Certerra (formerly RMA Companies)

What Certerra (formerly RMA Companies) does

Certerra (formerly RMA Companies) is a US-based professional services firm specializing in technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) for critical infrastructure. Founded in 1962 as Richard Mills & Associates in California and rebranded to Certerra in March 2025, the company operates through five integrated service lines: Testing/Inspection/Certification, Engineering, Subsurface Imaging, Instrumentation & Monitoring, and Specialty Test Labs (Analytical Laboratories). The firm serves infrastructure asset owners, contractors, manufacturers, and design professionals across transportation, government, healthcare, industrial, energy, and commercial end markets, with documented engagements including UCLA, California Department of Water Resources, MTA New York, Redwood Materials, Oregon Health & Science University, and KGHM.

The company's underlying technology centers on specialized geophysical techniques (ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity mapping, subsurface imaging), real-time structural monitoring systems with wireless sensors transmitting at 30-minute intervals, advanced non-destructive testing methods (phased array ultrasonic, radiographic testing), and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory capabilities across a national network of certified facilities and mobile labs. Operations are delivered by 1,800+ engineers, technicians, and scientists deployed across 50+ US office and laboratory locations, with credentials spanning ISO 17025, NQA-1 (nuclear/DoD), AMPP QP5, and SSPC QP5 certifications.

Certerra generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts, with pricing not publicly disclosed and billing typically structured as multi-year engagements per disclosed billing cadence. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting public infrastructure owners, general contractors, and industrial clients. Since 2021, OceanSound Partners has backed an aggressive M&A strategy that has rolled up 16 regional testing, inspection, and engineering firms into the unified Certerra platform, expanding geographic reach from California into the Southwest, Pacific Northwest, Northeast, Southeast, and South-Central regions while acquiring specialty capabilities such as coating inspection, advanced geophysics, and analytical laboratory services.

Name

Certerra (formerly RMA Companies)

Legal name

Certerra

Website

https://certerra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Certerra is a US-based, PE-backed professional services firm providing technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification for critical infrastructure across transportation, government, healthcare, and industrial markets, operating 50+ locations with 1,800+ technical staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rancho Cucamonga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices59 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing, Inspection, and Certification Services: Professional services revenue generated through technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification for construction materials, including soils, aggregates, concrete, asphalt, and specialty materials. Services provided through national network of certified laboratories and mobile testing facilities.
2. Engineering Consulting Services: Geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, pavement engineering, and building envelope detailing services for critical infrastructure projects throughout the construction lifecycle.
3. Subsurface Imaging Services: Geophysical characterization, dam assessment, environmental drilling, and utility investigation services using advanced non-invasive techniques for subsurface mapping and analysis.
4. Instrumentation and Monitoring Services: Structural monitoring, pile integrity testing, foundation load testing, and dynamic pile monitoring services for construction projects and infrastructure asset management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Certerra provides technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification services for construction materials and critical infrastructure through a national network of certified laboratories, mobile labs, and field-deployed engineers. The company delivers geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, pavement engineering, building envelope detailing, subsurface imaging, instrumentation and monitoring, and specialty test lab services across 50+ locations in the United States.

Product overview

Certerra operates as a unified services platform offering five integrated service lines: Testing, Inspection & Certification; Engineering; Subsurface Imaging (including dedicated platform at certerra-subsurface.com); Instrumentation & Monitoring; and Specialty Test Labs (Analytical Laboratories). The company combines local expertise with national scale through a network of 50+ office and laboratory locations across North America. Services are delivered by an integrated team of engineers, technicians, and scientists who work across divisions to provide comprehensive solutions for critical infrastructure projects. The portfolio is augmented by 20+ acquired subsidiary companies including PRI, GeoTest, HGI, C Below, and others that contribute specialized capabilities to the unified service offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Certerra Subsurface Imaging: Subsurface imaging division offering geophysical characterization, dam characterization, drilling services, mining geophysics, leak detection, utility investigation, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure integrity services
• Certerra Analytical Laboratories
• Certerra Southern Engineering

Products and services

• Testing, Inspection & Certification Technology-enabled testing, inspection, and certification services using a national network of certified laboratories and mobile labs. Capabilities include construction materials testing, non-destructive testing (phased array ultrasonic, radiographic testing), inspection, quality management, and coating inspection services for infrastructure owners, contractors, and manufacturers.
• Engineering Services Comprehensive engineering services including geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, pavement engineering, and building envelope detailing. Services help clients navigate regulatory complexity and deliver technically complex investigations and assessments for critical infrastructure projects.
• Subsurface Imaging Advanced geophysical techniques for mapping, detecting, and analyzing underground structures, utilities, and geological conditions. Services include geophysical characterization, dam characterization, drilling services, mining geophysics, leak detection, utility investigation, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure integrity assessment using non-invasive methods such as electrical resistivity, GPR, and subsurface imaging.
• Instrumentation & Monitoring Monitoring services using advanced technology for structural integrity testing, vibration monitoring, and construction impact assessment. Capabilities include pile integrity testing, site monitoring, foundation load testing, dynamic pile monitoring, vibration, tilt, sound, settlement, and optical scanning monitoring with real-time data collection.
• Specialty Test Labs / Analytical Laboratories ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory facilities providing rigorous testing for materials, chemicals, and products. Specializes in building products testing, asphalt binders, cement and chemical admixtures, and chemical product testing for compliance and performance certification. Capabilities certified by over 600 Federal, State, ASTM, AASHTO, USACE, ISO, and foreign test methods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Repairs completed by November 2017 deadline for Oroville Dam emergency spillway
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global TIC giant offering testing, inspection, and certification across energy, infrastructure, transportation, and industrial markets; overlaps with Certerra's TIC core but at far greater scale and global breadth.
• WSP: Global engineering consultancy with major earth and environment practice (including legacy Golder) covering geotechnical, environmental, and materials testing; competes with Certerra on large multi-region infrastructure programs.
• GHD: Global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm with U.S. operations in geotechnical, environmental, and infrastructure inspection services that overlap with Certerra's offerings.
• SGS: One of the world's largest TIC companies with significant infrastructure, construction materials, and environmental testing operations in North America; comparable TIC business model at much larger scale.
• Stantec: International engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with North American geotechnical, materials testing, and environmental practices comparable to Certerra's service lines.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC firm with construction, infrastructure, and industrial testing services in the U.S.; competes on certifications and lab-based testing comparable to Certerra's Specialty Test Labs division.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consulting firm with large geotechnical, environmental, and construction services practices; competes for the same public-sector and engineering engagements as Certerra.

Direct peers

• Terracon Consultants: One of the largest U.S. employee-owned geotechnical, environmental, construction materials, and facilities engineering firms; competes head-to-head with Certerra in materials testing, geotechnical engineering, and environmental consulting for infrastructure and construction clients.
• Atlas Technical Consultants: U.S.-headquartered infrastructure and environmental services firm (formerly Atlas; now private) providing testing, inspection, certification, geotechnical, and environmental consulting; closely comparable operating model and customer base to Certerra.
• Kleinfelder: U.S.-based engineering, construction services, and consulting firm with deep overlap in geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, environmental services, and inspection — directly comparable service lines and customer segments to Certerra.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certerra

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries22 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 Certerra (formerly RMA Companies)