C3s, Inc.
C3S, Inc. is a Houston-based civil, materials, and structural consulting firm founded in 1991 that specializes in concrete and construction materials testing, forensic evaluation, and expert witness services for government, engineering firms, property owners, and industrial clients in the U.S. and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What C3s, Inc. does
C3S, Inc. is a Houston, Texas-based civil, materials, and structural consulting and testing firm specializing in the comprehensive evaluation of concrete and its constituent materials. Founded in 1991 by Dr. S. Ebow Coleman, Ph.D., P.E., the firm delivers professional services across three project phases — planning (material qualification and aggregate sourcing), construction (quality control and conformity testing), and maintenance/forensic (root-cause failure analysis and rehabilitation design). Its service portfolio includes non-destructive testing (UPV, GPR, half-cell potential, impact echo, Schmidt Rebound Hammer), destructive laboratory testing (compressive strength per ASTM C39, abrasion, permeability, chloride content), advanced analytical techniques (petrographic examination per ASTM C856, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, GCMS, FTIR), expert witness and litigation support, and structural design for concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structures.
The firm operates as a project-based professional services practice, billing on a quote-by-engagement basis with a free consultation as the entry point for new clients. It serves a diversified customer base that spans government entities (Port of Houston Authority, Houston Airport System, Harris County Toll Road, City of Houston, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects), architecture and engineering firms (HDR, LJA Engineering, Bechtel, Amec Foster Wheeler, Fugro, Morganti, Tolunay-Wong), property managers and owners (Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Crown Castle), testing laboratories, and industrial facilities. Markets served include the U.S. Southwest, Southeast, Central, and Western regions alongside international engagements in Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, and Belize.
C3S's competitive positioning rests on the founder's specialized expertise, two co-authored US patents, proprietary research papers, and a 30-plus-year track record on high-profile projects such as Bechtel's $12 billion Angola LNG plant (2005–2010) and the structural integrity evaluation of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. The firm does not operate a product-led or self-serve growth motion; client acquisition is driven by direct sales, referrals from engineering firms, government procurement relationships, and the firm's published case studies.
C3s, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- C3s, Inc.
- Legal name
- C3S, Inc.
- Website
- https://c3sinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- C3S, Inc. is a Houston-based civil, materials, and structural consulting firm founded in 1991 that specializes in concrete and construction materials testing, forensic evaluation, and expert witness services for government, engineering firms, property owners, and industrial clients in the U.S. and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
C3s, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Construction Materials Engineering Consulting
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Engineering Services (541330), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN)
Keywords
Where C3s, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
C3s, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Engineering Consulting and Testing Services: Professional services revenue derived from providing concrete and materials engineering consulting, testing, and forensic evaluation services. Billed on a project basis, likely as professional services contracts with government agencies, engineering firms, property owners, and industrial clients. Covers all three project phases: planning, construction, and maintenance/forensic.
- Expert Witness and Litigation Support: Expert witness testimony, field research, depositions, and case evaluations in construction litigation cases involving concrete structures. Provided as a specialized consulting service to legal professionals, insurance companies, and project owners.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
C3s, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
C3S, Inc. provides civil, materials, and structural engineering consulting and testing services focused on concrete and its related ingredients. Services are organized across three project phases — Project Planning Phase (material verification and qualification), Construction Phase (quality control monitoring), and Maintenance/Forensic Phase (problem diagnosis and repair recommendations) — and include petrographic analysis, SEM, XRD, TGA, GCMS, FTIR, non-destructive testing, compressive strength testing, forensic evaluation, expert witness testimony, and structural design for concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structures.
Product overview
C3S, Inc. is a civil, materials, and structural consulting and testing company offering a comprehensive suite of concrete evaluation services. The company operates as a single integrated service offering organized around three project phases: Project Planning Phase, Construction Phase, and Maintenance/Forensic Phase. Core services include Concrete Non-Destructive Testing, Concrete Testing (compressive strength, abrasion, permeability), Forensic Evaluation of Concrete, Expert Witness/Litigation Support, Petrographic Analysis & Scanning Electron Microscopy, GCMS & FTIR Analysis, and Thermogravimetric & X-Ray Diffraction Analysis. The company also provides Engineering Consulting Services and Structural Design for concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structures. All services are delivered by experienced engineers, inspectors, and technicians using advanced analytical methods.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Engineering Consulting Services Civil, materials, and structural engineering consulting across three project phases: Project Planning Phase (material verification), Construction Phase (quality control), and Maintenance/Forensic Phase (problem diagnosis and repair recommendations). For government agencies, A/E firms, property owners, and industrial clients.
- Concrete Non-Destructive Testing Non-destructive testing services to assess existing concrete structure conditions without damaging the material, including Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity, Ground Penetrating Radar, Half-Cell Potential, Impact Echo, and Schmidt Rebound Hammer testing. For infrastructure owners, government agencies, and engineering firms needing condition assessments.
- Concrete Testing Material testing services including compressive strength testing (ASTM C39), Los Angeles Abrasion testing, organic impurities testing, permeability testing, and soluble chloride content testing. For construction projects, infrastructure owners, and engineering firms.
- Forensic Evaluation of Concrete Forensic investigation services to determine causes of concrete deterioration, distress, or failure using petrographic examination, hardened air-void analysis, compressive strength testing, chloride content testing, ground penetrating radar, and ultrasonic testing. For property owners, attorneys, insurance companies, and infrastructure operators.
- Expert Witness Services Litigation support including expert witness testimony, field research, depositions, and case evaluations for cases involving cracks and defects in concrete structures and construction. For legal professionals, insurance companies, and project owners.
- Petrographic Analysis & Scanning Electron Microscopy Microscopic examination of concrete specimens under low and high power magnification using optical methods and scanning electron microscopy to identify hardened cement paste constituents, detect deleterious reactions, and assess concrete quality. For forensic investigations, material qualification, and quality assurance.
- GCMS & FTIR Analysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy services for chemical fingerprinting of compounds and identifying root causes of concrete problems. For forensic root-cause identification involving seal coats and contaminants.
- Thermogravimetric & X-Ray Diffraction Analysis Thermal stability and composition analysis using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) for identifying crystalline materials such as calcium hydroxide, ettringite, and others in cement pastes and limestones in concrete. For forensic investigative work complementing petrographic and SEM analysis.
- Structural Design Services Structural design services for new and existing concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structures including foundations. For owners, developers, and engineering firms.
Quantifiable outcome
- Durability assessment confirming structural integrity of 40-year-old concrete piles at Port of Texas City Docks 40-41: compressive strength ranged from 7,200 to 13,000 psi; dense cement paste; no deleterious reaction products; rebar protection confirmed by carbonation test.
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use C3s, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
C3s, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
C3s, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Bechtel (Angola LNG Project)coreC3S was contracted as one of the subcontractors to evaluate local aggregate sources in Angola for the $12.0 billion Angola LNG processing plant and to monitor quality of Portland cement imported from China. This was a multi-year international project requiring evaluation of multiple aggregate deposits per ASTM standards.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
C3s, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SGS: Global TIC giant providing construction materials testing, structural inspection, and laboratory services across the infrastructure lifecycle — competes with C3S in materials testing, especially on large international projects such as the Angola LNG-class engagements.
- Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) incumbent that offers construction materials testing, structural inspections, and compliance services — overlaps broadly with C3S in concrete/materials testing but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- Intertek: Global TIC firm with construction materials testing, NDT, and structural evaluation capabilities — comparable to C3S in serving infrastructure and industrial clients, though as part of a much broader testing and certification portfolio.
Direct peers
- Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): Engineering firm providing structural design, materials science, and forensic investigation of buildings and infrastructure — competes with C3S in concrete evaluation, condition assessment, and expert-witness engagements for complex structures.
- CTLGroup: Skokie, IL-based engineering and scientific consulting firm specializing in concrete materials evaluation, petrography, structural assessment, and forensic investigation — directly overlapping C3S in advanced concrete testing and failure analysis for owners, attorneys, and government agencies.
- ECS Group: Large geotechnical, environmental, and construction materials testing firm serving public and private clients nationwide — comparable to C3S in concrete testing, structural inspection, and forensic investigation, though at much broader scale and footprint.
- Twining, Inc. California-based engineering testing and inspection firm with a strong concrete, materials, and geotechnical practice — comparable to C3S in serving public agencies and A/E firms with construction-phase QC and forensic materials work.
- STRUCTURAL Group: Specialty contractor and engineering firm focused on concrete repair, rehabilitation, and protection of infrastructure — overlaps with C3S's Maintenance/Forensic phase services and the technical assessment side of repair design.
- Geocomp Corporation: Geotechnical and geo-structural instrumentation/consulting firm — comparable to C3S in providing specialized testing, condition assessment, and forensic engineering to infrastructure owners.
- Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE): National engineering firm with deep structural and materials forensics practice, including petrographic and laboratory services for concrete — closely comparable to C3S in serving infrastructure owners, A/E firms, and litigators with forensic root-cause analysis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
C3s, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceC3s, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
C3s, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
C3s, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
C3s, Inc. 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 C3s, Inc.
What does C3s, Inc. do?
C3S, Inc. provides civil, materials, and structural engineering consulting and testing services focused on concrete and its related ingredients. Services are organized across three project phases — Project Planning Phase (material verification and qualification), Construction Phase (quality control monitoring), and Maintenance/Forensic Phase (problem diagnosis and repair recommendations) — and include petrographic analysis, SEM, XRD, TGA, GCMS, FTIR, non-destructive testing, compressive strength testing, forensic evaluation, expert witness testimony, and structural design for concrete, steel, wood, and masonry structures.
Is C3s, Inc. a public or private company?
C3s, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was C3s, Inc. founded?
C3s, Inc. was founded in 1991. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is C3s, Inc. based?
C3s, Inc. is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does C3s, Inc. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Engineering Consulting and Testing Services are the primary driver. The others are expert Witness and Litigation Support.
Who are C3s, Inc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SGS, Bureau Veritas and Intertek. Direct peers are Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), CTLGroup, ECS Group, Twining, Inc., STRUCTURAL Group, Geocomp Corporation and Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE).
Does C3s, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for C3s, Inc..
What industry is C3s, Inc. in?
C3s, Inc.'s product category is Construction Materials Engineering Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAIAN, Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.