WACEL
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersBethesda, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
WACEL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WACEL
- Legal name
- Washington Area Council of Engineering Laboratories
- Website
- https://wacel.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WACEL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Materials Testing Certification & Accreditation
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Engineering Services (541330)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Safety, Compliance & Regulatory (OSHA/HSE/GxP) Certifications (EDAAANAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)
Keywords
Where WACEL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethesda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WACEL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Engineering laboratories and inspection agencies pay membership dues based on firm size: 0-25 employees ($250 + $9.25/quarter/employee), 26-50 employees ($250 + $9.00/quarter/employee), 51+ employees ($250 + $8.25/quarter/employee).
- Certification and Training Fees: Fees for written examinations ($150-$425 depending on membership status), practical examinations ($250-$500), and training review classes ($310-$610). Testing at member facilities also generates proctoring fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Laboratory Member - 0-25 employees |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Laboratory Member - 26-50 employees |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Laboratory Member - 51+ employees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Member Firm Written Examination |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Member Firm Practical Examination |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Non-Member Written Examination |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Training Review Classes - Member |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Training Review Classes - Non-Member |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
WACEL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WACEL (Washington Area Council of Engineering Laboratories) is a membership-based certification and accreditation organization serving engineering laboratories, inspection agencies, and individual technicians in the construction materials testing industry. Its core offerings include 12 technician certification programs (covering soil, concrete, masonry, steel, fireproofing, and wood framing special inspections), an online testing platform for remote exam administration, a laboratory accreditation program to ASTM E329/C1077/D3740 standards, and inspection agency audit programs.
Product overview
WACEL operates as a certification and accreditation organization for the construction testing and inspection industry. The portfolio consists of a technician certification program (offering 12+ certification types including Concrete Field Testing Level I, Soil Field Special Inspector, and various Special Inspector credentials), an online testing platform for remote exam administration, a laboratory accreditation program to ASTM E329/C1077/D3740 standards, and an inspection agency audit program. Training programs provide preparation classes for Concrete Level I and Soil Level I certifications. All programs are coordinated with jurisdictional special inspection requirements across the Washington DC metropolitan area.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Technician Certification Program WACEL's flagship certification program offering testing and credentialing for construction testing technicians, including written and practical examinations for various special inspector and technician roles across the Washington DC metropolitan area.
- Online Testing Platform
- Laboratory Accreditation Program Accreditation service for engineering laboratories to ASTM E329, C1077, and D3740 standards, including annual audits and compliance verification. Only program of its kind requiring annual audits.
- Inspection Agency Audit Program Audit program evaluating inspection agencies against ASTM E329 standards to ensure compliance with quality assurance requirements for special inspection agencies.
- Training Programs Instructor-led training classes for Soil Level I and Concrete Level I technician certification, including study guides and practical exam preparation.
- Proficiency Sampling Program Proficiency testing programs for aggregate and concrete testing that WACEL-accredited laboratories are required to participate in annually at no cost.
- Special Inspection Programs Compliance coordination with jurisdictional special inspection requirements across multiple DC-area jurisdictions including Montgomery County, Prince George's County, DC, and Virginia localities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Conducts in excess of 2,000 certification exams annually
Companies that use WACEL
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WACEL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
WACEL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
WACEL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES): Council administering engineering and surveying licensure and credentialing exams that intersects with WACEL's professional engineer-supervised certification model and supports jurisdictional compliance for member firms.
- American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA): National laboratory accreditation body offering ISO/IEC 17025 and field-specific accreditations to testing and calibration laboratories, directly comparable to WACEL's Laboratory Accreditation Program under ASTM E-329, C-1077, and D-3740 standards.
- American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT): National certification body for nondestructive testing personnel across methods including ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and visual inspection that overlap with WACEL's special inspection and materials testing certification offerings.
- American Concrete Institute (ACI): National certification body for concrete technicians and inspectors offering programs such as Concrete Field Testing Level I that overlap with WACEL's flagship certifications. Both organizations serve the same construction materials testing workforce and pursue industry standard-setting roles.
- National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET): National certification organization for engineering technicians across multiple disciplines including construction materials testing, soils, and special inspection areas that directly overlap with WACEL's certification portfolio.
Emerging players
- Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI): Specialty certification organization for post-tensioning and concrete construction, addressing a specific construction materials niche that overlaps with WACEL's Structural Concrete Special Inspector certification offerings.
Broad incumbents
- International Code Council (ICC): Major code-and-credentialing organization that develops building codes and offers inspector certifications adopted by jurisdictions nationwide, creating a broader competitive context for WACEL's regional special inspection programs.
- ASTM International: International standards organization whose standards (E-329, C-1077, D-3740) underpin WACEL's accreditation programs and whose committee participation gives WACEL influence over future compliance requirements.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WACEL social profiles
Digital presenceWACEL compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
WACEL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WACEL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
WACEL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WACEL 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 WACEL
What does WACEL do?
WACEL (Washington Area Council of Engineering Laboratories) is a membership-based certification and accreditation organization serving engineering laboratories, inspection agencies, and individual technicians in the construction materials testing industry. Its core offerings include 12 technician certification programs (covering soil, concrete, masonry, steel, fireproofing, and wood framing special inspections), an online testing platform for remote exam administration, a laboratory accreditation program to ASTM E329/C1077/D3740 standards, and inspection agency audit programs.
Is WACEL a public or private company?
WACEL is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was WACEL founded?
WACEL was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WACEL based?
WACEL is headquartered in Bethesda, United States, in the North America region.
How does WACEL make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are certification and Training Fees.
Who are WACEL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT), American Concrete Institute (ACI) and National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI) is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are International Code Council (ICC) and ASTM International.
Does WACEL have an API?
No public API is recorded for WACEL.
What industry is WACEL in?
WACEL's product category is Construction Materials Testing Certification & Accreditation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAANAJ, Safety, Compliance & Regulatory (OSHA/HSE/GxP) Certifications, with a secondary code of BPAIAOAC, Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies. Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 8711.