of a private equity investment to pursue an aggressive growth plan that has included two follow-on acquisitions and geographic expansion into Florida. As of January 2020, leadership transitioned to CEO Ken Biele, a 30-year water/wastewater industry veteran who previously served as CEO of JWC Environmental (sold to Sulzer) and Advanced Micro Instruments. The company employs NASCCO-certified operators and is positioned as a one-stop shop spanning cleaning, inspection, assessment, and rehabilitation, leveraging over 30 years of operational history and a proprietary data portal as differentiators in a fragmented local-services market.

Name

PRO-PIPE

Legal name

Pro Pipe

Website

https://pro-pipe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

PRO-PIPE is a U.S. wastewater infrastructure services company providing pipeline inspection, condition assessment, cross-bore inspection, cleaning, and trenchless rehabilitation to municipalities, gas utilities, engineering firms, and telecommunications providers across the Western US, Texas, and Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pipeline Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Trenchless Sewer Repair (Pipe Lining/CIPP) (HSAOABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Condition Assessment & NDE Services (CUI, Coating, Wall Thickness, Direct Assessment) (TLAGALAH), Integrity Management Programs & Compliance (IMP, Risk Assessment, Regulatory Reporting) (TLAGALAE)

Keywords

• Pipeline inspection
• Sewer assessment
• Trenchless rehabilitation
• Utility locating
• Vacuum excavation

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Pipeline Inspection Services: Recurring inspection services for wastewater infrastructure including CCTV inspection, condition assessment, cross bore inspection, manhole inspection, and sonar/laser/LiDAR profiling. Services are project-based with repeat engagements for municipalities and utilities.
2. Pipeline Maintenance and Cleaning: Sewer and storm drain cleaning services using specialized fleet equipment. Typically billed per project based on scope and pipe diameter.
3. Trenchless Rehabilitation: CIPP lining, UV cure, and lateral lining services for pipe rehabilitation. Includes InnerSeal full-wrap connection lining technology through Perma-Liner partnership.
4. Vacuum Excavation Services: Hydro excavation services for safe utility locating and uncovering without damage to existing infrastructure.
5. Utility Locating Services: Precision utility locating services for underground sewer and stormwater systems, often combined with ground penetrating radar.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PRO-PIPE provides underground pipeline infrastructure inspection, condition assessment, rehabilitation, and cross-bore inspection services. The company uses CCTV, vacuum excavation, trenchless repair (CIPP lining and UV cure), and utility locating technologies to serve utilities, municipalities, and contractors across multiple U.S. regions.

Product overview

PRO-PIPE is a comprehensive wastewater infrastructure services company offering an integrated suite of inspection, assessment, and rehabilitation solutions. The core portfolio includes Cross Bore Inspection programs, Sewer Line Inspection (CCTV), Condition Assessment services (CCTV Lateral Launch, Laser Profiling, LiDAR Profiling, Sonar Profiling, GIS Integration), Trenchless Repair (CIPP Lining and UV Cure), Vacuum Excavation, Pipeline Cleaning, Utility Locating, and GIS-based Data Solutions. PRO-PIPE's services are delivered through a proprietary cloud-based portal and GIS-integrated platform that enables real-time data access, inspection record management, and infrastructure mapping. The company operates NASCCO-certified operators and serves municipalities, gas utilities, engineering firms, and contractors across multiple U.S. states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cross Bore Inspection
• Sewer Line CCTV Inspection
• Pipeline Condition Assessment
• Trenchless Rehabilitation (CIPP Lining & UV Cure)
• Vacuum Excavation
• Pipeline Cleaning
• Utility Locating
• GIS Integration & Data Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 1,000 feet of mainline inspection in single run with Robotic Lateral Launch System
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Perma-Liner IndustriescoreTechnology or Integration · 21 February 2018Partnership to provide main/lateral connection lining services nationwide using Perma-Liner's InnerSeal technology. InnerSeal is a trenchless cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) technology with full-wrap connection lining. Pro-Pipe became a licensed installer for the InnerSeal system. This partnership expands Pro-Pipe's capabilities to provide the full suite of trenchless rehabilitation services, including lateral lining from mainline to property line.
• NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association membership displayed on website. Pro-Pipe operators hold NASCCO certifications through this organization.
• NASTT (North American Society for Trenchless Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partnership for trenchless technology advancement and education.
• CWEA (California Water Environment Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water environment association partnership for training and best practices.
• AGA (American Gas Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with American Gas Association representing natural gas utilities - relevant for cross bore safety programs.
• TGA (Texas Gas Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional gas association partnership supporting Texas operations.
• Rural Water Association / CCGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with rural water and community associations supporting smaller municipal customers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Visu-Sewer, Inc. Visu-Sewer is a privately held sewer and stormwater inspection, cleaning, and trenchless rehabilitation contractor serving municipalities across the Midwest. Directly comparable to Pro-Pipe in service mix (CCTV inspection, CIPP lining, manhole rehab) and target customer (municipal/utility).
• Duke's Root Control, Inc. Duke's is a US sewer and stormwater service provider specializing in mechanical and chemical root control, sewer cleaning, and CCTV inspection. Overlaps Pro-Pipe on inspection and maintenance services for municipal wastewater clients.
• Vortex Companies: Vortex is a national provider of trenchless rehabilitation products (CIPP liners, resins, equipment) and turnkey sewer rehab services. Comparable in CIPP/UV cure trenchless rehab capability and municipal/utility customer focus.
• Perma-Liner Industries: Perma-Liner is a manufacturer and licensor of CIPP lining systems (including the InnerSeal main/lateral connection system that Pro-Pipe installs). Direct overlap on CIPP technology and lateral/main rehab; Perma-Liner is also a current Pro-Pipe partner.
• LMK Technologies: LMK is a leading manufacturer of CIPP lateral lining technologies and supplies liners and resins to trenchless rehab contractors. Overlaps Pro-Pipe in lateral rehabilitation solutions serving municipal sewer customers.
• Inland Pipe Rehabilitation (IPR): IPR is a nationwide trenchless sewer and storm rehabilitation contractor offering CIPP, manhole rehab, and inspection services. Direct competitor for large municipal sewer rehab contracts in the same vertical as Pro-Pipe.
• Ace Pipe Cleaning (Carylon Corporation): Ace Pipe Cleaning is a national sewer and storm drain cleaning, inspection, and rehabilitation contractor under the Carylon industrial-services platform. Overlaps Pro-Pipe across cleaning, CCTV inspection, and rehab for municipal customers.

Broad incumbents

• Insituform Technologies: Insituform, part of Aegion (now under Energy Transfer ownership), is the historically dominant US CIPP sewer rehabilitation contractor. Operates nationally with much greater scale and competes for the same large municipal trenchless rehab RFPs Pro-Pipe targets.
• HammerHead Trenchless: HammerHead is a global manufacturer and service provider of trenchless rehabilitation and replacement equipment (CIPP, pipe bursting, point repair). Comparable technology footprint in the trenchless rehab market, though primarily equipment-focused versus services-focused.

Emerging players

• GPRS (Ground Penetrating Radar Systems): GPRS provides private utility locating, concrete scanning, and cross-bore / GPR-based subsurface imaging for utility and construction clients. Partial overlap with Pro-Pipe on utility locating, vacuum excavation support, and the cross-bore prevention / inspection market segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-pipe
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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 PRO-PIPE