State Utility Contractors

What State Utility Contractors does

State Utility Contractors, Inc. is an employee-owned (ESOP) heavy civil construction contractor founded in 1986 and headquartered in Monroe, North Carolina, with a regional office in Leland (Wilmington), NC. The firm specializes in water and wastewater infrastructure for municipal, governmental, and industrial clients across the Carolinas and broader Southeast. Its core service lines are water and wastewater treatment plant construction, water and sewer pipeline installation (covering diameters from ¾-inch service lines to 84-inch storm drains), pump station and force main work, and site development infrastructure for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Notable named clients include Charlotte Water (multi-phase contracts exceeding $100M cumulatively), Town of Cary, City of Shelby, Camden SC, Lancaster County SC, Pender County, Duke Energy, and NUCOR.

Technically, the firm's capabilities span the full project lifecycle — pre-construction services (budgeting, value engineering, constructability review), self-performed construction (earthwork, deep excavation to 50+ feet, pipe bursting, directional drilling, bore-and-jack tunneling, rock blasting, concrete placement, mechanical equipment installation, SCADA systems integration), and post-construction services. Notable technical achievements include one of the largest ductile iron pipe (DIP) pipe bursting projects in the United States (5,500+ linear feet of 20-inch pipe), 850+ miles of pipeline installed since inception, and 200,000+ cubic yards of concrete placed. The firm delivers projects via Design-Bid-Build, Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), and Progressive Design-Build methods.

Commercially, State Utility generates revenue through project-based construction contracts ranging from roughly $500,000 to over $50 million, with typical durations of 12-36 months, awarded through competitive bidding or negotiated Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) arrangements. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales targeting municipal water/wastewater utilities, county and city governments, and selected industrial clients, leveraging long-standing industry relationships, trade association memberships (NUCA, CAGC, NC-AWWA-WEA, NC811, SC811), an online plan room presence on ISQFT/Dodge/Duncan Parnell, and a five-time Pinnacle Award reputation to win repeat work. Pricing is project-specific with public value-engineering savings returned to clients (e.g., $10.38M returned to Charlotte Water on the Clarke Creek program).

Name

State Utility Contractors

Legal name

State Utility Contractors, Inc.

Website

https://sucontractors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

State Utility Contractors is an employee-owned heavy civil construction firm in Monroe, NC that builds water and wastewater treatment plants, pipelines, and pump stations for municipal and industrial clients across the Carolinas and Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction

NAICS

Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711), Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237)

SIC

Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water & Wastewater Pipeline Construction (Mains, Force Mains, Interceptors) (IMAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pump Stations, Lift Stations & Booster Stations Construction (IMAFAGAD), Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG)

Keywords

• Water infrastructure construction
• Wastewater treatment construction
• Heavy civil construction
• Pipeline installation services
• Site development construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Heavy Civil Construction Contracts: State Utility Contractors generates revenue through project-based construction contracts for water and wastewater infrastructure. Revenue is earned through lump-sum fixed-price contracts (Design-Bid-Build), Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) arrangements, and Progressive Design-Build delivery methods. Projects range from $500,000 to over $50 million with typical contract durations of 12-36 months. Value engineering during projects often results in cost savings returned to clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

State Utility Contractors is a heavy civil construction company that builds water and wastewater infrastructure for municipal and government clients in the Southeast. Core services include construction of water and wastewater treatment plants, installation of water and sewer pipelines (ranging from 3/4 inch to 84 inch diameter), pump station construction, site development for residential/commercial/industrial projects, and related earthwork, concrete, and mechanical installation services delivered through Design-Bid-Build, Construction Manager at Risk, and Progressive Design-Build delivery methods.

Product overview

State Utility Contractors is a heavy civil construction company specializing in environmental service facilities in the Southeast. The company operates as a single unified construction services operation rather than a software product company. Their core service portfolio consists of water and wastewater treatment plant construction, water and sewer pipeline installation (over 850 miles installed to date), and site development. These services are delivered through integrated pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases. The company also provides supporting services including earthwork and grading, concrete placement (200,000+ cubic yards), mechanical equipment installation, and storm/sewer drainage systems. The company additionally operates internal digital tools including an Online Planroom for project document access and an Employee Portal for workforce management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Construction Construction of water and wastewater treatment facilities, including new plants, complex additions, headworks/screening/grit removal facilities, pump stations, and appurtenances. Serves municipal water and wastewater utilities, public works departments, and engineering firms in the Southeast U.S.
• Water and Sewer Pipeline Installation Installation of water lines, sewer lines, storm drains, and pump stations with pipe sizes ranging from 3/4 inch house service lines to 84 inch diameter storm drains. Includes directional drilling, pipe bursting, and bore and jack tunneling capabilities. Serves municipal utilities, developers, and industrial clients in the Southeast U.S.
• Site Development Land development infrastructure for residential, commercial, or industrial sites including grading, paving, and underground utilities delivered as turnkey solutions. Serves private developers, residential subdivisions, commercial sites, and industrial facilities requiring coordinated infrastructure construction.
• Earthwork and Grading Site preparation services including proper grading, excavation, and development for residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects. Includes rock excavation and blasting capabilities.
• Concrete Placement and Finishing Concrete placement and finishing services for treatment plants, pump stations, and infrastructure projects with over 200,000 cubic yards poured since company inception.
• Mechanical Equipment Installation

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered $61.6M Clarke Creek Program for $51.2M, returning $10.38M in savings to Charlotte Water
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HDRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022HDR has been the primary design partner on multiple major Charlotte Water projects including the Clarke Creek Program ($51.2M), Steele Creek Force Main Replacement ($23.8M), and other progressive design-build projects. HDR provides engineering design, routing alternatives, surveying, geotechnical coordination, and acquired easements to support pipeline alignments.
• Carolina CATminorOthers · 1 January 2022Equipment provider for annual Equipment Rodeo events, providing heavy equipment for student demonstrations at construction career events.
• Hazen and SawyercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Teamed with Hazen and Sawyer on Paw Creek Force Main Improvements Design-Build project ($9.8M) for CLT Water. Hazen and Sawyer provided design and permitting services for force main relocation due to airport expansion.
• Bobcat of Monroe, NCminorOthers · 1 January 2019Equipment provider for Equipment Rodeo community events, providing skid-steer loaders and mini excavators for student demonstrations.
• AECOMminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017AECOM served as design-build lead on the Duke Municipal Water Line project ($3.9M) with State Utility as team member for Duke Energy compliance with House Bill 630 requirements.
• Black & VeatchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partnered with Black & Veatch on the Middle Tyger River Pump Station CMAR project ($5.4M) with SJWD. Collaborated on value engineering at 60% design stage and CMAR contract execution.
• NUCAminorOthersNational Utility Contractors Association membership - trade association for utility construction industry providing networking, training, and advocacy.
• Carolinas AGC (CAGC)minorOthersCarolinas Association of General Contractors membership - trade association providing networking, training, and industry awards including Pinnacle Awards.
• NC-AWWA-WEAminorOthersNorth Carolina Section of American Water Works Association and Water Environment Association membership for water industry professionals.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Boh Brothers Construction: Boh Brothers is a Louisiana-based heavy civil contractor with a long-standing water/wastewater treatment plant and pipeline practice serving Gulf Coast municipalities; comparable specialty expertise and self-perform model but concentrated in Louisiana rather than the Carolinas.
• W.L. Hailey & Company: W.L. Hailey is a long-established Tennessee-based heavy utility contractor serving the Southeast with water/sewer pipeline, pump station, and treatment plant construction; comparable size and customer profile but operating primarily in Tennessee and Georgia.
• Lanzo Construction: Lanzo is a Florida-based heavy civil contractor specializing in water, sewer, and underground utility construction for municipal clients; comparable self-perform trenchless and pipeline capability, but operating primarily in Florida rather than the Carolinas.

Broad incumbents

• Granite Construction: Granite is a publicly-traded heavy civil contractor with significant water resources and pipeline construction work; competes in similar large-scale municipal water infrastructure bids across the Southeast while also operating large transportation and materials businesses.
• Kiewit Infrastructure: Kiewit is one of North America's largest heavy civil general contractors with a sizable water/wastewater and pipeline business; competes with State Utility for large Southeast municipal programs but is diversified across transportation, energy, and building construction.
• PCL Construction: PCL is a major North American general contractor with civil infrastructure operations including water/wastewater treatment facilities; broader and larger than State Utility but overlaps significantly on municipal treatment plant and pipeline project pursuits.

Direct peers

• Garney Construction: Garney is a Kansas City-based national water and wastewater pipeline and treatment plant contractor; directly comparable to State Utility in core scope, project delivery (CMAR, Design-Build), and municipal client base, only at larger national scale.
• S.J. Louis Construction: S.J. Louis is a Texas-based heavy civil contractor focused on water/wastewater pipelines, pump stations, and trenchless installation; closely aligned with State Utility's progressive design-build delivery model and municipal customer profile, though concentrated in the Southwest rather than Southeast.
• Thalle Construction: Thalle is a mid-Atlantic water and wastewater infrastructure contractor (pipelines, pump stations, treatment plants) serving municipal clients with Design-Build and CMAR delivery; directly comparable in scope and customer type to State Utility's Carolinas operation.
• Michels Corporation: Michels is one of the largest North American utility/heavy civil contractors with deep water, sewer, and pipeline installation capabilities; comparable project mix (large-diameter pipe, trenchless methods, treatment plants), federal/state municipal clients, and self-perform execution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCn72gXJYdhaA19nkiPoiB7g
• Facebookfacebook.com/stateutility
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-utility-contractors-inc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 State Utility Contractors