What Korte & Luitjohan Contractors does

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc. (K&L) is a family-owned general contractor founded in 1958 in Highland, Illinois, by Cyril B. "Pete" Korte. The firm began as an underground utility contractor installing gas services for Illinois Power and progressively expanded into heavy civil construction (1981), building construction (mid-1990s), and full general contracting services, officially incorporating as Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc. in 1998. Leadership passed from Pete Korte to his son Gregg Korte as President in 2018.

K&L delivers integrated construction services across five core delivery models — Design-Build, Construction Management, General Contracting, Pre-Construction, and Safety — applied across eight market verticals: Commercial, Financial, Healthcare, Education, Historic Renovation, Municipal, Industrial, and Infrastructure. The company self-performs carpentry, concrete, piping, and excavating work, and maintains Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) certification for healthcare facility construction. Notable project benchmarks include the $41 million Belleville Water Reclamation Facility (2010), a 75,000-square-foot Rehkemper & Sons factory (1996), the five-story 11 South Class A office building in Columbia, IL (2017), and the $17 million Collinsville Water Treatment Plant (2019).

The company serves the Southern/Central Illinois and St. Louis Metro Area from its Highland, IL headquarters (12052 Highland Rd), with service-area coverage spanning 50+ cities. Revenue is generated project-by-project through competitive bids, negotiated contracts, and purchasing-cooperative channels (notably TIPS for government and not-for-profit clients). K&L is an Authorized Varco Pruden Builder (since 2016) for pre-engineered steel buildings, and pursues relationships through direct sales, industry association membership (SIBA, AGCMO, Construction Forum), and community engagement. Headcount is in the 11-50 range and no outside equity, parent company, or M&A activity is recorded.

Name

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors

Legal name

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, Inc.

Website

https://korteluitjohan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors is a family-owned, second-generation general contractor founded in 1958 and based in Highland, Illinois, delivering design-build, construction management, general contracting, and pre-construction services across commercial, healthcare, education, municipal, industrial, infrastructure, and historic renovation projects in Southern/Central Illinois and the St. Louis Metro Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

General Construction Services

NAICS

Other Specialty Trade Contractors (2389), Site Preparation Contractors (23891)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial/Process Plant General Contracting (IMAFAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Works General Contracting (IMAFAAAG), Healthcare & Laboratory Interior Fit-Out (IMAFANAC)

Keywords

• General contracting services
• Design-build construction
• Construction management
• Commercial construction services
• Industrial construction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Highland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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 revenue from design-build, construction management, and general contracting services for commercial, industrial, municipal, healthcare, education, historic renovation, and infrastructure projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors is a full-service general contractor delivering design-build, construction management, and general contracting services for commercial, industrial, municipal, healthcare, education, historic renovation, and infrastructure projects across Southern/Central Illinois and the St. Louis Metro Area. The company self-performs carpentry, concrete, piping, and excavating work, and maintains field crews trained in Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) protocols for healthcare environments. As an Authorized Varco Pruden Builder and TIPS Approved Vendor, K&L serves both private enterprise clients and government agencies.

Product overview

Korte & Luitjohan Contractors operates as a full-service general contractor offering a unified service portfolio centered on construction project delivery. The core offerings span five interconnected service lines: Design-Build, Construction Management, General Contractor, Pre-Construction, and Safety services. These services are applied across seven market verticals covering Commercial, Financial, Healthcare, Education, Historic Renovation, Municipal, Industrial, and Infrastructure construction. The company serves the Southern/Central Illinois and St. Louis Metro regions from its headquarters in Highland, Illinois. Self-performed work includes carpentry, concrete, piping, and excavating operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Design-Build Services Integrated design-build delivery approach combining design and construction under single-source responsibility, enabling streamlined project execution from concept through closeout for commercial, industrial, healthcare, education, and municipal clients.
• Construction Management Services Oversight of all project phases including pre-construction planning, scheduling, cost control, and on-site coordination to ensure projects stay on time, on budget, and meet quality standards for enterprise, healthcare, and institutional clients.
• General Contractor Services Full project management including subcontractor coordination, supplier management, stakeholder engagement, scheduling, budgeting, and on-site execution for commercial, industrial, and municipal construction projects.
• Pre-Construction Services Early-stage planning services including cost estimating, scheduling, constructability assessments, and design coordination with architects and engineers to establish project foundations before construction begins.
• Construction Safety Services Safety-focused construction approach with ongoing training, OSHA-compliant protocols, and proactive risk management practices integrated throughout all project phases, recognized with the 2021 SIBA Safety Award.
• Commercial Construction Construction and renovation services for commercial properties including office buildings (e.g., 11 South Class A office in Columbia, IL), retail spaces, professional facilities, and hospitality venues.
• Financial Construction Building construction and renovation services for financial institutions including banks, with expertise in secure and compliant facility requirements. Past clients include Associated Bank, UMB Bank, and First National Bank of Dieterich.
• Healthcare Construction Construction services for healthcare facilities including hospitals, medical clinics, dental offices, and rehabilitation centers, with ICRA-trained staff for medical environment work. Past clients include Marshall Browning Hospital, Cancer Care Center of O'Fallon, Clinton County Rural Health, and St. Joseph's Hospital.
• Education Construction Construction and renovation services for educational institutions including schools, colleges, training facilities, and academic buildings with phased construction to minimize academic disruption. Past clients include Shawnee Community College, Richland Community College, and St. Boniface School.
• Historic Renovation Preservation-focused renovation services for historic structures combining modern construction techniques with careful restoration to meet preservation guidelines. Past projects include Illinois Supreme Court Building renovation and Washington County Courthouse renovation (AGCMO Keystone Awards finalist).
• Municipal Construction Construction services for public facilities and community spaces including city halls (e.g., Highland City Hall), libraries, police stations, parks, and community centers that meet regulatory standards and community needs.
• Industrial Construction Construction services for industrial facilities including manufacturing plants, warehouses, ports, and processing facilities designed for operational efficiency and safety. Past clients include America's Central Port and Cooper B-Line Headquarters.
• Infrastructure Construction Infrastructure projects including water treatment plants, wastewater facilities, and utility systems supporting communities and economic growth. Past projects include the $41 million Belleville Water Reclamation Facility (2010) and $17 million Collinsville Water Treatment Plant (2019).

Quantifiable outcome

• Delivered $41 million Belleville Water Reclamation Facility (2010) - largest project at that time
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• Varco PrudencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Korte & Luitjohan has been a proud Authorized Varco Pruden Builder since 2016. VP is a world leader in providing innovative steel building solutions for commercial and industrial customers including offices, manufacturing, warehouses, retail, and schools. VP combines steel structural materials with various exterior finishes to create state-of-the-art, multi-use metal buildings.
• McCarthy Building CompaniesnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012K&L joined forces with McCarthy Building Companies in 2012 to construct the new St. Joseph's Hospital in Highland, Illinois. This project represented a significant achievement in healthcare construction and showcased K&L's ability to deliver complex facilities serving community needs.
• The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorK&L is an approved vendor through TIPS, a national purchasing cooperative open to governmental agencies such as public education, higher education, city and county government, and not-for-profits. As an approved vendor, K&L can provide TIPS members with access to competitively priced services, saving time and financial resources for bid requirements.
• Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA)coreOthersK&L has been a member of SIBA for over 50 years (since 1970), highlighting decades of involvement and leadership within the regional construction community. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary as a member in 2020.
• Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO)notableOthersActive member of the Associated General Contractors of Missouri. K&L has been recognized as AGCMO Keystone Awards finalist multiple times for project excellence.
• Kaskaskia Regional Port District (KRPD)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerK&L has worked on multiple projects for KRPD including America's Central Port facilities and emergency bridge repair at Doza Creek. K&L Project Manager Chris Kattenbraker was appointed to the KRPD Board in 2025.
• Construction ForumminorOthersMember of the Construction Forum, a regional construction industry organization.
• Camp OndessonknotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerK&L has a longstanding partnership with Camp Ondessonk, hosting the annual Pete Korte Memorial Golf Benefit that has raised almost $1 million over 30 years. Founder Pete Korte served on the camp's board from 1995-2002 and was instrumental in launching the golf benefit.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• McCarthy Building Companies: One of the largest and oldest employee-owned general contractors in the U.S., headquartered in St. Louis. Directly comparable as a design-build/CM/GC serving healthcare, commercial, infrastructure, and education in the same St. Louis Metro / Southern Illinois footprint. JV partner with K&L on St. Joseph's Hospital.
• Tarlton Corporation: St. Louis-based GC performing construction management and design-build for commercial, healthcare, education, and historic renovation. Comparable service portfolio with substantially larger scale and a broader reach.
• Alberici Constructors: Major St. Louis-based general contractor with deep healthcare, industrial, and infrastructure capabilities. Larger but geographically overlapping; competes for the same mega-projects K&L accesses via JV.
• Brinkmann Constructors: St. Louis-based national GC with strong multifamily, senior living, healthcare, and commercial portfolios. Comparable services but with a broader geographic footprint and larger project scale.

Direct peers

• S.M. Wilson & Co. St. Louis-based employee-owned GC delivering construction management, design-build, and general contracting across commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial. Closely comparable size and service mix; K&L's new VP of CM previously spent 17 years here.
• Holland Construction Services: Swansea, IL-based (Metro East) full-service GC serving commercial, healthcare, education, senior living, and industrial in the St. Louis Metro and Southern Illinois region — directly overlapping K&L's geography and vertical mix.
• BEX Construction Services: St. Louis-area design-build and construction management firm serving commercial, healthcare, industrial, and education — a direct peer on size, geography, and service mix.
• Contegra Construction: Edwardsville, IL-based GC operating across the St. Louis Metro and Southern Illinois in commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial — a close geographic and service-line peer.
• Interface Construction: St. Louis-based design-build and tenant improvement GC with significant healthcare and commercial interior work — overlaps with K&L's healthcare and commercial verticals, especially on smaller-scale and interior scopes.

Regional players

• Poettker Construction: Breese, IL-based GC serving commercial, education, healthcare, and municipal/institutional markets throughout the Midwest. Same Southern Illinois base as K&L with comparable service lines and similar size.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Korte & Luitjohan Contractors