AETESS
AETESS is a Spanish non-profit industry association founded in 1977, representing 15 geotechnical and special foundation member companies through technical seminars, safety guides, training, and standards collaboration with SEMSIG, ACHE, and EFFC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersMadrid, Spain
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AETESS does
AETESS (Asociación de Empresas de la Tecnología del Suelo y del Subsuelo), founded in 1977 and headquartered at Calle Jenner 3 in Madrid, is a private non-profit industry association representing companies that execute geotechnical engineering, special foundations, and ground improvement works in Spain. Its membership comprises 15 companies — 6 full members (afiliadas) including DRACE GEOCISA, Keller Cimentaciones, Rodio Kronsa, SITE, and Terratest, and 9 associate members (asociadas) such as Cimentalia, Pilotes y Obras, Liebherr, DYWIDAG, Menard, Ischebeck Ibérica, and Solutec — spanning contractors, equipment manufacturers, and specialty service providers.
The association's core technology is institutional rather than product-based: it operates a knowledge and standards platform built around working committees (Technical, Safety, R&D+i and Sustainability, Communication, Young Engineers), a library of technical safety guides (micropiles and anchors, prefabricated piles, in-situ piles, diaphragm walls), a Jet Grouting Guide, and recommendations co-developed with CEDEX and EFFC. Its flagship output is the annual Jornadas Técnicas SEMSIG-AETESS (25+ editions since 2001), delivered in-person at venues like CEDEX and online. AETESS also co-develops the Operator Card for Special Foundations with Fundación Laboral de la Construcción.
AETESS earns revenue from two streams: recurring annual membership fees from full and associate member companies (subscription model), and pay-as-you-go technical event registration fees priced at €80 in-person, €50 online, and €25 for students, retirees, and job seekers. Go-to-market is community-led, reaching members and the wider geotechnical community through the association's website, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, technical publications, and partner events with SEMSIG, ACHE, EFFC, CEDEX, AENOR, and Spanish universities.
AETESS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AETESS
- Legal name
- ASOCIACIÓN DE EMPRESAS DE LA TECNOLOGÍA DEL SUELO Y DEL SUBSUELO (AETESS)
- Website
- https://aetess.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- AETESS is a Spanish non-profit industry association founded in 1977, representing 15 geotechnical and special foundation member companies through technical seminars, safety guides, training, and standards collaboration with SEMSIG, ACHE, and EFFC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where AETESS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madrid
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AETESS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Member Association Fees: AETESS generates revenue through annual membership fees from affiliated companies in the geotechnical and special foundations sector. The association includes both full members (empresas afiliadas) and associate members (empresas asociadas).
- Technical Event Registration Fees: Revenue from organizing technical jornadas and seminars. The association charges registration fees for its technical events: 80€ in-person, 50€ online, and 25€ for students, retirees, and job seekers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | In-person attendance at technical seminars |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Online/telematic attendance |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Students, retirees, and job seekers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
AETESS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AETESS is a professional industry association representing companies specializing in geotechnical engineering, special foundations, and ground improvement technologies. It provides member companies with technical seminars (Jornadas Técnicas SEMSIG-AETESS), publishes technical safety guides and reference documents, offers training and certification programs (including the Operator Card for Special Foundations), and represents the sector's interests to public institutions, universities, and international organizations.
Product overview
AETESS (Asociación de Empresas de la Tecnología del Suelo y del Subsuelo) is a professional industry association representing companies specializing in geotechnical engineering, special foundations, and ground improvement technologies. Rather than offering a commercial product portfolio, the association provides technical guidance documents, organizes professional events (Jornadas Técnicas), facilitates collaboration among member companies, and promotes quality and safety standards in the sector. The association publishes technical safety guides covering micropiles and anchors, prefabricated piles, in-situ piles, and diaphragm walls, along with technical documents developed through its working committees.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jornadas Técnicas SEMSIG-AETESS (Technical Seminars) Annual technical seminars (over 25 editions over two decades) organized jointly with SEMSIG (Sociedad Española de Mecánica del Suelo e Ingeniería Geotécnica), covering topics on geotechnical design, execution, and quality control of foundations and earth retention structures. Available in-person (80€) and online (50€) formats, with reduced rates (25€) for students, retirees, and job seekers.
- Technical Safety Guides and Publications Four technical safety guides (micropiles and anchors, prefabricated piles, in-situ piles, diaphragm walls) plus additional technical documents (Jet Grouting Guide, concrete placement recommendations, pile embedding criteria, screen stability analysis, working platform design). Co-developed with Fundación para la Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, CEDEX, and EFFC. Aimed at member companies and the wider geotechnical engineering community.
- Operator Card for Special Foundations (Carnet de Operador de Cimentaciones Especiales) Professional certification program for equipment operators in special foundations, developed with Fundación Laboral de la Construcción (FLC). Certifies competency of operators working with specialized geotechnical equipment.
- Association Membership Annual membership for geotechnical and special foundation companies, including full membership (empresas afiliadas) for contractors and associate membership (empresas asociadas) for equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Provides access to working committees, technical events, publications, and industry representation.
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 25 technical seminars held over two decades with thousands of geotechnical professionals participating
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AETESS
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AETESS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
AETESS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SEMSIG (Sociedad Española de Mecánica del Suelo e Ingeniería Geotécnica)coreSEMSIG and AETESS maintain a joint committee (Comité Mixto SEMSIG-AETESS) responsible for organizing the annual technical seminars that have been held for over two decades. These jornadas are a reference point for the national geotechnical community.
- ACHE (Asociación Científico-Técnica de Estructuras de Hormigón)coreAETESS and ACHE have a joint committee (Comisión Mixta ACHE-AETESS) aimed at strengthening collaboration between special foundations and structural engineering sectors, promoting technical exchange, and developing joint guides and recommendations.
- EFFC (European Federation of Foundation Contractors)coreEFFC is a European federation of foundation contractors of which AETESS is a member. AETESS provides translated versions of EFFC technical guides including the Tremie Concrete Guide in Castilian Spanish.
- AECCTI (Asociación de Empresas de la Construcción Eficiente y Tecnologías Innovadoras)minorAETESS collaborates with AECCTI on joint technical activities including the AECCTI-AETESS Jornada held on February 1, 2022 covering ground improvement through chemical injections.
- CEDEX (Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas)coreCEDEX collaborates with AETESS on technical publications including recommendations for non-destructive testing of piles and diaphragm walls, and recommendations for concrete placement in deep foundations.
- Fundación Laboral de la Construcción (FLC)coreAETESS collaborates with FLC on training and certification programs for specialists, including the development of equipment operation manuals and the Operator Card for Special Foundations (Carnet de Operador de Cimentaciones Especiales).
- Fundación para la Prevención de Riesgos LaboralescoreFundación para la Prevención de Riesgos Laborales co-financed the AETESS audiovisual technical guide project for promoting occupational safety in special foundations and ground treatment, developed in collaboration with FECOMA-CCOO and UGT-MCA.
- FECOMA-CCOOminorFECOMA-CCOO collaborated with AETESS on the occupational safety guide project funded by Fundación para la Prevención de Riesgos Laborales.
- UGT-MCAminorUGT-MCA collaborated with AETESS on the occupational safety guide project funded by Fundación para la Prevención de Riesgos Laborales.
- UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)minorAETESS collaborates with universities including UPM to promote research and training in geotechnical engineering, with the Young Engineers Committee facilitating cooperation between universities and the association.
- Instituto de Ingeniería de España (IIES)minorAETESS works with IIES to promote research and training in engineering disciplines related to soil and subsoil technology.
- CICCP (Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos)minorAETESS collaborates with CICCP on technical training and events, including hosting courses at the College's facilities in Madrid.
- AENORminorAENOR is a partner organization supporting standardization and quality certification efforts in the construction and geotechnical sector.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
AETESS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC): EFFC is the European-level federation of foundation contractors, of which AETESS is a member. It is the closest peer: both are non-profit trade bodies representing geotechnical and foundation contractors, both publish technical guides (e.g., Tremie Concrete Guide), and both organize industry training and working committees — AETESS operates at the national Spanish level while EFFC operates at the pan-European level.
- Asociación Científico-Técnica de Estructuras de Hormigón (ACHE): ACHE is the Spanish scientific-technical association for concrete structures, with which AETESS maintains a joint committee (Comisión Mixta ACHE-AETESS). It is a directly comparable domestic peer — a Spanish non-profit association serving member engineering firms and professionals through technical publications, committees, and joint events.
- Sociedad Española de Mecánica del Suelo e Ingeniería Geotécnica (SEMSIG): SEMSIG is the Spanish scientific society for soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering, and AETESS's joint-committee partner for the long-running Jornadas Técnicas. It is a directly comparable peer operating in the same Spanish geotechnical ecosystem: same professional community, overlapping technical committees, and co-produced industry events.
- International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES): ITA-AITES is the international non-profit association for the tunnelling and underground space industry, representing contractors, engineers, and suppliers across 80+ member nations. It is a comparable non-profit trade/scientific body whose member firms overlap with AETESS's members on major infrastructure projects involving diaphragm walls, ground treatment, and underground works.
- Deep Foundations Institute (DFI): DFI is a US-headquartered international non-profit association serving the deep foundations industry, with members including contractors, engineers, and equipment manufacturers. It mirrors AETESS's mission of advancing quality, safety, and technology in foundations and ground improvement through technical publications, committees, and events such as conferences and short courses.
- ADSC: International Association of Foundation Drilling: ADSC is an international non-profit trade association for the foundation drilling industry, representing contractors, engineers, and manufacturers. Comparable to AETESS in member composition (contractor + supplier firms), governance model (volunteer board), and focus on safety, training, and technical standards for drilled foundations and ground improvement.
Broad incumbents
- International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE): ISSMGE is the global professional/scientific body for geotechnical engineering, organizing the quadrennial ICSMGE conference and dozens of technical committees. It is a broader-incumbent peer: it overlaps with AETESS's technical scope (soil mechanics, foundations, ground improvement) but operates at international scientific level rather than national industry-association level, with individual academic/professional members rather than corporate members.
- Geo-Institute of ASCE: The Geo-Institute is the US specialty organization within ASCE focused on geotechnical engineering, running conferences, technical committees, and publications. Comparable to AETESS in advancing geotechnical practice and standards, but embedded within the larger ASCE umbrella, giving it broader scope and a different funding/governance model than AETESS's standalone national association.
Regional players
- British Tunnelling Society (BTS): BTS is the UK-based professional society for the tunnelling industry, affiliated with the Institution of Civil Engineers. It is a comparable regional peer in tunnelling and underground construction — areas in which several AETESS members (Terratest, Rodio Kronsa, DRACE GEOCISA) actively operate — but serving the UK market rather than Spain.
- Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS): AGS is the UK trade association for geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialists, with member firms including contractors, consultants, and laboratories. It is a directly comparable regional peer to AETESS: same association structure, similar member composition, similar mission around standards, publications, and training, but operating in the United Kingdom rather than Spain.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AETESS social profiles
Digital presenceAETESS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AETESS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
AETESS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AETESS 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 AETESS
What does AETESS do?
AETESS is a professional industry association representing companies specializing in geotechnical engineering, special foundations, and ground improvement technologies. It provides member companies with technical seminars (Jornadas Técnicas SEMSIG-AETESS), publishes technical safety guides and reference documents, offers training and certification programs (including the Operator Card for Special Foundations), and represents the sector's interests to public institutions, universities, and international organizations.
Is AETESS a public or private company?
AETESS is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AETESS founded?
AETESS was founded in 1977. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is AETESS based?
AETESS is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does AETESS make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Member Association Fees are the primary driver. The others are technical Event Registration Fees.
Who are AETESS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC), Asociación Científico-Técnica de Estructuras de Hormigón (ACHE), Sociedad Española de Mecánica del Suelo e Ingeniería Geotécnica (SEMSIG), International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES), Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) and ADSC: International Association of Foundation Drilling. Broad incumbents are International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and Geo-Institute of ASCE. Regional players are British Tunnelling Society (BTS) and Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS).
Does AETESS have an API?
No public API is recorded for AETESS.