Name

James Peterson Sons

Legal name

James Peterson Sons, Inc.

Website

https://jamespetersonsonsinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction Services

NAICS

Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (2379), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110), Support Activities for Mining (21311)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

OFS Engineering, Construction & O&M (Field Development, Brownfield, Maintenance) (EUALABAM)

Keywords

• Heavy civil construction
• Road highway construction
• Excavation earthmoving
• Aggregate production
• Utility construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Medford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Construction Services: Project-based heavy civil construction services including road/highway construction, excavation, utility installation, and site development. Revenue is generated through competitive bidding on public and private construction projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

James Peterson Sons is a heavy civil construction company that performs road and highway construction, excavation and earth moving, aggregate production from owned gravel pits, utility installation (sanitary, storm sewer, water main), MSE wall construction, storm water management, mobile concrete mixing, mining support, landfill construction, railroad grading, and airport construction. Services are delivered primarily to government agencies (state DOTs, municipalities, counties) and commercial developers through competitive bidding, supported by GPS-guided machine control and 3D modeling technology.

Product overview

James Peterson Sons is a 5th generation family-owned construction company serving Wisconsin since the 1930s, operating as a unified construction services platform with multiple divisions. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of heavy civil construction services including Road & Highway Construction, Excavation/Earth Moving, Aggregate Production, Utility Construction (Sanitary/Storm/Water), Peterson Mobile Concrete, and specialized services such as Airport Construction, Mining Support, Landfill Construction, and Railroad Grading. Technology-enabled capabilities include GPS Machine Control using Topcon and Trimble systems and 3D Computer Drafting and Modeling for precise quantity calculations. The company operates through two main subsidiaries: Buteyn-Peterson Construction Co., Inc. (acquired 1999) and the JPS-Utility Division (added 2005), with over 25 company-operated gravel pits across Wisconsin and a workforce of over 200 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Road & Highway Construction Complete road and highway construction services executed to design specifications, including the ability to adjust to varying site conditions to keep projects on schedule and on budget; serves state DOTs, counties, and municipalities.
• Excavation / Earth Moving Full-service excavation and earth moving capabilities handling projects from 100 cubic yards to 1,000,000 cubic yards of material for government and commercial clients.
• Long Reach Excavation Long-reach excavator service with a 72-foot reach and 3 cubic yard bucket for specialized excavation projects requiring extended reach.
• Aggregate Production In-house gravel crushing and production from more than 25 owned gravel pits across Wisconsin, producing aggregates for highways, driveways, asphalt, and concrete applications.
• MSE Walls Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall construction ranging from small decorative wall structures to multi-million dollar highway applications.
• Sanitary & Storm Sewer / Water Main Construction Utility Division services for sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and water main construction, including complex designs and difficult installations across Wisconsin.
• Peterson Mobile Concrete On-site metered mobile concrete mixing and delivery service available in Medford, WI and surrounding areas, with metered output eliminating waste.
• Commercial & Residential Site Work New land development and site re-development services with design assistance and cost analysis for commercial and residential developers.
• Storm Water Management Detention and retention systems for managing water drainage on projects ranging from single houses to 100-acre subdivisions.
• Frac Sand Mining Support Silica sand (frac sand) mining and mine development services including site work and heavy equipment support for mining operators.
• Agricultural Site Development Agricultural site development including planning, designing, building, storm water mitigation, drainage ditches, and manure pits for farm operations.
• Public / Private Lift Station Construction Lift station installation for sites located at low points where storm or waste water cannot flow naturally, serving both public and private clients.
• Railroad Grading and Removal Sub-base construction for new railroad spurs and removal/disposal of existing tracks with area restoration or improvement.
• Landfill Construction / Maintenance Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) member services including planning, design, building, maintenance, industrial/MSW landfills, gas recovery, and groundwater control.
• Metallic Mining Support Support services for metallic mining operations (copper, iron, zinc, lead) including hauling, rock sampling, site work, and road construction.
• Airport Construction Public and private airport construction and maintenance, including work experience on military bases throughout Wisconsin.
• GPS Machine Control GPS-guided excavation control technology service using Topcon and Trimble GPS systems on dozers, excavators, and graders to achieve 1/10th-foot (1.25 inch) accuracy on earthwork projects.
• 3D Computer Drafting and Modeling In-house 3D computer modeling service combined with GPS input technology that calculates precise job quantities, cut/fill measurements, utility quantities, and earthwork material hauling.

Quantifiable outcome

• GPS accuracy within 1/10th of a foot (1.25 inches)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 and minor.

• Edgerton-Peterson Joint VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2019Joint venture between James Peterson Sons and Edgerton for Foxconn site excavation and stormwater utilities project. This partnership enabled the companies to handle the large-scale site development work required for the Foxconn manufacturing facility.
• Buteyn-Peterson Construction Co., Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired in 1999 (originally Buteyn Excavating and Grading Company), renamed to Buteyn-Peterson Construction Inc. Provides additional excavation and grading capabilities serving the Sheboygan area.
• JPS-Utility Division (formerly Lakeland Enterprises)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdded in 2005, provides sanitary, storm sewer, and water main construction services throughout Wisconsin.
• Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association (WTBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association where multiple Peterson family members have served as President. Jeff Peterson (2022-2023), Jim Peterson (2006-2007), Tim Peterson (2000-2001), Jack Peterson (1988-1989). Active advocacy for road construction industry interests.
• American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational industry association. Jim Peterson served as Chairman of Contractor's Division (2000-2001) and was inducted into ARTBA Hall of Fame in 2020 for 50+ years of service to the construction industry.
• Wisconsin Earth Movers Association (WEMA)minorOthersTim Peterson served as WEMA President (2000-2001). Industry association for earth moving contractors in Wisconsin.
• Foxconn Supplier NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed in Foxconn Supplier Directory as a construction services provider for the massive Foxconn facility development in Wisconsin.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Michels Corporation: Family-owned Wisconsin-headquartered heavy civil and utility construction contractor performing earthwork, utility installation, pipeline, and specialty foundation work across the U.S. Closest comparable peer: same Wisconsin base, similar vertically integrated utility/earthmoving/aggregates profile, and similar multi-generational family ownership structure.
• Zignego Company, Inc. Waukesha, Wisconsin-based heavy civil contractor specializing in grading, excavating, and aggregate production for state and county projects. Strong match on Wisconsin geography, grading/aggregate vertical integration, and DOT bid-letting business model.
• R.G. Huston Company, Inc. Wisconsin-based excavating, site development, and concrete contractor serving southern Wisconsin developers, municipalities, and DOTs. Comparable in size, Wisconsin geography, and residential/commercial site-work service mix that complements JPS's highway-heavy book of business.
• Veit & Company, Inc. Upper Midwest-based specialty contractor providing earthmoving, demolition, utility, and aggregate services. Highly comparable to JPS in service mix (excavation, utilities, aggregates), customer profile (DOTs, municipalities, commercial developers), and use of GPS/3D machine-control technology.
• Payne & Dolan, Inc. Wisconsin-based heavy civil and paving contractor with a long regional track record in road construction, grading, and aggregate production for state DOTs and private developers. Directly comparable on geography, customer base (WisDOT), aggregates vertical integration, and project size profile.
• Edgerton Contractors, Inc. Wisconsin-based site excavation and utility contractor that partnered with JPS as the Edgerton-Peterson Joint Venture for the Foxconn project. Directly comparable as a Wisconsin mid-sized earthwork/utility contractor; the JV structure evidences head-to-head collaboration on the largest regional projects.
• A.W. Oakes & Son, Inc. Wisconsin-based excavating, site development, and aggregate producer serving the greater Milwaukee region. Comparable to JPS as a mid-sized Wisconsin family-owned (multi-generational) earthmoving contractor with owned aggregate operations and DOT/municipal clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. Publicly traded heavy civil construction company with e-infrastructure, transportation, and building solutions segments serving DOTs, airports, and commercial developers nationwide. Overlaps JPS in grading, utilities, and airport work but operates at substantially larger scale across many states.
• Granite Construction Incorporated: Large publicly traded U.S. heavy civil contractor focused on transportation, water resources, and mining markets. Competes for DOT and federal heavy civil projects overlapping JPS's bid universe; broader scale and public-market capital access make it a benchmark incumbent rather than a direct regional rival.
• M.A. Mortenson Company: Large Minneapolis-based, privately held construction firm with significant heavy civil, wind, and infrastructure capabilities across the Midwest. Competes in the same Upper Midwest geography for wind farm site work, highway, and utility infrastructure bids overlapping JPS's territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 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 James Peterson Sons