What Vertek does

Vertek (DBA Vertek CPT) is a Randolph, Vermont-based manufacturer of cone penetration testing (CPT) and dynamic cone penetration (DCP) equipment for geotechnical site characterization, operating as a product line and division of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA). The company's core products are all-in-one digital CPT cones paired with proprietary data acquisition systems (DAS) that measure tip resistance, sleeve friction, pore pressure, seismic data, and temperature in-situ, supported by push platforms that include 20-ton CPT trucks, 10-25 ton track rigs, universal/portable systems mountable on barges, crawlers, skid steers, or trailers, and the modular S4 CPT Sounding System offered in both quick-attach and trailer configurations. Vertek also sells Drill Rig Conversion Kits that retrofit existing drilling rigs for CPT with a simple adapter, the patented Smart DCP kit (smartphone-driven, ASTM D6951-compliant), and a trailer-mounted Automated DCP system capable of 40 blows per minute, plus exclusive distribution of Marchetti DMT and SDMT products across the United States and Canada.

The underlying technology rests on independent tip and sleeve load cells, downhole analog-to-digital conversion (eliminating cable-length noise), built-in seismic capabilities standard on every cone, and proprietary Speed Lock Rods that couple in 2.5 turns versus the 5-7 turns required by industry-standard V-threads, with up to 50% stronger joints. The company monetizes primarily through direct equipment sales, supplemented by a $2,500/week rental/try-before-you-buy program for Drill Rig Conversion Kits, recurring calibration and repair services at its Randolph service department, multi-lingual data acquisition and processing software (English/French/Spanish), and CPT University educational content. Customer financing is facilitated through Oakmont Capital Services and VFG Leasing & Finance partnerships.

Commercially, Vertek runs a sales-led, direct go-to-market targeting geotechnical engineering firms, state and local departments of transportation, federal agencies (USACE, Bureau of Reclamation), drilling service providers, and specialty trades like concrete leveling, with content marketing, YouTube training, LinkedIn/Facebook presence, and FHWA A-GaME webinar education driving top-of-funnel demand. The operation is AS 9100 certified and manufactured in the USA; the parent ARA provides engineering depth disproportionate to Vertek's stated 1-10 employee division headcount.

Name

Vertek

Legal name

Applied Research Associates, Inc.

Website

https://vertekcpt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vertek, a division of Applied Research Associates, designs and manufactures cone penetration testing (CPT) and dynamic cone penetration (DCP) equipment, including digital cones, trucks, track rigs, modular S4 systems, and Drill Rig Conversion Kits, for geotechnical engineering firms, state and federal agencies, and drilling service providers across the United States and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical Testing Equipment

NAICS

Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333132), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG)

Keywords

• Cone penetration testing
• Dynamic cone penetrometer
• Geotechnical testing equipment
• Soil investigation systems
• Subsurface characterization equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Randolph

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. CPT Equipment Sales: Sale of CPT cones, data acquisition systems, trucks, track rigs, and modular S4 systems. Core hardware revenue stream from specialized geotechnical testing equipment.
2. Drill Rig Conversion Kits: Turnkey conversion kits allowing drilling service providers to conduct CPT with existing drilling equipment. Simple adapter system for push/pull hydraulic systems.
3. Equipment Rental: Rental program for Drill Rig Conversion Kits at $2,500 per week with 2-week minimum. Try-before-you-buy program credits rental charges toward equipment purchase.
4. Service, Calibration, and Repairs: Calibration, repair, and maintenance services for CPT equipment. Parts catalog and technical support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vertek manufactures and sells advanced cone penetration testing (CPT) and dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) equipment for in-situ geotechnical site characterization. Its product portfolio includes digital CPT cones with data acquisition, CPT trucks and track rigs, the S4 CPT sounding system, Smart DCP and Automated DCP systems, Marchetti DMT products, drill rig conversion kits, and a multi-lingual CPT software suite. The company also offers equipment financing, rental programs, and post-sale service to geotechnical and drilling professionals.

Product overview

Vertek is a manufacturer of cone penetration testing (CPT) and dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) equipment for geotechnical site characterization. The product portfolio centers on CPT equipment including CPT Cones and Data Acquisition Systems (the core sensing component), multiple push platform types (CPT Trucks, CPT Track Rigs, Universal CPT Systems, and the modular S4 CPT Sounding System available as trailer or quick-attach versions), and Drill Rig Conversion Kits that enable existing drilling equipment to perform CPT. Supporting products include Soil Sampler attachments, Smart DCP and Automated DCP systems for pavement testing, and Marchetti DMT products (distributed as exclusive US/Canada partner). The portfolio also includes data acquisition and processing software (ConePlot, CPTSND), technical support, training (CPT University), and rental programs. All products are AS 9100 certified, manufactured in the USA, and backed by free technical support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPT Cones and Data Acquisition Digital CPT cones with integrated data acquisition designed for in-situ soil testing and geotechnical site characterization, sold to geotechnical professionals and drilling service providers.
• CPT Trucks Truck-mounted CPT rigs for mobile in-situ soil testing and site characterization operations.
• CPT Track Rigs Track-mounted CPT rigs for in-situ soil testing on sites where truck access is limited.
• Soil Sampler Soil sampling tool used in conjunction with CPT and DCP operations to collect subsurface soil samples.
• S4 CPT Sounding System CPT sounding system offered in modular and trailer-mounted configurations for flexible in-situ soil testing deployments.
• Drill Rig Conversion Kit Conversion kit that adapts existing drill rigs to perform CPT operations, also offered as a rental.
• Smart DCP Patented Smart Dynamic Cone Penetrometer kit for dynamic cone penetration testing, targeted at geotechnical and infrastructure professionals.
• Automated DCP Automated Dynamic Cone Penetrometer system that reduces manual effort in DCP testing for geotechnical site characterization.
• Universal CPT Systems Universal CPT system configurations designed to work across multiple rig platforms for flexible in-situ soil testing.
• Marchetti DMT Products Marchetti Dilatometer (DMT) products for flat-plate dilatometer testing as part of Vertek's geotechnical site characterization offering.
• CPT Software Suite Multi-lingual CPT software suite for acquiring, viewing, and managing data from Vertek CPT and DCP equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• ROI achievable in as little as 40 working days
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Marchetti DMTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVertek CPT is now the sole Marchetti DMT distributor for the United States and Canada. Provides complete DMT and SDMT systems including new Vertek to Marchetti adaptors allowing use of existing Vertek VTK series CPT cable and rods with Marchetti Medusa DMT or SDMT blade. Growing Marchetti DMT inventory at Randolph, Vermont location with same-day shipping available.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Gilson Company: US supplier of materials testing and geotechnical laboratory equipment. Partial overlap with Vertek in soil testing instrumentation serving engineering and DOT customers.
• ELE International: Manufacturer and supplier of construction materials testing and geotechnical equipment. Adjacent competitor in the soil/rock testing instrument category served by Vertek's Smart DCP and Automated DCP products.
• Humboldt Mfg. Co. US manufacturer of construction materials testing and geotechnical lab/field equipment, including some CPT/DCP-adjacent products. Less specialized than Vertek in CPT but addresses overlapping customers in geotechnical and DOT testing.

Broad incumbents

• Fugro: Global geotechnical and subsurface investigation services giant that operates CPT equipment at scale for offshore and onshore projects. Overlaps with Vertek's end market though primarily as a services buyer/operator rather than a CPT equipment specialist.
• Boart Longyear: Global drilling services and products company with broad product lines for mineral exploration, geotechnical, and energy drilling. Competes with Vertek on drill rig platforms and indirectly through drilling services customers.
• ConeTec Investigations: Major North American geotechnical services firm operating a large CPT fleet (including Vertek equipment) for site investigation. Both competitor in CPT services and a customer/operator of Vertek-style equipment.

Direct peers

• Pagani Geotechnical Equipment: Italian manufacturer of CPT and dynamic penetration testing equipment, including CPT trucks, track rigs, and cones. Direct competitor across Vertek's core product portfolio.
• A.P. van den Berg: Dutch manufacturer of high-quality CPT cones, rods, and push systems for geotechnical investigation worldwide. Competes directly with Vertek on digital CPT cones, seismic CPT, and push platforms.
• Geoprobe Systems: Geoprobe is a leading US manufacturer of direct-push and CPT/geotechnical probing equipment, including cone penetration testing rigs and tooling. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Vertek in the North American CPT equipment market.
• Gouda Geo-Equipment: Dutch manufacturer of CPT and seismic CPT equipment used for geotechnical site investigation. Direct competitor in digital cones, push systems, and seismic CPT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyO5pq5dLzfqRo_VISqBfbg
• Facebookfacebook.com/VertekCPTfans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vertek-cpt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Vertek