Dem-Con Companies

What Dem-Con Companies does

Dem-Con Companies, founded in 1965 and headquartered in Shakopee, Minnesota, is a third-generation family-owned integrated solid waste processor serving the Twin Cities metro area and greater Minnesota. The company's core operations span four owned sites: a permitted landfill in Shakopee, a 70,000 sq ft Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) on the same campus that processes 125,000 tons of commingled and source-separated recyclables per year (400 tons/day commingled, 80 tons/day source-separated), a transfer station and metal recycling facility in Blaine, and additional general waste and recycling locations in Hawick and Keewatin. Underlying technology is industrial rather than digital: mechanical single-stream sorting at the MRF, anaerobic digestion with gasification of digestate for the upcoming organics facility, and conventional landfill and hauling infrastructure.

Dem-Con generates revenue through transaction-based fees across multiple waste streams: landfill tipping fees, MRF processing fees paid by local haulers delivering curbside recycling, roll-off dumpster rentals ranging from compact 3-yard TUBS to 40-yard containers sold direct-to-customer (no third-party brokers) for residential and commercial projects, metal recycling processing fees, and front-load commercial waste services. Customers include long-tail residential users, commercial businesses and contractors, and a B2B layer of local waste haulers whose recycling volume anchors MRF throughput. Distribution runs through Dem-Con's own website with online ordering, a direct phone sales team, an in-house transportation and logistics fleet, the Sort It! mobile app, and the Green Grades community education program.

The most significant forward-looking commercial move is a 75,000 tons-per-year anaerobic digester project targeted for 2027 completion, developed with Kanadevia Inova (KVI), with renewable natural gas offtake committed by CenterPoint Energy and feedstock supplied under a public-private partnership with seven-county metro-area governments. Once online, the digester will diversify Dem-Con beyond disposal and recycling into renewable energy and biochar production, with disclosed emission reductions equivalent to removing 6,147 passenger vehicles annually. Ownership remains with Mark Pahl and Jason Haus; no external investors, funding rounds, M&A, or patents are disclosed.

Name

Dem-Con Companies

Legal name

Dem-Con Companies, LLC

Website

https://dem-con.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dem-Con Companies is a third-generation family-owned integrated solid waste processor serving the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota since 1965, operating landfills, a 125,000 tons/year Materials Recovery Facility, transfer stations, metal recycling, and roll-off dumpster rentals, with a 2027 anaerobic digester expansion into organics-to-renewable natural gas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

C&D Waste Collection, Hauling & Container Services (Roll-off/Dumpsters) (EUAIAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

C&D Waste Disposal (C&D Landfills) (BPALAJAH), Organic Waste Transfer & Pre-processing (Depackaging, Grinding, Contaminant Removal) (EUAIAEAB)

Keywords

• Waste management services
• Recycling processing
• Landfill operations
• Roll-off dumpster rental
• Solid waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Shakopee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Waste Disposal and Landfill Services: Dem-Con operates landfills in Shakopee, MN and provides waste disposal services for residential and commercial customers across the Twin Cities metro area and greater Minnesota.
2. Dumpster Rental: Roll-off dumpster rental services for residential and commercial customers. Sizes range from 3-yard TUBS to 40-yard dumpsters. Orders placed online or by phone with direct customer service from Dem-Con team rather than third-party brokers.
3. Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Processing: Single-stream recycling processing facility that accepts commingled and source-separated recyclables from residential and commercial sources. Processes materials from local haulers bringing curbside recycling.
4. Metal Recycling: Metal recycling services accepting aluminum cans, steel food cans, and other metals at Dem-Con Blaine location. Customers are charged disposal/processing fees for metal materials.
5. Organics Processing (Future): Planned anaerobic digester will process 75,000 tons per year of organics, producing renewable natural gas and biochar for sale. Expected completion 2027.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dem-Con Companies operates an integrated solid waste processing business serving the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota since 1965. Core offerings include residential and commercial waste disposal, landfill services in Shakopee, MN, single-stream recycling processing at a 70,000 sq ft Materials Recovery Facility (125,000 tons/year capacity), metal recycling, and roll-off dumpster rentals in sizes from 3-yard TUBS to 40-yard containers. An anaerobic digester project under construction with Kanadevia Inova (completion targeted 2027) will add organics processing into renewable natural gas and biochar.

Product overview

Dem-Con Companies is a third-generation family-owned integrated solid waste processing company serving the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota since 1965. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of waste management, recycling, and disposal services through multiple product lines. Residential services include disposal, metal recycling, and dumpster rentals in various sizes. Commercial services encompass landfills, recycling facilities (including a 70,000 sq ft Materials Recovery Facility processing 125,000 tons per year), municipal solid waste handling, and transportation logistics. The company also operates Dem-Con Dumpsters, providing roll-off dumpster rentals from compact 3-yard TUBS to large 40-yard containers for both residential and commercial customers. An upcoming Anaerobic Digester (targeting 2027 completion) will process 75,000 tons per year of organics into renewable natural gas and biochar. Additionally, the Green Grades education program provides community outreach through facility tours, educational presentations, and a mobile educational trailer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green Grades: Recycling education program offering facility tours, educational materials, and community outreach for schools and groups
• Sort It!
• General Waste

Products and services

• Residential Disposal Waste disposal services for residential customers including household trash and junk removal.
• Metal Recycling Metal recycling services accepting aluminum cans, steel food cans, and other metals at Dem-Con Blaine location.
• Roll-Off Dumpster Rentals Roll-off dumpster rental services for residential and commercial customers in the Twin Cities area, in sizes from 3-yard TUBS to 40-yard dumpsters.
• Landfills Landfill services for commercial waste disposal at the Shakopee, MN facility.
• Commercial Recycling Services Commercial recycling services including single-stream and source-separated recycling for businesses.
• Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) 70,000 sq ft single-stream recycling facility in Shakopee processing 125,000 tons per year (400 tons/day commingled, 80 tons/day source-separated). Accepts recyclables from local haulers; not open to the public.
• Municipal Solid Waste Services Municipal solid waste processing and transfer services for commercial customers.
• Transportation & Logistics Transportation and logistics services for waste and recycling management.
• Front Load Business Services Front-load dumpster services for ongoing business waste disposal at commercial facilities.
• Anaerobic Digester Facility Upcoming organics processing facility that will convert food waste and yard waste into renewable natural gas and biochar. Located on Dem-Con Environmental Campus in Louisville Township, Scott County.
• TUBS (3-Yard Compact Dumpsters) Compact 3-yard dumpster TUBS designed for small projects in tight spaces, crane-delivered for placement over fences or in narrow areas.
• Residential Roll-Off Dumpsters Roll-off dumpster rentals in sizes from 6-yard to 12-yard for residential projects including remodels, deck replacements, and clean-up projects. Light-duty options for driveways.
• Commercial Roll-Off Dumpsters Heavy-duty roll-off dumpsters ranging from 10-yard to 40-yard for commercial construction, disaster clean-up, and large-scale projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing capacity of 125,000 tons per year at MRF
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Kanadevia Inova (KVI)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2027Dem-Con Companies is partnering with Kanadevia Inova (KVI) for the anaerobic digester project. KVI brings expertise in anaerobic digestion technology and systems. The project will be the first in the Midwest to process food waste into renewable natural gas and biochar.
• Metro-area CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with metro-area counties to supply food waste and organics to the anaerobic digester. This public/private partnership forms a unique arrangement for managing food waste responsibly across the seven-county metro area.
• Liberty Paper / LPImoderateTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Liberty Paper for end market expertise and experience moving recyclable materials through various markets. LPI's expertise partnered with Dem-Con's operations experience to provide recycling services to the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management, Inc. Largest North American waste and environmental services company, operating collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal assets nationally. Directly comparable to Dem-Con across roll-off, MSW landfills, recycling, and organics processing, but at vastly larger scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Republic Services, Inc. Second-largest North American waste and recycling company with a national network of landfills, transfer stations, and recycling centers. Competes with Dem-Con for commercial accounts in Minnesota and offers comparable integrated waste services at national scale.
• Waste Connections, Inc. Large North American solid waste services operator with an integrated collection-to-disposal platform. Comparable to Dem-Con in vertical integration across collection, transfer, recycling, and landfill operations, though operating across more states and segments.
• GFL Environmental Inc. Diversified environmental services company operating solid waste, recycling, and organics processing across the U.S. and Canada. Comparable to Dem-Con in integrated services, including anaerobic digestion and organics processing, but at much larger scale.
• Stericycle, Inc. Specialty waste services company focused on regulated and compliance-driven waste streams (medical, hazardous, secure shredding). Comparable to Dem-Con as a vertically integrated waste services platform, though focused on regulated streams rather than MSW.

Direct peers

• Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Vertically integrated regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management operator in the Northeast U.S. Closely comparable mid-size integrated player with similar landfill, transfer station, recycling, and organics strategy to Dem-Con, just in a different geography.
• WIN Waste Innovations: Mid-size New England-based integrated solid waste company with transfer stations, recycling, and disposal. Comparable to Dem-Con in scale, integrated service offerings, and regional focus.

Regional players

• Rumpke Consolidated Companies: Family-owned regional waste hauler based in Ohio with landfills, recycling, and organics processing. Closest structural peer to Dem-Con: similar size, multi-generation family ownership, integrated collection-to-disposal platform, and Midwest U.S. geographic focus.
• Recology: Employee-owned integrated collection and recycling company operating primarily in the Western U.S. Comparable to Dem-Con as a non-publicly-traded, mission-driven integrated waste and recycling operator with strong recycling processing capability.

Others

• Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc. Environmental services company providing parts cleaning, waste handling, and used oil collection. Adjacent to Dem-Con in the environmental services value chain, particularly around commercial and industrial waste streams and recycling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/114846588574579
• Xx.com/Dem_Con
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dem-con-companies-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Dem-Con Companies