Exile Automation

What Exile Automation does

Exile Automation (operating substantively as CDN Controls) is a Calgary, Alberta-headquartered, full-service industrial electrical, instrumentation, automation, and control systems provider serving industrial clients across Western Canada. The company delivers integrated services across the entire project lifecycle — from planning and design through construction, startup, and ongoing maintenance — across eight service lines: electrical & instrumentation maintenance, major project construction, automation and panel fabrication, solar & renewables, combustion & emissions reduction, measurement & metering, industrial communications, and custom panel fabrication. It operates through 12 branch locations across Alberta and British Columbia and targets six verticals, with oil & gas and solar & renewables flagged as primary and data centres, utilities & infrastructure, manufacturing, and mining as secondary.

The company's underlying technology stack centres on conventional industrial automation and control systems (SCADA, PLC, HMI, RTU, VFD) integrated with industrial communications infrastructure including fibre optic networks and cloud-based security solutions. Differentiation rests on integration and interoperability across these systems rather than on proprietary software or AI/ML capabilities; no AI/ML evidence appears in the source material. The company monetizes primarily through quote-based professional services contracts (maintenance, construction, installation, integration) and hardware sales (custom control panel fabrication), with pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-motion is direct enterprise field sales through a regional business development team, with services delivered through the 12-branch network.

Exile Automation operates as a subsidiary of HF Companies, a private holding company. The company rebranded to CDN Controls in 2024 under the "CDN Experience" initiative. It maintains an extensive compliance and association membership stack (ISN, Avetta, Complyworks, ABSA, BCCSA, SCSA, Technical Safety BC, WorkSafeBC, WorkSafe Saskatchewan, Energy Safety Canada, Alberta Construction Association) and runs an Indigenous Partnerships Program with an Emerging Leaders Program that has been sustained across more than 75% of company history. No revenue, headcount, or cap-table data is publicly disclosed.

Name

Exile Automation

Legal name

CDN Controls

Website

https://exileautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Exile Automation (operating as CDN Controls) is a Calgary-headquartered, full-service industrial electrical, instrumentation, automation, and control systems provider serving oil & gas, renewables, data centres, utilities, manufacturing, and mining clients across Western Canada through 12 branch locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation & Electrical Instrumentation Services

NAICS

Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electrical, Instrumentation & Controls (E&I) Maintenance (IMAIACAE), Industrial Control Cabinets & Power Distribution (Panels, Switchgear for Automation) (IMAHAHAK), Instrumentation, Controls & Automation (DCS/PLC/SCADA, SIS, Metering) (EUAEAFAC), Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial automation services
• Electrical instrumentation maintenance
• Control system integration
• Panel fabrication services
• Industrial communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Maintenance Services: Ongoing maintenance contracts for electrical, instrumentation, measurement, and emissions-reduction systems to keep critical industrial operations running safely and efficiently
2. Major Project Construction: Industrial construction services ranging from well-site construction to multi-million-dollar project delivery
3. Automation and Panel Fabrication: Custom automation, control panel fabrication, and integration services for industrial operations
4. Industrial Communications: Fibre optic network installation and cloud-based security solutions
5. Renewables and Solar Services: Solar and renewable energy installation and maintenance services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Exile Automation (operating under CDN Controls) is a full-service industrial automation, electrical and instrumentation services provider for Western Canadian industrial operators. The company delivers electrical and instrumentation maintenance, major project construction, automation and control system design (SCADA, PLC, HMI, RTU, VFD), custom panel fabrication, solar and renewables installation, combustion and emissions reduction work, measurement and metering services, and industrial communications (fiber optics, CCTV, access control). Services span routine maintenance to large multi-discipline capital projects across oil & gas, renewables, utilities, data centers, mining, and manufacturing.

Product overview

CDN Controls is a full-service industrial services company offering a portfolio of integrated services rather than a single software product. The core offerings include Electrical & Instrumentation Maintenance, Major Project Construction, Automation and Panel Fabrication (featuring SCADA, PLC, HMI, RTU, and VFD systems), Solar & Renewables, Combustion & Emissions Reduction, Measurement & Metering Services, and Industrial Communications (including fibre optic networks and cloud-based security). These services are delivered as a unified 'CDN Experience' covering the full project lifecycle from planning and design through construction, startup, and ongoing maintenance. The company primarily serves the oil and gas, renewables/solar, data centres, utilities & infrastructure, manufacturing, and mining industries across Western Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electrical & Instrumentation Maintenance Ongoing and turnaround electrical and instrumentation maintenance services for industrial operators, including preventive, corrective, and shutdown/turnaround support for production facilities.
• Major Project Construction Multi-discipline electrical, instrumentation, and construction execution for large-scale industrial capital projects across oil & gas, utilities, renewables, and other industrial sectors.
• Automation and Panel Fabrication Automation system design and integration using SCADA, PLC, HMI, RTU, and VFD technologies, combined with custom engineered control panel fabrication for industrial customers.
• Solar & Renewables Electrical, instrumentation, automation, and construction services for solar PV, battery energy storage, and other renewable energy installations in Western Canada.
• Combustion & Emissions Reduction Specialized services supporting combustion management and emissions reduction at industrial sites, including instrumentation, controls, and burner/boiler-related electrical work.
• Measurement & Metering Services Industrial measurement and metering services providing accurate flow, level, pressure, and process measurement for oil & gas, utility, and process-industry customers.
• Industrial Communications Industrial communications services including fiber optic network design, installation, troubleshooting, and cloud-based security systems such as CCTV and access control for industrial sites.

Segments6 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Indigenous Partnerships ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDN Controls has built meaningful Indigenous partnerships throughout more than 75% of their company history. The program includes an Emerging Leaders Program designed to develop Indigenous talent within the organization.
• Alberta Construction AssociationminorOthersMembership in industry association supporting construction sector in Alberta.
• ISNminorOthersSafety management platform membership for contractor prequalification and safety tracking.
• ABSAminorOthersAlberta Boiler Safety Association membership for pressure equipment safety compliance.
• AvettaminorOthersContractor safety management and prequalification services.
• BCCSAminorOthersBritish Columbia Construction Safety Alliance membership.
• ComplyworksminorOthersContractor management platform for compliance tracking.
• Energy Safety CanadaminorOthersSafety resources and programs for the energy industry.
• SCSAminorOthersSaskatchewan Construction Safety Association membership.
• Technical Safety BCminorOthersTechnical safety regulatory body for British Columbia.
• WorkSafeBCminorOthersWorkers' Compensation Board of British Columbia - workplace safety regulatory body.
• WorkSafe SaskatchewanminorOthersWorkers' Compensation Board of Saskatchewan - workplace safety regulatory body.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB Industrial Automation: Global industrial automation and electrification company offering DCS, PLC, SCADA, measurement, and power distribution products. Comparable control system and instrumentation portfolio across process industries.
• Quanta Services: Large North American infrastructure services company providing electric power, oil & gas, and communications construction services. Overlaps with CDN's major project construction and industrial communications offerings at much larger scale.
• Rockwell Automation: Global industrial automation and digital transformation vendor whose PLC, HMI, and SCADA platforms underpin the systems CDN Controls integrates. Comparable in the SCADA/PLC/HMI technology stack though operating at OEM scale.
• MasTec: Major North American infrastructure construction company serving power, oil & gas, communications, and renewables. Comparable multi-vertical infrastructure services portfolio though primarily US-weighted.
• Honeywell Process Solutions: Global automation and controls provider serving oil & gas, refining, and process industries with measurement, control, and SCADA offerings. Directly comparable technology portfolio (SCADA, RTU, instrumentation).

Direct peers

• Brock Canada Industrial Services: Direct peer providing industrial electrical, instrumentation, and maintenance services to oil & gas and process industry customers across Western Canada. Highly comparable in service scope, geography, and target verticals.
• ATS Automation Tooling Systems: Direct peer in industrial automation systems integration, designing and building automated manufacturing and process control systems. Comparable in automation integration focus though broader geographically and across industries.
• PTW Energy Services: Direct peer delivering industrial construction, maintenance, and instrumentation services primarily to oil & gas operators in Western Canada. Closely comparable in service mix and customer base.

Regional players

• Wajax Industrial Components: Canadian industrial products and services distributor with strong Western Canada presence serving oil & gas, mining, and forestry. Comparable Canadian regional reach and industrial customer base.
• Brandt Tractor: Western Canada-based industrial equipment and service provider serving oil & gas, construction, forestry, and mining with branch density across Alberta and BC. Comparable regional footprint and customer mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/exile-automation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Exile Automation