Rice Companies
Rice Companies is a third-generation, family-owned commercial design-build contractor headquartered in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, serving enterprise and mid-market clients across the Midwest through seven regional offices spanning construction, preconstruction, facility maintenance, and real estate services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersSauk Rapids, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rice Companies does
Rice Companies is a third-generation, family-owned commercial construction firm headquartered in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, founded in 1953 by Jack Rice as Rice Building Systems, Inc. The company operates as a single-source design-build provider across four integrated service lines: preconstruction and architectural design, construction management and general contracting with self-performing field crews, facility repair and maintenance through its Rice Service division, and commercial real estate brokerage and property management through Rice Real Estate Services. Its core technology stack combines in-house architecture, structural and civil engineering, Building Information Modeling (BIM), 2D/3D renderings, and Virtual Reality project visualization, paired with a six-decade exclusive partnership with Butler Manufacturing for pre-engineered steel building systems.
The business serves enterprise and mid-market clients across nine primary verticals — agriculture/agribusiness, manufacturing, warehouse and distribution, food and beverage, transportation, retail and commercial, healthcare, multifamily residential, and municipal/education — with named projects spanning automotive dealerships (Deery Brothers, Titan Machinery), retail chains (Cash Wise Foods, Caribou Coffee), financial institutions (American Heritage Bank), and industrial customers (Gordini, Border States, U-Haul, CentraCare, Rabo AgriFinance). Revenue is generated through project-based commercial construction contracts, recurring facility service work, and real estate brokerage commissions, with 85%+ of business coming from repeat clients and pricing determined per project via custom quotes.
Rice Companies sells primarily through direct enterprise field sales, supported by seven regional offices across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, and has grown both organically and through acquisitions (Raske Builders 2013, Gosewisch Construction 2018, Fred Rose Design 2023, and a Wisconsin-based firm in 2025). The company employs 165+ team members, remains under Rice family ownership with Chris Rice as CEO & President, and has completed 3,500+ construction and service projects across 15 states over its 73-year history.
Rice Companies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rice Companies
- Legal name
- Rice Companies, Inc.
- Website
- https://ricecompanies.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Rice Companies is a third-generation, family-owned commercial design-build contractor headquartered in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, serving enterprise and mid-market clients across the Midwest through seven regional offices spanning construction, preconstruction, facility maintenance, and real estate services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rice Companies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Construction Services
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food & Beverage Processing Plant Construction (IMAFADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting (IMAFALAB)
Keywords
Where Rice Companies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sauk Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Rice Companies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Construction Services: Full-service construction including design-build, general contracting, and construction management. Revenue is generated through project-based fees for commercial construction projects across various industries including warehouse, manufacturing, retail, and office.
- Real Estate Services: Commercial real estate brokerage including sales, leasing, development, and property management services
- Facility Repair and Maintenance (Rice Service): Building repair, remodeling, re-roofing, and maintenance services. Since its formal establishment in 2016, Rice Service has completed over 3,500 projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based construction services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Rice Companies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rice Companies is a comprehensive commercial construction company offering design-build, general contracting, and construction management services supported by in-house architecture, structural and civil engineering, and self-performing construction crews. Its Rice Service division provides facility repair, remodeling, re-roofing, and maintenance, while Rice Real Estate Services handles commercial sales, leasing, development, and property management. The company also delivers Butler pre-engineered steel building solutions through a long-standing Butler Builder partnership.
Product overview
Rice Companies is a comprehensive construction company offering integrated single-source construction services. The portfolio includes four main service areas: (1) Preconstruction & Design Services providing in-house architectural design, engineering, BIM modeling, and preconstruction planning; (2) Construction Services covering design-build, general contracting, and construction management with self-performing build teams; (3) Rice Service (Facility Repair + Remodel) offering building repairs, interior/exterior remodeling, roofing, and maintenance; and (4) Rice Real Estate Services providing commercial sales, leasing, development, and property management. Additionally, through a partnership with Butler Manufacturing, Rice Companies offers pre-engineered steel building solutions. The company operates as a unified team from design through construction and maintenance, providing clients with a streamlined process and single-source accountability.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rice Service: Facility repair and remodeling division of Rice Companies, providing commercial facility repair, metal building maintenance, carpentry, concrete, roof repair, reroofing services, and interior remodel building solutions.
- Rice Real Estate Services
Products and services
- Preconstruction & Design Services In-house preconstruction and architectural design services including site evaluation, budgeting, BIM modeling, 3D renderings, VR project visualization, and municipal approval support, provided as a unified team so clients do not have to manage multiple design vendors.
- Construction Services Integrated construction services including architectural design, structural and civil engineering, construction management, general contracting, and self-performing construction build teams covering design-build delivery for commercial, industrial, agricultural, retail, warehouse, manufacturing, and community facilities.
- Rice Service (Facility Repair + Remodel) Dedicated facility repair and remodeling division providing interior repairs, exterior repairs, roof repairs and re-roofing, concrete and masonry work, and carpentry services; self-performs most work for better control of schedule, cost, and safety, and has completed over 3,500 service projects since 2016.
- Rice Real Estate Services Full-service commercial real estate brokerage specializing in commercial sales, leasing, development, and property management, backed by in-house architectural, construction, and maintenance services from the broader Rice Companies organization.
- Butler Steel Building Solutions Pre-engineered steel building systems delivered through the firm's partnership with Butler Manufacturing, suitable for retail, industrial, office, warehouse, religious, manufacturing, athletic, and community facilities, offering design versatility, aesthetic options, and sustainability attributes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85% repeat client business
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rice Companies
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rice Companies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rice Companies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Butler ManufacturingcoreRice Companies has maintained a Butler Builder partnership since 1957, making it one of the longest-standing Butler builder relationships. The partnership provides access to Butler's pre-engineered steel building systems including Pre-Engineered, Landmark, Hybrid, Re-Roof, and Butler Conventional options. Rice Companies serves as an exclusive Butler builder for the Midwest region, specializing in commercial, industrial, agricultural, and community facilities. The relationship has generated over 66 years of Butler awards and recognition.
- AW Commercial Real Estate & DevelopmentminorPartnership for leasing of additional tenant spaces at Cedar Ridge Crossings development in Cedar Falls, Iowa. AW Commercial Real Estate handles leasing of flexible office, retail, warehouse, and industrial spaces at the multi-tenant development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rice Companies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Knutson Construction: Minnesota-based commercial construction manager and design-build firm of comparable size (similar employee count) competing directly with Rice in the Twin Cities and broader Minnesota market.
- Boldt Company: Wisconsin-based fourth-generation family-owned design-build, construction management, and steel building contractor with self-perform crews; very similar profile to Rice in scale, ownership model, and Midwest footprint.
- Adolfson & Peterson Construction: Midwest and Southwest commercial/industrial design-build contractor with similar self-perform capabilities, regional office structure, and Butler steel building experience.
- Kraus-Anderson: Minneapolis-based commercial construction manager and general contractor with integrated real estate and facility services, directly comparable to Rice's single-source model and Upper Midwest market overlap.
Broad incumbents
- Gilbane Building Company: Family-owned national construction management and design-build firm with integrated facility services; similar family ownership and full-lifecycle service model to Rice at a much larger scale.
- Hensel Phelps: Employee-owned national design-build general contractor offering integrated construction services across commercial, aviation, and industrial sectors, comparable delivery model with national reach.
- McCarthy Building Companies: National employee-owned design-build construction firm with strong industrial, food & beverage, and commercial practices that overlap with Rice's customer verticals at a much larger scale.
- The Weitz Company: National design-build and construction manager with strong industrial, commercial, and senior living practices; comparable integrated delivery model but at meaningfully larger scale.
- M.A. Mortenson Company: Large Minneapolis-based privately held builder with significant Midwest commercial, industrial, and design-build operations, often competing with Rice on regional commercial and industrial projects at a larger scale.
Others
- Butler Manufacturing (BlueScope Buildings): Pre-engineered steel building manufacturer and Rice's core partner since 1957; not a direct competitor but a key ecosystem enabler whose builder network, including Rice, defines the competitive landscape for metal building construction.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rice Companies social profiles
Digital presenceRice Companies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rice Companies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Rice Companies subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Rice Companies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rice Companies 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 Rice Companies
What does Rice Companies do?
Rice Companies is a comprehensive commercial construction company offering design-build, general contracting, and construction management services supported by in-house architecture, structural and civil engineering, and self-performing construction crews. Its Rice Service division provides facility repair, remodeling, re-roofing, and maintenance, while Rice Real Estate Services handles commercial sales, leasing, development, and property management. The company also delivers Butler pre-engineered steel building solutions through a long-standing Butler Builder partnership.
Is Rice Companies a public or private company?
Rice Companies is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Rice Companies founded?
Rice Companies was founded in 1953. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Rice Companies based?
Rice Companies is headquartered in Sauk Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rice Companies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Construction Services are the primary driver. The others are real Estate Services and facility Repair and Maintenance (Rice Service).
Who are Rice Companies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Knutson Construction, Boldt Company, Adolfson & Peterson Construction and Kraus-Anderson. Broad incumbents are Gilbane Building Company, Hensel Phelps, McCarthy Building Companies, The Weitz Company and M.A. Mortenson Company. Butler Manufacturing (BlueScope Buildings) is listed as an others.
Does Rice Companies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rice Companies.
What industry is Rice Companies in?
Rice Companies's product category is Commercial Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFADAH, Food & Beverage Processing Plant Construction, with a secondary code of IMAFALAB, HVAC & Refrigeration Contracting. Its SIC code is 8711.