What Subsurface Utility Engineering does

SUE LATAM (Subsurface Utility Engineering) is a Quito-based civil engineering firm that detects, localizes, and maps underground utilities and infrastructure for construction projects throughout Ecuador. Its service portfolio comprises detection, cadastral mapping, localization, as-built plan generation, service coordination, construction-phase support, and large-scale soterramiento (cable burial) projects. The methodology combines geophysical equipment, surveying, and civil engineering, executed under the INEN 2873 national norm — a standard the company helped establish in Ecuador. Its flagship engagement is the Bahía de Caraquez cable burial project, which SUE LATAM publicly positions as the largest of its kind in the country. Customers are concentrated in government, roadway, water and sanitation, industrial, and oil and gas sectors across Ecuador, with Colombia listed as a secondary market through conference participation.

The business operates as a project-based professional services firm, generating revenue exclusively from custom-scoped engineering engagements quoted through the company's website. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to construction companies, infrastructure developers, and government entities, supplemented by content marketing (blog, podcast appearances), conference presence (XII Congreso Colombiano de Transporte y Tránsito in 2017; UESI/SUE Association events in 2024), and LinkedIn activity. Pricing is pay-as-you-go per project, with no publicly disclosed tiers or recurring contracts. SUE LATAM is privately held, has 1-10 employees per firmographic data, and reports no funding rounds, parent company, or institutional investors. Leadership comprises CEO Nicholas M. Zembillas, an original member of the ASCE CI/ASCE 38-02 standards committee who continues to advise on SUE standards globally, and President Alejandro Rodas, credited with introducing the SUE discipline to Ecuador. The company maintains professional relationships with UESI and the Subsurface Utility Engineering Association, and operates from a single national headquarters serving the Ecuadorian territory.

Name

Subsurface Utility Engineering

Legal name

SUELATAM

Website

https://suelatam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SUE LATAM is a Quito-based civil engineering firm that detects, localizes, and maps underground utilities for infrastructure projects across Ecuador using geophysics, surveying, and INEN 2873-standardized methodology, serving government, roadway, water/sanitation, industrial, and oil and gas clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Quito

HQ country

Ecuador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Project-based engineering services for underground infrastructure detection, mapping, and coordination. Services provided before or during construction phases of infrastructure projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SUE LATAM provides Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services that detect, locate, and map underground utilities and infrastructure using geophysical equipment and specialized technicians. The company combines geophysics, surveying, and civil engineering under the INEN 2873 standardized methodology to produce accurate as-built plans and coordinate underground services before or during construction phases of infrastructure projects across Ecuador.

Product overview

SUELATAM offers Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) services as a unified portfolio of specialized engineering offerings. The core services include Detección (Detection), Mapeo Catastro (Cadastral Mapping), Localización (Localization), Planos as-built (As-built Plans), Coordinación de Servicios (Service Coordination), and Durante la Construcción (During Construction) support. These services combine geophysics, surveying, and civil engineering to provide precise underground infrastructure mapping. The company also performs specialized soterramiento (burial) projects for cables and utilities, with notable projects in roadways, drinking water/sanitation, industrial, and hydrocarbon sectors throughout Ecuador.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Detección (Detection) Detection service for identifying the presence and location of underground utilities and infrastructure using geophysical equipment and specialized technicians; intended for construction companies, government entities, and infrastructure developers planning or executing projects in Ecuador.
• Mapeo Catastro (Cadastral Mapping) Cadastral mapping service providing accurate spatial records of underground infrastructure for land and project documentation; serves land records, utilities, and construction project documentation needs in Ecuador.
• Localización (Localization) Localization service for precisely pinpointing the exact position of underground utilities and services; used by construction and infrastructure project teams needing accurate horizontal/vertical positioning of buried assets.
• Planos as-built (As-built Plans) As-built plan generation service producing detailed drawings documenting the actual installed positions of underground infrastructure; delivered to construction companies and infrastructure owners for project closeout and records.
• Coordinación de Servicios (Service Coordination) Service coordination that integrates and aligns multiple underground utility stakeholders and their requirements during project planning and execution; targeted at multi-utility construction projects in Ecuador.
• Durante la Construcción (Construction Phase Support) Construction phase support providing real-time detection and mapping of underground utilities during active construction projects; intended for contractors working in environments with unknown or unmapped buried infrastructure.
• Proyecto de Soterramiento (Underground Burial Project) Underground burial (soterramiento) project service for cables and utilities, delivered to municipal and government clients; includes the Bahía de Caraquez project described as the largest cable burial project in Ecuador.

Quantifiable outcome

• Avoids delays, accidents to personnel, property damage, and environmental contamination
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• UESI - Utility Engineering and Surveying InstituteminorOthersProfessional association connection for utility engineering and surveying. SUE LATAM maintains association membership and references UESI content on LinkedIn.
• Subsurface Utility Engineering AssociationminorOthersIndustry association for SUE professionals. SUE LATAM maintains association connection and references association content.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GPRS (Ground Penetrating Radar Systems): U.S. leader in private utility locating, concrete scanning, and 3D laser scanning using GPR and similar geophysical methods. Directly competes with the same suite of subsurface detection services SUE LATAM provides.
• McKim & Creed: Engineering and surveying firm with a dedicated SUE service line serving utility, transportation, and development clients in the U.S. Southeast. Closely comparable in offering breadth across detection, mapping, and coordination.
• UtiliQuest: U.S.-based firm specializing in subsurface utility locating and damage prevention for utility owners and construction projects. Directly comparable to SUE LATAM in service offering, though operates at significantly larger scale in North America.
• T2 Utility Engineers: Specialty SUE and utility coordination firm providing designating, locating, and mapping of underground infrastructure. Closest pure-play comparable in business model and technical scope to SUE LATAM.

Others

• UESI (Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute): ASCE-affiliated professional institute for utility engineering and surveying professionals. SUE LATAM holds association membership and the CEO is involved in standards work; relevant ecosystem/peer for credibility rather than commercial competition.
• Radiodetection: Global manufacturer of cable and pipe avoidance tools used in utility detection workflows. Adjacent peer as an enabling technology vendor for the same SUE workflow.
• Subsurface Utility Engineering Association: Industry association for SUE practitioners that SUE LATAM partners with. Comparable as an ecosystem body shaping professional standards and demand for SUE services.
• Subsite Electronics (utility locating equipment): Manufacturer of utility locating and vacuum excavation equipment used by SUE practitioners. Adjacent peer as the supplier of the geophysical and locating hardware SUE LATAM deploys in the field.

Broad incumbents

• Cardno / Stantec (SUE practice): Stantec (which acquired Cardno's North American SUE practice) offers SUE services within a much broader engineering portfolio. Comparable in service line, but competes as part of a multi-discipline global firm rather than a specialty boutique.
• Badger Daylighting: Large-scale hydrovac excavation provider that complements SUE by exposing verified utilities. Comparable where SUE LATAM's methodology overlaps with vacuum/hydro excavation for utility exposure and confirmation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NickZembillas
• YouTubelinkedin.com/video/live/urn:li:ugcPost:7051193964913115137
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sue-latam

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 Subsurface Utility Engineering