Kent Engineering
Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary forensic engineering, inspection, and consulting firm founded in 1983, serving legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and industrial clients across the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Alaska through four sub-brands delivering failure analysis, crane inspection, welding/NDT, and building consulting services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersTukwila, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kent Engineering does
Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering, architectural, and inspection consulting firm founded in 1983 by Randy Kent, MS, P.E., and headquartered in Tukwila, Washington, with offices in Sequim, Washington and Honolulu, Hawaii. The firm operates through four sub-brands: Kent Engineering (forensic engineering and failure analysis), Kent Crane (crane inspection, certification, and engineering), Kent Inspection & Engineering (welding, non-destructive testing, materials testing, design, and analysis), and KE|AD Building Consultants (architecture and building diagnostics). Its service portfolio spans forensic engineering, root-cause failure analysis, accident reconstruction, materials and corrosion engineering, weld procedure testing, structural engineering, crane and lifting-equipment inspection, and expert witness testimony across legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and industrial customers.
The firm's technical foundation rests on an in-house Seattle materials and corrosion laboratory equipped with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), 3D laser scanning, and a full suite of destructive and non-destructive testing capabilities (ultrasonic, radiographic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, visual). Its competitive position is anchored by a credentialed bench of P.E., S.E., CWI, CWEng, and AIA credentialed professionals led by Randy Kent, who contributed to the ASM Handbook series and serves as a University of Washington professor.
Kent Engineering runs a sales-led B2B professional services model, pricing every engagement on a project-scoped, custom-quoted basis with multi-year contracts. Customers — attorneys, insurance carriers, contractors, manufacturers, transportation and maritime operators, and government entities — engage Kent directly through consultation requests and quote inquiries, with no third-party distribution channel. Revenue is generated entirely from professional services fees across four streams: engineering consulting, inspection and certification, expert witness and litigation support, and testing and laboratory services. Geographic reach spans the U.S. Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, and select international engagements, delivered entirely by Kent's in-house multidisciplinary staff.
Kent Engineering firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kent Engineering
- Legal name
- Kent Engineering LLC
- Website
- https://kentengineering.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary forensic engineering, inspection, and consulting firm founded in 1983, serving legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and industrial clients across the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Alaska through four sub-brands delivering failure analysis, crane inspection, welding/NDT, and building consulting services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kent Engineering industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Engineering Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (54133)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forensic Engineering & Failure Analysis Consulting (BPAHAIAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial & Process Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAF), Production Design & Detailed Engineering (3D CAD, Drawings, BOM, Nesting) (IMAJAGAK)
Keywords
Where Kent Engineering is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tukwila
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Kent Engineering business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting Services: Kent Engineering generates revenue through professional engineering consulting services including forensic engineering, failure analysis, materials testing, structural engineering, and technical investigation services. Revenue is project-based with consulting fees determined by scope, complexity, and expertise level required.
- Inspection and Certification Services: Revenue from crane inspection, NDT services, weld inspection, and certification services. These services include periodic inspections, load testing, certification, and compliance documentation for construction and maritime equipment.
- Expert Witness and Litigation Support: Forensic engineering and expert witness services for legal proceedings, including depositions, trials, arbitrations, and litigation support for insurance claims and legal cases.
- Testing and Laboratory Services: Materials testing, certifications, and laboratory analysis services including mechanical testing, chemical analysis, and non-destructive evaluation performed in their Seattle and Hawaii facilities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Professional consulting and engineering services - custom quoted |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Kent Engineering product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering, architectural, and inspection consulting firm delivering forensic engineering, failure analysis, materials and corrosion testing, non-destructive testing (NDT), welding inspection and procedure qualification, crane inspection and certification, structural engineering, accident reconstruction, and expert witness services. The firm operates through four brands (Kent Engineering, Kent Crane, Kent Inspection & Engineering, and KE|AD Building Consultants) and serves legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and industrial clients in the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, and internationally.
Product overview
Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm operating as a unified platform with four distinct divisions: Kent Engineering (forensic engineering and failure analysis), Kent Crane (crane inspection, certification, and engineering), Kent Inspection & Engineering (welding, NDT, materials testing, and design analysis), and KE|AD Building Consultants (architecture and building diagnostics). The company offers comprehensive services including structural engineering, materials and corrosion engineering, accident reconstruction, product failure analysis, and industrial process optimization. Operating since 1983 with locations in Washington State (Tukwila, Sequim) and Hawaii (Honolulu), the firm serves industries including legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and food processing across the Pacific Northwest and internationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kent Engineering (Forensic Engineering & Failure Analysis) Multidisciplinary forensic engineering, failure analysis, materials and corrosion analysis, product failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and firearms analysis services for legal, insurance, manufacturing, transportation, and product liability clients.
- Kent Crane (Crane Inspection, Certification & Engineering)
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully completed concrete washout pan design and load testing meeting 5:1 safety factor requirements
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kent Engineering
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Kent Engineering technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Kent Engineering partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Morrow EquipmentminorMorrow Equipment is referenced as a former employer of Richard Jones, Kent Crane Operations Manager. Prior to joining Kent Crane, Richard Jones worked as a field service technician for Morrow Equipment, one of the nation's most prestigious tower crane suppliers. This prior relationship provided hands-on experience with programming, forensic inspection, root cause analysis, and troubleshooting of electrical, mechanical and hydraulic systems that has benefited Kent Crane's operations.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kent Engineering competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Haag Engineering: Forensic engineering firm focused on cause and origin, structural, and accident reconstruction with extensive expert witness practice. Comparable to Kent in litigation support and field investigation model.
- ARCCA, Inc. Forensic engineering and expert witness firm specializing in accident reconstruction, biomechanics, and failure analysis. Closely comparable to Kent on litigation support, expert testimony, and failure analysis offerings.
- CTLGroup: Engineering consulting firm specializing in materials, concrete, and structural failure analysis with laboratory capabilities. Comparable to Kent in materials testing, failure analysis, and structural engineering services.
- Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi): Multi-disciplinary engineering and scientific consulting firm specializing in failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and litigation support. Closely comparable to Kent in service mix, forensic focus, and expert witness model.
- S-E-A Limited:
- Donan (now part of Jensen Hughes): National forensic engineering firm specializing in fire origin, structural, and equipment failure investigations with a heavy expert witness practice. Overlaps directly with Kent's core forensic and inspection services.
Broad incumbents
- Rimkus Consulting Group: Forensic engineering and consulting firm providing failure analysis, accident reconstruction, and expert witness services to insurance and legal clients. Direct overlap with Kent's forensic practice, but at national scale.
- Jensen Hughes: Global engineering and consulting firm with strong forensic, fire, and failure analysis practices. Comparable to Kent on the failure analysis and expert witness side, with a much broader service portfolio.
- Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE): National engineering consultancy with deep structural, materials, and failure analysis practices. Overlaps with Kent's forensic, structural, and materials engineering services, with a much larger footprint and lab network.
- Exponent: Large publicly-traded scientific and engineering consulting firm offering failure analysis, materials testing, and expert witness services across many industries. Broader and more nationally distributed than Kent, but operates in the same forensic/engineering core disciplines.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kent Engineering social profiles
Digital presenceKent Engineering financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kent Engineering leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Kent Engineering subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Kent Engineering funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kent Engineering 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 Kent Engineering
What does Kent Engineering do?
Kent Engineering is a multidisciplinary engineering, architectural, and inspection consulting firm delivering forensic engineering, failure analysis, materials and corrosion testing, non-destructive testing (NDT), welding inspection and procedure qualification, crane inspection and certification, structural engineering, accident reconstruction, and expert witness services. The firm operates through four brands (Kent Engineering, Kent Crane, Kent Inspection & Engineering, and KE|AD Building Consultants) and serves legal, insurance, construction, manufacturing, transportation, maritime, and industrial clients in the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, and internationally.
Is Kent Engineering a public or private company?
Kent Engineering is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Kent Engineering founded?
Kent Engineering was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Kent Engineering based?
Kent Engineering is headquartered in Tukwila, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kent Engineering make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Engineering Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are inspection and Certification Services, expert Witness and Litigation Support and testing and Laboratory Services.
Who are Kent Engineering's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Haag Engineering, ARCCA, Inc., CTLGroup, Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi), S-E-A Limited and Donan (now part of Jensen Hughes). Broad incumbents are Rimkus Consulting Group, Jensen Hughes, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) and Exponent.
Does Kent Engineering have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kent Engineering.
What industry is Kent Engineering in?
Kent Engineering's product category is Engineering Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAO, Forensic Engineering & Failure Analysis Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHAIAF, Industrial & Process Engineering Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54133 and its SIC code is 8711.