Coanda

What Coanda does

Coanda Research & Development Corporation is a Western Canadian engineering consultancy specializing in fluid dynamics and process engineering. Founded in 1995 as a two-person team and now operating as a subsidiary of Tetra Tech (NASDAQ: TTEK) since its February 2021 acquisition, the firm runs 60-65 professionals across three locations - a 70,000 sq ft purpose-built headquarters in Burnaby, an Edmonton research and field-services laboratory, and a Calgary satellite office.

The company's core technology stack combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) running on an in-house high-performance computing cluster, physical scale modeling in proprietary facilities (fluidized beds up to 1m x 10m, multi-phase flow loops spanning viscosities of 0.001-100 Pa·s, a recirculating water channel, and a spray facility), analytical chemistry instrumentation, custom instrumentation design, and adjunct capabilities in mathematical modeling, data science, and machine learning. Coanda has also productized two custom instruments - Phosphorescent Tracer Probes and a Local Densitometry (DIP Stick) probe - supporting both internal research and direct sale.

Coanda monetizes primarily through time-and-materials and fixed-bid professional services engagements, with project values ranging from $5,000-$20,000 quick-turn analytical studies through $25,000-$100,000 mid-size modeling programs to $200,000-$500,000 multi-month research programs. Anchor customer industries are mining, oilsands, and oil & gas (named clients include Syncrude, Suncor, COSIA, and RGL Reservoir Management), with secondary segments in water, cleantech (carbon capture, biofuels, lithium recovery), chemical/petrochemical, pulp & paper, and biotechnology. Distribution is direct enterprise engagement via assigned Proposal Leads, supplemented by fee-per-sample analytical lab services and direct instrument sales.

Name

Coanda

Legal name

Coanda Research & Development Corporation

Website

https://coanda.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Coanda Research & Development is a Western Canadian fluid dynamics and process engineering consultancy serving mining, oil sands, and oil & gas clients with CFD, physical modeling, analytical chemistry, and custom instrumentation. Now a subsidiary of Tetra Tech, operating from Burnaby, Edmonton, and Calgary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineering Consulting & R&D Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Fluid dynamics consulting
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Process engineering services
• Industrial research development
• Physical modeling laboratory

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnaby

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting & R&D Services: Fee-for-service research and development consulting projects for industrial clients. Projects range from small analytical approaches ($5k-$20k, 2-6 weeks) to large-scale research programs ($200k-$500k, 8-12 months). Most projects use time & materials billing structure.
2. Custom Instrumentation Products: Sale of specialized research instruments including Phosphorescent Tracer Probes and Local Densitometry systems, customizable to client requirements
3. Analytical Laboratory Services: Fee-per-sample analytical chemistry testing services including gas chromatography, ion chromatography, X-ray diffraction, Karl Fischer titration, and TOC analysis

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Coanda Research & Development is a B2B engineering consulting and industrial R&D firm that sells fluid dynamics and process engineering services—including Computational Fluid Dynamics, physical modeling, analytical chemistry, process engineering, instrumentation design, and scale-up support—to enterprise clients in mining, oilsands, oil & gas, water, cleantech, and related sectors. In parallel, the firm designs, fabricates, and sells two proprietary custom instruments: Phosphorescent Tracer Probes for fluidized-bed characterization and Local Densitometry (DIP Stick) density probes.

Product overview

Coanda Research & Development is a fluid dynamics and process engineering consulting firm that offers a portfolio of specialized instruments and engineering services. The company sells two primary custom instruments: Phosphorescent Tracer Probes for fluidized bed characterization and Local Densitometry (DIP Stick) probes for density measurement. Beyond products, Coanda provides comprehensive engineering consulting services including Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Analytical Chemistry, Physical Modeling, Instrumentation & Equipment Design, Mathematical Modeling, Process Engineering, Big Data/Machine Learning & AI, Technology Development Support, Scale-Up, Fieldwork Support, and Training. The firm operates across multiple industries (mining, oilsands, cleantech, water, chemical/petrochemical, oil & gas, pulp & paper, biotechnology) and applies expertise in mixing, non-Newtonian flows, fluidization, multiphase flows, nozzles/jets/sprays, separation, gasification, geotechnical science, rheology, and tailings management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phosphorescent Tracer Probes Custom optical probes that characterize solids circulation in cold-flow fluidized bed experiments by UV-charging phosphorescent particles and detecting concentration with Coanda's optical detection system.
• Local Densitometry (DIP Stick) Density insertion probe that provides local density measurement via a radioactive source below exemption limits, traversable across pipes or vessels to enable in-situ fluid density measurements without requiring a Canadian Nuclear Safety Committee license.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Services Consulting service that applies computer-based fluid flow analysis to provide high-resolution details of flow and process impacts, used to de-risk industrial designs for enterprise clients across Coanda's served industries.
• Analytical Chemistry Services Quantitative analytical chemistry service including gas chromatography, ion chromatography, X-ray diffraction, Karl Fischer titration, TOC analysis, and UV-Vis spectrometry, available as standalone fee-per-sample work or integrated with broader research programs.
• Physical Modeling Services Scaled laboratory experimentation service that delivers fundamental insights into the real characteristics and performance of industrial systems using Coanda's water channels, fluidized beds, spray facilities, and other specialized test rigs.
• Process Engineering Services Consulting service focused on developing and arranging industrial processes to optimize efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental compliance in chemical processing and manufacturing.
• Instrumentation & Equipment Design Services Custom research equipment design and fabrication service for on-site laboratories and client sites, combining Coanda's measurement and process expertise with in-house fabrication capability.
• Big Data, Machine Learning & AI Services Data science, AI, and analytics consulting service that processes modern industrial data to generate insights and optimize processes for enterprise clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1000 major R&D projects completed over 30 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Tetra TechflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2021In February 2021, Coanda became part of the Tetra Tech family, joining a team of over 25,000 employees and a network of 500 offices globally. Tetra Tech's focus on Leading with Science® aligns with Coanda's core values and strengthens their ability to deliver enhanced solutions through a larger global network of technical experts.
• McGill Innovation FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoanda announced partnership with McGill University Innovation Fund supporting innovation and technology development. Part of Coanda's engagement with academic institutions for research collaboration.
• Pocock IndustrialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partnership with Pocock Industrial, a company specializing in solid-liquid separation equipment and services. Collaboration on mining and tailings projects requiring separation expertise.
• Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association (CCQTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoanda became a member of CCQTA, participating in technical discussions and initiatives related to crude quality standards and testing methodologies in the Canadian oil and gas industry.
• Ocean SuperclusterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoanda participates in the Ocean Supercluster initiative focused on innovation in ocean-based industries, leveraging data science and modeling capabilities for marine applications.
• Digital SuperclusterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoanda participates in Digital Supercluster, a national innovation initiative focused on digital technology development and adoption across Canadian industries.
• Clean Research Innovation Network (CRIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoanda engages with CRIN, a network focused on clean technology research and innovation, supporting the advancement of environmental technologies in energy production.
• Innovate CalgaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoanda partners with Innovate Calgary to support technology startups and innovation ecosystem development in Alberta.
• entrepreneurship@UBCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoanda engages with University of British Columbia's entrepreneurship initiatives to support student-led innovation and technology commercialization.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sulzer Ltd. Sulzer is a Swiss industrial engineering and process equipment specialist with strong mixing, separation, and fluid process consulting capabilities. It overlaps with Coanda's mixing, fluidization, and process scale-up work for chemical and mineral processing clients, though primarily via an OEM/manufacturing-led business model.
• Ramboll Group: Ramboll is a global engineering, consulting, and design firm with strong water, oil & gas, and environmental practices. It engages in CFD-led process studies and competes with Coanda for environmental and process engineering consulting work, especially in Europe and increasingly North America.
• Stantec: Stantec is a major global engineering, consulting, and construction firm with strong water, environmental, and process practices. It competes with Coanda for CFD, physical modeling, and process engineering scopes inside water/wastewater and mining projects, particularly in Western Canada, though it serves a much broader portfolio.
• Tetra Tech: Tetra Tech is Coanda's parent company and a global water, environment, and engineering consulting leader with 25,000+ employees. While Coanda operates as a subsidiary, Tetra Tech's water and process engineering practices overlap with Coanda's CFD and fluid dynamics offerings and constitute both a platform and an adjacent internal competitor for certain consulting bids.
• WSP Global: WSP is one of the world's largest professional services firms with deep Canadian mining, oil & gas, and environmental consulting practices. It competes with Coanda for engineering and process consulting engagements and offers overlapping CFD and process optimization capabilities, though at much greater scale and across broader end markets.
• GHD Group: GHD is a large Australian-origin engineering and environmental consultancy with growing Canadian operations including Western Canada. It competes for process engineering, water, and mining consulting scopes from a similarly science-led positioning, though with a much broader geographic and service portfolio than Coanda.

Direct peers

• BMT Group: BMT is an international marine, defense, and industrial engineering consultancy famous for computational fluid dynamics, physical modeling, and multiphase flow expertise. Coanda and BMT compete for CFD and physical modeling mandates in process and environmental applications and share a science-led, model-driven go-to-market.
• Exponent Inc. Exponent is a U.S. engineering and scientific consulting firm with deep fluid mechanics, multiphase flow, and failure-analysis practices. It serves industrial clients across oil & gas, chemicals, and process industries with similar PhD-heavy, problem-solving methodologies that compete with Coanda's investigative R&D engagements.
• Hatch Ltd. Hatch is a Canadian-headquartered engineering and project management consultancy with deep mining, oilsands, and process industry expertise. Like Coanda, Hatch runs advanced fluid dynamics, CFD, and pilot-scale physical modeling for metallurgical and tailings clients, competing for the same engineering study mandates in Western Canada.

Others

• COSIA (Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance) supplier network participants: Coanda is an existing supplier to COSIA and several oil sands producers; other COSIA-affiliated engineering consultancies (such as NORAM, NORRC, and smaller Alberta-based process labs) compete or co-deliver with Coanda on tailings and process technology development mandates in the Canadian oil sands ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/coandacanada
• Xx.com/coandaresearch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Coanda