Western Refinery Services
Western Refinery Services is a Ferndale, Washington-headquartered specialty contractor founded in 1982 that delivers industrial maintenance, asphalt paving, civil construction, demolition, and emergency response services to refineries, government agencies, developers, and commercial clients across the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Idaho).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersFerndale, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Western Refinery Services does
Western Refinery Services (operating as WRS Construction) is a privately held, Ferndale, Washington-headquartered specialty contractor founded in 1982 by Jerry Libolt. The company delivers nine integrated service lines — Industrial Maintenance, Asphalt Paving & Maintenance, Civil Construction, Technology & Design, Land Leveling Scrapers, Demolition & Processing, Emergency Response, Hydro Excavation Utility Location, and Concrete — across the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Idaho). Its industrial maintenance business is anchored by multi-decade, site-embedded relationships with four refineries: BP Cherry Point, Phillips 66 (Ferndale), Holly Frontier Sinclair (Anacortes), and Marathon, where dedicated WRS site managers station crews for recurring hydro-blasting, tank cleaning, catalyst handling, reactor change-outs, waste handling, and turnaround support. The asphalt division executes approximately 600 jobs per year for commercial, government, and residential customers, while the civil construction division handles site development, mass grading, utility installation, and large earthworks for municipalities and private developers.
The business model is project-based and direct-to-customer, with revenue generated through competitive bidding on government/IDIQ contracts, estimator-led quotes for commercial and residential work, and ongoing master service agreements with industrial clients. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based rather than productized; free estimates are offered for asphalt. WRS self-performs all scopes — excavation, paving, foundations, demolition, transportation — eliminating subcontractor coordination overhead and enabling cross-deployment of crews and equipment. Underlying the operation is an integrated technology stack: Trimble 3D GPS-guided machine control for grading and utility installation, 3D clash-detection modeling during pre-construction, regular UAV site mapping for QA/QC, HCSS HeavyBid/HeavyJob/Spectrum for estimating and field execution, and NLB high-pressure water jetting (8,000-24,000 PSI) for industrial cleaning. A 0.63 EMR (Experience Modification Rate) reflects the safety performance that supports refinery qualification.
The company employs more than 260 people across two offices (Ferndale, WA and Nampa, ID) and remains 100% owner-operated by Ryan Likkel (CEO), with Billy VanZanten as COO and Cody Bormuth as CFO. Growth has been entirely organic and internally financed — no external investors, private equity, or venture capital are reported in the ownership structure — and has been driven by service-line diversification, sustained refinery contract renewals (e.g., three renewals of the City of Bellingham IDIQ), and the 2022 expansion into the Boise/Nampa, Idaho market. Customer segments are split between enterprise industrial (refineries), government (municipalities and counties), commercial (retail, hospitality, developers), and residential, with revenue concentration tilted toward the enterprise and government tiers.
Western Refinery Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Western Refinery Services
- Legal name
- Western Refinery Services
- Website
- https://wrsweb.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Western Refinery Services is a Ferndale, Washington-headquartered specialty contractor founded in 1982 that delivers industrial maintenance, asphalt paving, civil construction, demolition, and emergency response services to refineries, government agencies, developers, and commercial clients across the Pacific Northwest (Washington and Idaho).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Western Refinery Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Construction and Industrial Maintenance Services
- NAICS
- Other Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (238190)
- SIC
- Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refinery & Petrochemical O&M / Maintenance Outsourcing (EUAEAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tank, Vessel & Pipeline Inspection/Cleaning/Repair (API/ASME) (IMAIACAH), Water & Wastewater Pipeline Construction (Mains, Force Mains, Interceptors) (IMAFAGAC)
Keywords
Where Western Refinery Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ferndale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Western Refinery Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Construction Services: Project-based billing for specialty construction services including asphalt paving, civil construction, demolition, and industrial maintenance. Revenue generated through competitive bidding on projects and direct client engagements.
- Industrial Maintenance Services: Ongoing maintenance contracts with refineries and industrial facilities including catalyst handling, tank cleaning, hydro-blasting, and waste handling services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Western Refinery Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Western Refinery Services (WRS) is a Pacific Northwest specialty contractor providing industrial maintenance, asphalt paving and maintenance, civil construction, demolition, concrete, hydro excavation, land leveling, and emergency response services. The company self-performs all aspects of projects for refinery operators, government agencies, commercial developers, and residential customers. It differentiates through GPS-guided heavy equipment, 3D modeling, UAV mapping, and NLB high-pressure water jetting systems deployed across Washington and Idaho.
Product overview
Western Refinery Services (WRS) operates as a specialty contractor offering a comprehensive portfolio of construction and maintenance services. The company provides nine distinct service offerings: Industrial Maintenance (refinery and heavy industrial maintenance including hydro-blasting and tank cleaning), Asphalt Paving & Maintenance (commercial and residential paving, seal-coating, striping), Civil Construction (site work, grading, utilities), Technology & Design (3D modeling, UAV mapping, GPS-guided equipment), Land Leveling Scrapers (large-scale earthmoving with GPS-guided scrapers), Demolition & Processing (selective demolition and material reclamation), Emergency Response (rapid mobilization for spills and disaster recovery), Hydro Excavation Utility Location (hydro excavation and utility potholing), and Concrete (foundations, paving, flatwork). The services are delivered through dedicated divisions staffed by specialized crews with expertise spanning the Pacific Northwest and Idaho regions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Industrial Maintenance Provides refinery and heavy industrial facility maintenance including waste handling, catalyst handling, reactor change-outs, hydro-blasting, tank cleaning, and hazardous/non-hazardous waste handling using NLB High-Pressure Water Jetting Systems. Targets refineries (BP Cherry Point, Phillips 66, Holly Frontier Sinclair, Marathon) and heavy industrial operators.
- Asphalt Paving & Maintenance Specializes in commercial and residential paving, grading, grinding, patching and repairs, crack-sealing, seal-coating, line-striping, wheel stops, ADA stenciling, and extruded curb installation for driveways, parking lots, and roads. Targets commercial property owners, municipalities, and homeowners.
- Civil Construction Provides site setup, land-leveling, land-clearing, erosion control, mass grading, fine grading, utility installation, and storm drainage services for projects from residential to commercial scale. Targets developers, municipalities, and industrial clients.
- Technology & Design Offers 3D modeling, Trimble 3D GPS guidance, value engineering review, UAV mapping and inspection, and GPS-guided heavy equipment integration for construction projects. Internal service supporting WRS's project delivery and offered to clients as part of project execution.
- Land Leveling Scrapers Provides large-scale land-leveling and site-clearing operations using GPS-guided tractor-pulled scrapers capable of moving up to 40 cubic yards per pass, with automated heavy equipment integration. Targets large development and infrastructure projects (e.g., Tay-Ex Eastview 138-acre land leveling).
- Demolition & Processing Offers full demolition, selective demolition, material reclamation, processing, and sorting services using excavators with demolition shears and grapples for structural steel and concrete. Targets industrial, commercial, and infrastructure clients.
- Emergency Response Provides rapid mobilization for emergency repairs, spill response, slide prevention and repair, handling landslides and natural disasters (e.g., 2021/2022 Sumas Railroad flood repair with 20,000 yards flood deposit removal). Targets industrial operators, railroads, and government agencies.
- Hydro Excavation Utility Location Operates hydro excavation and vac trucks for emergency spill response, site cleanup, excavation around critical infrastructure, and complex underground utility installations with robotic and GPS survey equipment. Targets refineries, municipalities, and contractors needing non-destructive excavation.
- Concrete Provides structural concrete foundations, concrete paving, and concrete flatwork services for civil construction projects. Targets developers, municipalities, and commercial/industrial clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- ~600 asphalt jobs completed annually
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Western Refinery Services
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Western Refinery Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Western Refinery Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Western Refinery Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Clean Harbors: National environmental and industrial services company providing refinery maintenance, waste handling, hydro-blasting, and turnaround support — directly overlapping WRS's industrial maintenance service line, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
- Sterling Infrastructure: Diversified heavy civil and specialty contractor — overlaps WRS's civil construction, site development, and transportation infrastructure work, but at national scale across multiple end markets.
- Granite Construction: Large U.S. civil infrastructure and construction company — overlaps WRS's civil construction, asphalt paving, and site-development work, but at materially greater scale and with broader geographic and public-sector exposure.
- Quanta Services: Large infrastructure services provider for energy and utility customers — adjacent to WRS's industrial maintenance and utility installation work, particularly with refinery and pipeline-adjacent clients.
Direct peers
- Brand Industrial Services: Industrial maintenance and construction contractor serving refineries and heavy industrial facilities with scaffolding, insulation, painting, and mechanical services — comparable as a refinery-focused specialty contractor with similar industrial maintenance scope.
- Matrix Service Company: Specialty contractor focused on storage terminals, tank construction, and refinery/industrial maintenance — directly comparable to WRS's tank cleaning, hydro-blasting, and refinery-side work.
- Turner Industries: Large industrial services contractor serving refineries and petrochemical plants with maintenance, construction, and turnaround services — comparable in customer base (refineries/petrochem operators), self-perform model, and integrated service delivery.
- IEA Constructors (MasTec Industrial): Industrial contractor providing mechanical, electrical, and maintenance services to refineries and process plants — comparable in customer overlap (refinery operators), self-perform delivery, and turnarounds support.
Regional players
- Tapani Inc. Pacific Northwest site development, excavation, and utility contractor — comparable to WRS's civil construction, demolition, and site-work services within the same PNW geography.
- Lakeside Industries: Pacific Northwest asphalt paving and aggregate producer — directly comparable to WRS's asphalt paving and maintenance division within the same regional footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Western Refinery Services social profiles
Digital presenceWestern Refinery Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Western Refinery Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Western Refinery Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Western Refinery Services 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 Western Refinery Services
What does Western Refinery Services do?
Western Refinery Services (WRS) is a Pacific Northwest specialty contractor providing industrial maintenance, asphalt paving and maintenance, civil construction, demolition, concrete, hydro excavation, land leveling, and emergency response services. The company self-performs all aspects of projects for refinery operators, government agencies, commercial developers, and residential customers. It differentiates through GPS-guided heavy equipment, 3D modeling, UAV mapping, and NLB high-pressure water jetting systems deployed across Washington and Idaho.
Is Western Refinery Services a public or private company?
Western Refinery Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Western Refinery Services founded?
Western Refinery Services was founded in 1982. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Western Refinery Services based?
Western Refinery Services is headquartered in Ferndale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Western Refinery Services make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Construction Services are the primary driver. The others are industrial Maintenance Services.
Who are Western Refinery Services's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Clean Harbors, Sterling Infrastructure, Granite Construction and Quanta Services. Direct peers are Brand Industrial Services, Matrix Service Company, Turner Industries and IEA Constructors (MasTec Industrial). Regional players are Tapani Inc. and Lakeside Industries.
Does Western Refinery Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Western Refinery Services.
What industry is Western Refinery Services in?
Western Refinery Services's product category is Specialty Construction and Industrial Maintenance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAEAGAG, Refinery & Petrochemical O&M / Maintenance Outsourcing, with a secondary code of IMAIACAH, Tank, Vessel & Pipeline Inspection/Cleaning/Repair (API/ASME). Its NAICS code is 238190 and its SIC code is 1389.