SidePlate

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.

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

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

• Steel moment frames
• Structural connection design
• Seismic engineering
• Steel frame buildings
• Pre-engineered structures

Headquarters

HQ city

Mission Viejo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core 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

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Benson and Ultra-Span (MiTek Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 May 2021Three 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)coreOthersSidePlate 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)coreOthersActive membership in NCSEA contributing to structural engineering standards and best practices development.
• Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC)coreOthersActive membership in SEAOC, a key organization for structural engineering professionals in California.
• American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)coreOthersActive membership in ASCE contributing to civil engineering standards and codes development.
• US Resiliency Council (USRC)coreOthersActive membership in US Resiliency Council, an organization focused on building resiliency standards.
• UC-San Diego Structural Engineering LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-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 LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo engineering laboratory for testing and research capabilities.
• MiTek (Parent Company)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSidePlate 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 GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBuilder 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SidePlateConnectionDesigns
• Facebookfacebook.com/SidePlateconnectiondesigns
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sideplate-connection-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 SidePlate