What Soderef does

Soderef (legal entity SODEREF SAS) is a French civil engineering consultancy (bureau d'étude VRD) founded in 1981 and headquartered in Évreux (Normandy), with a second regional office in Hoerdt (Alsace). The firm specializes in Voirie, Réseaux Divers — the engineering of roads, utilities networks, and associated public infrastructure — and delivers a broad portfolio including urban development and ZAC planning, hydraulic engineering and Loi sur l'Eau compliance, linear infrastructure (greenways, bike paths, multimodal hubs), public space design, sports facilities, fountain and lighting design, network renewal, and PMR accessibility compliance. The core operating model is integrated project management: each project contact simultaneously serves as project manager and executor, handling conception, design, written documentation, and construction supervision directly to eliminate handoffs.

Soderef generates revenue exclusively through fee-for-service engineering studies, project design, and construction supervision billed to public and (selectively) private clients. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting French municipalities (communes), intermunicipal communities (EPCI — communautés de communes and agglomérations), and select housing authorities and developers. Business development relies on competitive bidding for public infrastructure contracts and the renewal of multi-year frameworks (e.g., Ville de Rouen 2022-2026, Parc Astérix 2023-2027). Distribution is purely direct, with no reseller or self-serve channels; marketing is limited to a LinkedIn presence, a portfolio-style company website, and earned media in regional press.

The firm is privately held as a Société par Actions Simplifiée with €61,170 in capital social and is managed by four associates — President Yann Lemaitre (since 2000), Alsace agency head Renaud Balzer (since 2007), Commercial Director Hervé Boulanger (since 1982), and Administrative and Financial Director Valérie Gemptel (since 2000) — all promoted internally and constituting the third generation of leadership. Headcount is disclosed in the 11-50 range, with no external investors, parent company, or M&A activity indicated. Operational geographies cover Normandy, Alsace, Île-de-France, and Centre-Val de Loire, with no claims of global footprint.

Name

Soderef

Legal name

SODEREF SAS

Website

https://soderef.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soderef is a French civil engineering consultancy (founded 1981, headquartered in Évreux) specializing in VRD — roads, utilities networks, and public infrastructure — serving municipalities, intermunicipal communities, and select private developers across four French regions with integrated project management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Services

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental & Permitting Execution Services (Erosion Control, Habitat Mitigation, Compliance) (EUAEADAL)

Keywords

• Civil engineering consultancy
• Road infrastructure design
• Urban development services
• Hydraulic engineering services
• Public space planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Évreux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering consulting services: Fee-for-service consulting revenue generated from engineering studies, project design, and construction supervision for public infrastructure projects including roads, utilities, public spaces, and hydraulic systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Soderef is a French VRD (Voirie, Réseaux Divers) engineering consultancy that provides integrated civil engineering services for public infrastructure including roads, utilities networks, urban development, hydraulic engineering, and public space design. The firm operates as a human-sized bureau d'études with a single-point-of-contact model where each project lead handles conception, design, written documentation, and construction supervision directly. It serves French municipalities, intermunicipal communities, and public developers across Normandy, Alsace, Île-de-France, and Centre-Val de Loire.

Product overview

Soderef is a traditional engineering consultancy (Bureau d'étude VRD) offering specialized services in roads and infrastructure networks (Voirie Réseux Divers). The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of engineering services including urban development and planning, hydraulic engineering, linear infrastructure (bike paths, greenways), public space design, sports facilities, fountain design, lighting systems, and network renewal. Operating since 1981 with two locations (Evreux headquarters and Alsace agency in Hoerdt), Soderef serves both public and private clients across urban requalification, residential development, and infrastructure projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VRD Engineering Studies (Voirie Réseaux Divers) Core engineering consultancy covering roads, utilities networks, and infrastructure development, including design studies and construction monitoring for public and private projects.
• Urban Development and Planning (Aménagement Urbain) Urban development studies including ZAC (Zone d'Aménagement Concerté) development, urban roads, public squares, and city requalification projects.
• Hydraulic Engineering (Hydraulique) Water management engineering including stormwater management, infiltration studies, water law compliance (Loi sur l'Eau), and hydraulic infrastructure design.
• Linear Infrastructure (Infrastructures Linéaires) Design of linear infrastructure projects including greenways (voies vertes), bike paths, pedestrian pathways, and multi-modal transport hubs.
• Public Space Design (Espaces Publics) Design of public spaces including squares, streetscapes, parking areas, and accessibility-compliant environments.
• Sports Facilities Design (Terrain de Sport) Design of sports fields and recreational facilities including skate parks and multi-sport areas.
• Fountain Design (Fontainerie) Design of urban fountains and water features including lighting integration and decorative water elements.
• Lighting Design (Éclairage) Urban lighting design including public space illumination, solar-powered installations, and architectural lighting.
• Network Renewal (Renouvellement de Réseaux) Renewal and development of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater networks for municipalities and developers.
• PMR Accessibility Services Accessibility compliance services for public transport stops and facilities ensuring compliance with disability access regulations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Completion of 40+ years of continuous operation with 3rd generation leadership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• ARBRE A CADABRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLandscape architecture firm serving as primary design partner on multiple urban development and renaturation projects including Rouen school courtyards, Louviers public spaces, and Parc Princesse au Vésinet. Long-term collaborative relationship on public space design projects.
• Collectif ArcadecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign collective collaborating on renaturation projects, particularly school courtyard transformations in Rouen. Partnership involves co-creation and design development for urban greening initiatives.
• Grand Paris AménagementmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor public development agency for whom Soderef provided hydraulic engineering services for the Parc Princesse au Vésinet project - a flagship 18-hectare eco-district development.
• Métropole Rouen NormandiemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrimary metropolitan client for multiple infrastructure projects including greenways, public space development, and urban requalification across the Rouen metropolitan area.
• Eiffage RouteminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstruction company engaged as contractor on multiple Soderef-designed projects including Parc Bresles Maritime roundabout and road infrastructure projects.
• Groupe LHOTELLIERminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstruction contractor engaged for Parc Bresles Maritime project execution.
• VIAFRANCE NormandieminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConstruction company contracted for multiple Soderef-designed projects including Rouen school courtyard renaturation and Val de Reuil housing development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Egis: Large French engineering group operating across urban development, transport, water, and environment sectors. Overlaps with Soderef in public infrastructure and urban development services but with much broader service portfolio and global scale.
• Setec: Major French engineering group with broad infrastructure, urban development, and environmental practices. Comparable service overlap with Soderef, particularly in urban infrastructure and public-sector engineering, but operates at substantially larger scale with multidisciplinary capabilities.
• SAFEGE (Suez): Engineering consultancy subsidiary of Suez specializing in water, environment, and urban infrastructure in France. Comparable overlap in hydraulic engineering, water networks, and municipal infrastructure design with significantly larger corporate backing.
• Artelia: Major French engineering and project management group with extensive urban, water, environment, and infrastructure capabilities. Competes with Soderef for French municipal and metropolitan infrastructure contracts but at significantly larger scale and geographic footprint.
• Tractebel (Engie): Global engineering consultancy owned by Engie with strong French presence in urban infrastructure, water, and environment. Competes with Soderef on larger metropolitan and regional infrastructure mandates with multidisciplinary capabilities beyond Soderef's scope.

Direct peers

• Cabinet Merlin: French independent engineering consultancy specializing in water, environment, and urban infrastructure. Closely comparable to Soderef as a mid-sized French firm delivering VRD, hydraulics, and public-sector engineering services to municipalities and EPCIs.
• SCE: French engineering consultancy (subsidiary of Keran group) providing urban planning, infrastructure, water, and environment services. Comparable mid-scale French competitor serving similar municipal and intermunicipal clients with comparable VRD and urban development capabilities.
• Verdi Ingénierie: French independent engineering consultancy specializing in VRD, urban planning, hydraulics, and environment. Operates at a similar scale and with a comparable integrated project management model for municipal clients across multiple French regions.
• Altereo: French engineering firm specialized in water cycle, urban infrastructure, and environmental engineering for local authorities. Directly comparable service portfolio including water law compliance, urban development, and infrastructure studies targeting the same municipal client base.

Emerging players

• Géotec: French geotechnical and environmental engineering firm with partial overlap to Soderef's subsurface, utilities, and environmental compliance work. Comparable regional French engineering scale but more focused on geotechnical investigations than full VRD design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soderef-sa
• Facebookfacebook.com/yann.lemaitre.pdg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Soderef