What SumCo Eco-Contracting does

SumCo Eco-Contracting is a self-performing heavy civil construction firm founded in 2006 and headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts, that specializes exclusively in ecological and environmental improvement projects across the northeastern United States. The company delivers eight core service lines: ecosystem restoration and mitigation, dam removal and river restoration, coastal stabilization, infrastructure and resiliency, dredging and marine construction, parks and open spaces, native plant communities, and remediation of contaminated soils. Its work is anchored in field-refined ecological construction techniques and a specialized equipment fleet for hydraulic and mechanical dredging, dam removal, and marine construction. The company has completed over 60 dam removals and hundreds of ecological improvement projects across New England and the Mid-Atlantic, and has been recognized with multiple ACEC awards across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.

The company operates a "conflict-free constructor" model in which it deliberately does not perform in-house design, engineering, surveying, or permitting, instead partnering with regional engineering firms (Inter-Fluve, GZA Geoenvironmental, Princeton Hydro, Tighe & Bond, VHB) that design projects and recommend SumCo for construction execution. Revenue is generated through fixed-price construction contracts with government agencies — federal (USFWS), state (e.g., MA Division of Ecological Restoration), and municipal (Cities of Northampton, Norwalk; Towns of Plymouth, Marblehead) — as the primary customer segment, supplemented by nonprofit conservation organizations (The Nature Conservancy, Harwich Conservation Trust) and private clients. Publicly disclosed contract values range from approximately $47,000 to over $6 million per project, with the go-to-market motion driven by enterprise field sales and A/E/C partner referrals rather than consumer marketing.

In 2019 the company underwent a major expansion phase when Managing Principal Chad Sumner negotiated the acquisitions of NETCO and The Dawson Corporation, establishing a Mid-Atlantic regional hub in Jackson, New Jersey, and concurrently spinning off sister company ResilientSeas for environmental and navigational dredging. The integrated company now operates from seven locations across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey with 100+ multidisciplinary staff serving coastal and inland ecological restoration markets. The company is privately held by co-founders Chad Sumner (Managing Principal, MA in Conservation Biology from University of Pennsylvania, 25+ years field experience) and Travis Sumner (Principal/Director of Operations, BS Mechanical Engineering from Union College), with no institutional or private equity ownership identified in source materials.

Name

SumCo Eco-Contracting

Legal name

SumCo Eco-Contracting, LLC

Website

https://sumcoeco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SumCo Eco-Contracting is a self-performing ecological construction firm founded in 2006 that specializes in dam removal, river restoration, coastal stabilization, dredging, and ecosystem restoration. It serves federal, state, and municipal government agencies plus conservation organizations across New England and the Mid-Atlantic.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecological Construction Services

NAICS

Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mine Operations Contracting (Open-Pit & Underground Development, Production, Load/Haul) (IMAKAKAD)

Keywords

• Ecological construction services
• Dam removal services
• Wetland restoration services
• Coastal stabilization solutions
• Dredging marine construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Peabody

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Project Contracts: Revenue generated through fixed-price construction contracts for ecological restoration, dam removal, coastal protection, and infrastructure projects with government agencies, municipalities, and private clients. Projects range from small-scale wetland restorations to multi-million dollar dam removal and river restoration projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SumCo Eco-Contracting is a self-performing heavy site civil construction firm focused exclusively on ecological and environmental improvement projects. The company delivers construction services including dam removal, river and wetland restoration, coastal stabilization, dredging and marine construction, infrastructure resiliency, native plant installation, and contaminated site remediation for government agencies, conservation organizations, and private clients across the northeastern United States.

Product overview

SumCo Eco-Contracting is a self-performing heavy site civil construction firm focused on ecological and environmental improvement projects. The company offers eight core service areas spanning ecosystem restoration, dam removal, coastal stabilization, infrastructure resiliency, dredging, parks construction, native plant communities, and remediation. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts, the company serves clients across the northeastern United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ecosystem Restoration & Mitigation Restoration, creation, and enhancement of freshwater wetlands, saltwater marshes, cranberry bogs, lakes and ponds, and upland forest and grasslands for government agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners.
• Dam Removal & River Restoration Dam removal and river restoration services including fish passage construction, bank stabilization, and stream rehabilitation for municipalities, state agencies, federal agencies, and conservation organizations.
• Coastal Stabilization Shoreline protection and repair solutions including living shorelines, bioengineered solutions, dune restoration, beach nourishment, sea walls, and revetments for coastal municipalities, state agencies, and private property owners.
• Infrastructure & Resiliency Civil infrastructure and resiliency projects including dam rehabilitation, culverts and bridges, flood control, site development, green infrastructure, and stormwater systems for municipalities and government clients.
• Dredging & Marine Construction Harbor, river, channel, stream, pond, lake, wetland, marsh, and bog dredging for private clients and municipal, state, and federal agencies, including hydraulic and mechanical dredging, beneficial use of dredge materials, jetties, piers, bulkheads, and CDF infrastructure.
• Parks & Open Spaces Construction and improvement of parks and outdoor access areas including landscape installation, golf course water features, boardwalks and bridges, trails, public access, and water access/boat ramps for municipalities, golf courses, and private clients.
• Native Plant Communities Native plant establishment services including planting and site restoration, seeding, and invasive species management for ecological restoration projects.
• Remediation Safe removal and proper disposal of contaminated soils and sediments containing PCBs, heavy metals, petroleum, and other contaminants, including brownfield redevelopment for public agencies and private developers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Columbia Lake Dam removal restored connection to third largest NJ tributary to Delaware, improving water quality for 17 million people in four states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• NETCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Acquired in 2019 as part of expansion strategy. NETCO brought additional ecological restoration capabilities and team members into SumCo's construction delivery model.
• The Dawson CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Acquired in 2019 as part of expansion strategy. Established Mid-Atlantic hub in Jackson, New Jersey to expand regional presence.
• Inter-FluvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary design engineering partner on multiple flagship projects including Eel River Headwaters Restoration, Tidmarsh Farms, Coonamessett River, and Cold Brook projects. Brings design expertise while SumCo provides construction execution.
• GZA GeoenvironmentalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner on Upper Roberts Dam Removal and Hepburn Preserve Living Shoreline projects. Provided design and construction administration services.
• Princeton HydromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner on Columbia Lake Dam Removal and Kerite Dam projects. Provided design and permitting support for dam removal and river restoration.
• The Nature ConservancymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit conservation partner on Columbia Lake Dam removal project. Led conservation group coordination and project team collaboration. Project ranked top 5% most impactful dam removals on East Coast.
• Massachusetts Division of Ecological RestorationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner on multiple projects including Tidmarsh Farms restoration and Cold Brook Eco-Restoration. Provides project coordination and funding support.
• Charter Contracting CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrime contractor on which SumCo served as subcontractor for River's End Salt Marsh Restoration and Muddy River Flood Reduction projects.
• Matrix New World EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign engineer on Sylvan Lake Living Shoreline project - one of earliest living shoreline projects in New Jersey.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Crane Environmental Services: Crane Environmental Services is a Massachusetts-based environmental contractor providing sediment remediation, dredging, dam removal, and ecological restoration services. Direct regional competitor in SumCo's core New England market with significant overlap in marine construction and habitat restoration.
• EnviroScience: EnviroScience is a Midwest-based ecological services and construction firm providing stream and wetland restoration, dam removal, mussel propagation, and bioengineering services. Comparable specialty contractor profile with similar government and nonprofit client mix.
• Wildlands Engineering: Wildlands Engineering is a self-performing ecological restoration and water resources contractor based in the Southeast that provides dam removal, stream restoration, wetland creation, and coastal stabilization services using similar equipment-heavy, conflict-free construction model. Directly comparable in scale and specialization.
• Biohabitats: Biohabitats is an ecological restoration firm offering planning, design, and construction services for river, wetland, and coastal restoration projects. While it includes design capability, its construction arm and project types (dam removal, living shorelines, watershed restoration) closely overlap with SumCo's core services.
• Ecological Restoration, Inc. Ecological Restoration, Inc. specializes in environmental construction including dam removal, wetland restoration, stream stabilization, and shoreline protection for public agencies and nonprofit clients. Operates in adjacent geographies to SumCo with a very similar self-perform construction model.

Broad incumbents

• Kleinfelder: Kleinfelder is an engineering, construction services, and environmental consulting firm with a substantial water resources and remediation practice competing for state and federal restoration projects. It overlaps with SumCo on dam removal, dredging, and contaminated site work as part of a broader portfolio.
• Stantec (Environmental Services): Stantec is a global engineering and environmental services firm whose environmental remediation and water practices encompass dam removal, river restoration, and coastal resilience work. While much broader, it competes for the same federal and state restoration contracts and has been consolidating specialty restoration firms.
• Geosyntec Consultants: Geosyntec is a specialty environmental engineering and consulting firm with a strong practice in sediment management, remediation, and water resources. It competes with SumCo on engineering-led restoration and remediation projects and overlaps on dredging and contaminated sediment work.
• Resource Environmental Solutions (RES): RES is the largest US provider of ecological restoration and water infrastructure services, delivering large-scale mitigation, stream and wetland restoration, and conservation projects across multiple regions. It operates as a broader incumbent with much wider geographic reach and a national project portfolio.

Regional players

• Wetlands & Ecology LLC: Regionally active New England ecological construction firms that perform wetland restoration, shoreline stabilization, and habitat work for state and municipal clients. Comparable in scope and customer base to SumCo but typically smaller and less specialized in dam removals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/SumCo-Eco-Contracting-LLC/100063466631773
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sumcoeco-contracting
• Instagraminstagram.com/sumcoeco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 SumCo Eco-Contracting