SidePlate
SidePlate, a MiTek subsidiary founded in 1994, designs and licenses patented steel moment frame connection technologies (SidePlate, SidePlate PLUS, All-Bolted) to structural engineers, fabricators, and building owners across US non-residential construction projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersMission Viejo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SidePlate does
SidePlate, founded in 1994 in response to the Northridge, California earthquake, designs and licenses patented steel moment frame connection technologies for the US structural steel construction market. Its core offerings are the original SidePlate Connection Design (introduced 1995) and the enhanced SidePlate PLUS Connection Design, which has been validated through nearly 40 full-scale third-party seismic tests achieving up to 9% rotation versus the 4% required by code, plus All-Bolted Connection Designs (Wide-Flange and HSS) introduced in 2020 to address the skilled welder shortage. The technology reduces overall steel tonnage, minimizes required connections, and accelerates erection times compared with conventional moment frame approaches, and is prequalified under AISC 358-16 Supplement No. 2 and validated by an IAPMO Evaluation Report for FEMA P-58 resiliency compliance.
The company operates a project-based licensing and engineering services model. SidePlate charges a per-project license fee and assigns Regional Engineers, who are licensed professional engineers, to coordinate with structural engineers, fabricators, erectors, building owners, and general contractors across all project stages from design through erection. The company is headquartered in Mission Viejo, California, with a second office opened in Nashville, Tennessee in December 2020, and serves customers nationwide. Named projects span healthcare (Centennial Hills Hospital, Denver Health, ProMedica, Pfizer), education (Vail Elementary School via the CUUBE pre-engineered structure product), and commercial real estate (Fairbourne Station).
Since May 2021, SidePlate has operated as part of MiTek Inc.'s portfolio of structural framing solutions, aligned with the Benson and Ultra-Span brands. The combined portfolio is offered to the building industry through a mix of direct enterprise sales (Regional Engineer network), a self-serve customer portal hosting project downloads, Revit files, estimating tools, and license fee management, plus industry engagement through AISC, NCSEA, SEAOC, ASCE, and USRC. SidePlate employs between 11 and 50 people and does not publicly disclose revenue.
SidePlate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SidePlate
- Legal name
- SidePlate (MiTek)
- Website
- https://sideplate.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SidePlate, a MiTek subsidiary founded in 1994, designs and licenses patented steel moment frame connection technologies (SidePlate, SidePlate PLUS, All-Bolted) to structural engineers, fabricators, and building owners across US non-residential construction projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SidePlate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Structural Steel Connection Design
- NAICS
- Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing (332312), Plate Work and Fabricated Structural Product Manufacturing (33231)
- SIC
- Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Structural Steel Fabrication (IMADACAA)
Keywords
Where SidePlate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mission Viejo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SidePlate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Connection Design Licensing and Engineering Services: SidePlate provides connection design services and licenses their proprietary connection designs to fabricators and construction projects. The company provides engineering support throughout project lifecycle including design, detailing, fabrication coordination, and erection support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based licensing model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels10 records
SidePlate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SidePlate designs, patents, and licenses proprietary steel moment frame connection technologies for the structural steel construction industry. The company provides connection design services (SidePlate, SidePlate PLUS, and All-Bolted Connection Designs), along with engineering support throughout project lifecycles including design, detailing, fabrication coordination, and erection support. Licensed Regional Engineers work directly with project teams to optimize steel tonnage, minimize required connections, and accelerate construction schedules.
Product overview
SidePlate offers a suite of patented steel moment frame connection design technologies and related services. The core offering includes SidePlate Connection Design (original welded design from 1995), SidePlate PLUS Connection Design (enhanced version with superior seismic performance), and All-Bolted Connection Designs (field-bolted innovations launched in 2020). The company also offers pre-engineered structure products like CUUBE. SidePlate operates as a design optimization process utilizing proprietary moment frame technology that provides steel exactly where needed in buildings, reducing overall tonnage and accelerating erection times. The product portfolio is supported by comprehensive R&D including full-scale seismic testing, technical papers, and a customer portal with design and construction resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SidePlate PLUS: Advanced connection design technology for Special Moment Frames (SMF) with enhanced seismic performance capabilities.
- All-Bolted Connection Designs
Products and services
- SidePlate Connection Design Proprietary patented steel moment frame connection design technology that reduces overall tonnage, minimizes required connections, and accelerates erection times. Developed after the 1994 Northridge earthquake for improved seismic performance. Licensed to fabricators and construction projects with engineering support throughout the project lifecycle.
- SidePlate PLUS Connection Design Advanced connection design for Special Moment Frames (SMF) with enhanced seismic performance capabilities. Has achieved up to 9% rotation in full-scale seismic testing at UC-San Diego, more than double the 4% required by code, and is independently validated for resiliency compliance based on FEMA P-58 criteria. Tested with various beam and column configurations.
- All-Bolted Connection Designs Innovative field-bolted connection designs introduced in 2020 that eliminate field welding requirements. Includes Wide-Flange All-Bolted and HSS All-Bolted Connection designs. Address challenges of skilled welder shortage, accelerate construction schedules, and enable accurate schedule planning without weather-related welding delays.
- Seismic Retrofitting Technology Innovative method for seismic retrofitting of existing steel moment frame structures using SidePlate and SidePlate PLUS Connection Design Technology. Improves performance of existing structures without adding concrete shear walls or bracing elements.
- CUUBE Pre-Engineered Structure Pre-engineered, permanent structure offering an array of floor plans to suit school district expansion needs. Built by partners like The KYA Group. Provides fast, permanent building solutions for educational and similar facilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- SidePlate PLUS Connection achieved 9% rotation vs. 4% required by code in full-scale UC-San Diego testing
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SidePlate
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SidePlate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
SidePlate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Benson and Ultra-Span (MiTek Group)coreThree leading structural framing brands now offered together as part of MiTek portfolio, providing customers more value across the entire building industry.
- American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)coreSidePlate experts are highly active in AISC, participating in standards development, technical papers, and industry initiatives. The company's connection designs are prequalified through AISC 358-16 Supplement No. 2.
- National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)coreActive membership in NCSEA contributing to structural engineering standards and best practices development.
- Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC)coreActive membership in SEAOC, a key organization for structural engineering professionals in California.
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)coreActive membership in ASCE contributing to civil engineering standards and codes development.
- US Resiliency Council (USRC)coreActive membership in US Resiliency Council, an organization focused on building resiliency standards.
- UC-San Diego Structural Engineering LabscoreThird-party testing facility for full-scale seismic testing of SidePlate and SidePlate PLUS Connection Designs. Multiple tests conducted on various beam and column configurations to validate performance against AISC standards.
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo LabcorePartnership with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo engineering laboratory for testing and research capabilities.
- MiTek (Parent Company)coreSidePlate became part of MiTek's portfolio of solutions in May 2021 when MiTek announced realignment of Benson, SidePlate, and Ultra-Span structural framing solutions under the MiTek brand.
- The KYA GroupminorBuilder of CUUBE pre-engineered permanent structures. First CUUBE project constructed at Vail Elementary School in Temecula, CA.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SidePlate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ConXtech: ConXtech develops and licenses the ConXL modular steel moment connection system, a patented structural steel connection technology comparable to SidePlate's licensed moment-frame approach. Both compete on speed of erection, code-compliant seismic performance, and project-based licensing economics.
- Cast Connex: Cast Connex designs and supplies cast steel connectors (e.g., Yield-Link) for seismic moment frame applications, providing prequalified alternatives to SidePlate's welded and bolted side-plate designs. Both companies monetize proprietary connection IP for seismic and high-performance steel construction.
Broad incumbents
- Nucor Corporation: Nucor is the largest US steel producer and supplies the structural shapes (W-flange, HSS) used to fabricate SidePlate's connections. As a broad upstream incumbent, its downstream joist/deck businesses and steel mill operations sit adjacent to SidePlate's structural framing niche.
- Canam Group: Canam is a major North American steel joist, girder, and structural steel fabricator serving the same non-residential and bridge markets as SidePlate-enabled projects. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the structural steel framing supply chain.
- SteelFab: SteelFab is a national structural steel fabricator and erector that, like DBM Global and Schuff, regularly fabricates SidePlate-licensed moment frame connections. Represents a broad incumbent fabricator operating in the same project types.
- Nucor Vulcraft / Verco: Nucor's Vulcraft and Verco groups are the largest US producers of steel joists, girders, and decking used in the same non-residential buildings where SidePlate's moment-frame connections are deployed. They represent a broad incumbent in the structural steel framing value chain.
- DBM Global (Schuff Steel, Sharps Pixley): DBM Global is one of the largest structural steel fabricators in North America, frequently executing projects that specify SidePlate connections. As a large incumbent fabricator/erector, it overlaps with SidePlate's downstream deployment channel but operates at much broader scale.
Others
- Zekelman Industries (Atlas Tube): Zekelman, through Atlas Tube, is the largest North American producer of HSS (hollow structural sections), a primary input material in many SidePlate moment frame designs. As an enabling supplier, it does not compete but provides raw material for SidePlate-licensed connections.
- MiTek Inc. MiTek is SidePlate's parent company and also provides engineering software, joist design, and structural framing solutions (Benson, Ultra-Span) serving the same construction value chain. As the corporate parent and adjacent platform, it is an enabling counterpart rather than a direct competitor.
Regional players
- Vulcan Steel Structures: Vulcan Steel Structures manufactures pre-engineered metal buildings serving similar end-customers in the Southeast and Sunbelt US, partially overlapping with SidePlate's project base but primarily delivering PEMB solutions rather than custom moment frame designs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SidePlate social profiles
Digital presenceSidePlate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SidePlate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
SidePlate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SidePlate 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 SidePlate
What does SidePlate do?
SidePlate designs, patents, and licenses proprietary steel moment frame connection technologies for the structural steel construction industry. The company provides connection design services (SidePlate, SidePlate PLUS, and All-Bolted Connection Designs), along with engineering support throughout project lifecycles including design, detailing, fabrication coordination, and erection support. Licensed Regional Engineers work directly with project teams to optimize steel tonnage, minimize required connections, and accelerate construction schedules.
Is SidePlate a public or private company?
SidePlate is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SidePlate founded?
SidePlate was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SidePlate based?
SidePlate is headquartered in Mission Viejo, United States, in the North America region.
How does SidePlate make money?
One revenue line is on record: connection Design Licensing and Engineering Services.
Who are SidePlate's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ConXtech and Cast Connex. Broad incumbents are Nucor Corporation, Canam Group, SteelFab, Nucor Vulcraft / Verco and DBM Global (Schuff Steel, Sharps Pixley). Others are Zekelman Industries (Atlas Tube) and MiTek Inc.. Vulcan Steel Structures is listed as a regional player.
Does SidePlate have an API?
No public API is recorded for SidePlate.
What industry is SidePlate in?
SidePlate's product category is Structural Steel Connection Design. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADACAA, Structural Steel Fabrication. Its NAICS code is 332312 and its SIC code is 3440.