K & E Excavating

What K & E Excavating does

K & E Excavating, Inc. is a family-owned heavy civil construction contractor founded in 1998 and headquartered in Salem, Oregon. The company self-performs excavation, grading, highway and bridge construction, airport construction, underground utilities, paving, concrete, demolition, rock crushing, in-water and wetland work, sitework, survey, and transportation/logistics for public-sector and private clients. Operations span Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska, supported by 350+ employees, regional offices in Redmond (Oregon) and Sitka (Alaska), and a fleet of Caterpillar equipment integrated with Trimble GPS, Universal Total Station (UTS) positioning, and 3D machine control modeling that enables millimeter-precision grading and pre-construction design-error detection.

K&E generates revenue through competitive bidding on public infrastructure contracts and negotiated agreements with private developers, with project values ranging from approximately $469,000 to over $82 million. The firm is vertically integrated through its Davis Creek Rock Quarry subsidiary (K&E Rock Products), which supplies aggregate materials, and has expanded service breadth through acquisitions of paving and regional excavation firms (H&H Paving, Coastal Excavation, High Desert Aggregate & Paving, Benny Hempstead Excavating). The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales targeting state DOTs, municipalities, airport authorities, and private developers through a project-based bidding model emphasizing safety records, technical capability with GPS/machine control, and long-tenured client relationships.

Backed by a multi-decade operational track record, K&E has invested over 45,000 square feet in owned office and shop facilities between 2023 and 2025 and maintains strategic technology partnerships with Trimble, Caterpillar, Sitech Oregon, and Powerscreen. Ownership remains concentrated with the founding Kuenzi family (President Kerry Kuenzi, VP Eric Kuenzi, Secretary John Kuenzi), with no external funding or public-market listing. Recent portfolio actions include the 2021 dissolution of K&E South Coast and the 2025 divestiture of High Desert Aggregate & Paving, signaling selective geographic and operational rationalization.

Name

K & E Excavating

Legal name

K&E Excavating Inc.

Website

https://keex.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

K & E Excavating is a family-owned heavy civil construction contractor serving ODOT, municipalities, and airports across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska with excavation, highway, airport, paving, concrete, and rock crushing services using Trimble GPS-guided Caterpillar equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction Services

NAICS

Site Preparation Contractors (238910), Support Activities for Mining (213)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Excavation & Bulk Earthmoving (Cut/Fill, Grading) (IMAFAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trenching & Utility Excavation (IMAFAKAD), Sand & Gravel Extraction & Processing (IMAKAHAB)

Keywords

• Heavy civil construction
• Excavation and grading
• Highway construction services
• Underground utilities installation
• Rock crushing aggregates

Headquarters

HQ city

Salem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Heavy Civil Construction Services: Project-based revenue from infrastructure construction contracts including excavation, highway construction, airport work, underground utilities, paving, and concrete services. Revenue earned through competitive bidding on public and private projects with contract values ranging from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars.
2. Rock Materials (Davis Creek Rock Quarry): K&E operates Davis Creek Rock Quarry as a source of rock materials for their own projects and potentially for external sale, ensuring material supply for construction operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

K&E Excavating is a heavy civil construction contractor providing excavation, grading, highway and bridge construction, airport construction, underground utilities, paving, concrete, demolition, rock crushing, sitework, and survey services. The company self-performs work using GPS-guided machine control technology and Caterpillar equipment across Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska, primarily for government agencies and private developers.

Product overview

K&E Excavating is a family-owned heavy civil construction company offering a comprehensive suite of construction services. The company operates multiple service divisions including excavating and grading, concrete, demolition, paving (via H&H Paving subsidiary), rock crushing, sitework, survey, underground utilities, transportation, highway and bridge construction, airport construction, and in-water/wetland work. The company also maintains wholly-owned subsidiaries including K&E Rock Products (Davis Creek Rock Quarry) and K&E Alaska. Services are delivered across three primary locations (Salem headquarters, Redmond, and Alaska) using a fleet of Caterpillar equipment with GPS and machine control technology, with operations spanning Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• K&E Rock Products: Rock quarry operations including Davis Creek Rock Quarry, providing aggregate and rock materials for construction projects.
• H&H Paving

Products and services

• Excavating and Grading Services Technically advanced earthmoving capabilities using a fleet of Caterpillar equipment for projects ranging from driveway dig-outs to interstate bridge construction.
• Highway and Bridge Construction Specialized highway and bridge construction with capabilities in complicated phasing, detailed traffic control, complex utility relocations, and extensive coordination with public agencies.
• Airport Construction Services Precision runway, taxiway, and apron construction meeting FAA specifications with technologically advanced equipment and Port experience.
• Underground Utilities Installation of underground utilities including water distribution, sanitary sewer, storm drain, and franchise utilities with focus on trench safety and OSHA compliance.
• Concrete Services Comprehensive concrete construction including residential, decorative, structural, and civil projects with multiple concrete crews operating across multiple regions.
• Demolition Services Precision demolition of structures using skilled labor, equipment, and expertise for safe, efficient, and specification-compliant deconstruction.
• Paving Services (H&H Paving) Full-service paving operations with rollers, grademakers, and pavers, employing more than 20 employees and 10 paving-specific equipment with over 50 years of management expertise.
• Rock Crushing Services Comprehensive rock crushing and aggregate production using fixed and mobile operations with MSHA-trained personnel and partnerships with Powerscreen, Caterpillar, and Trimble.
• Sitework Construction Complete site work including excavation, underground utilities, structural excavation, and retaining wall construction using the latest GPS technology for excavation and grading processes.
• Survey Services Self-performed survey operations managed by Machine Control Manager and PLS Surveyor using 1-second Trimble Robotic Total Stations, including property corner establishment, monument set/recording, project survey, and as-built collection.
• Transportation and Logistics Large fleet operations including over 35 rock hauling trucks and trailers, more than 6 lowboys and flatbed trucks, and over 20 specialized vehicles such as vacuum trucks and water trucks.
• In Water and Wetland Services Creation, restoration, and enhancement of in-water work areas and wetlands including sensitive environmental work and regulatory agency coordination.
• K&E Rock Products (Davis Creek Rock Quarry) Quarry operation providing rock materials for construction projects, ensuring appropriate materials are available for company projects.
• K&E Alaska Operations Southeastern Alaska operations based in Sitka with a strong team taking on various heavy civil construction projects in the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced grade staking and rework through GPS machine control
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 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

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and strategic.

• Sitech OregoncoreTechnology or IntegrationWell-established partnership with Sitech Oregon to supply, stay current with technology, and support inventory of survey and machine control equipment. This partnership keeps K&E on the cutting edge of technology and allows for maximum integration and efficiency in operations.
• PowerscreensupportingTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partnership for rock crushing operations ensuring reliable and efficient crushing equipment for aggregate production.
• CaterpillarcoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic equipment partnership providing Caterpillar construction equipment featuring electric drive and hybrid technology. Core to K&E's fleet and operations with significant investment in Cat equipment including excavators, trucks, and the PM201 grinder with advanced machine control.
• TrimblecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for GPS and machine control systems. Trimble technology enables real-time measurement, guidance, and automation for excavation and grading operations with millimeter precision capabilities.
• Flagline EngineeringstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership team selected for City of Lincoln City Progressive Design-Build Services Hwy 101 improvements project. K&E and Flagline combining capabilities for complex public infrastructure project delivery.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Teichert Construction: California-based heavy civil, grading, paving, and aggregate producer. Comparable to K&E through vertical integration (aggregate + construction), Pacific presence, and similar mid-to-large government/private project mix.
• Goodfellow Bros. Multi-state heavy civil contractor with Pacific Northwest and Alaska operations including site work, excavation, and highway construction. Closely comparable given overlapping Alaska footprint and similar mid-sized government contractor profile to K&E.
• Manson Construction Co. Heavy civil and marine contractor with Pacific Northwest and Alaska operations including dredging, pier, and infrastructure work. Comparable regional footprint and Alaska exposure to K&E Alaska operations.
• Wildish Construction Company: Long-established Eugene, Oregon heavy civil and excavation contractor serving ODOT and municipalities. Direct peer with similar mid-sized regional scale, excavation/grading services, and Pacific Northwest government contract focus.
• Hamilton Construction Company: Oregon-based heavy civil contractor focused on highway, bridge, and structural work in the Pacific Northwest. K&E has served as subcontractor to Hamilton and both compete in the same Oregon DOT and municipal bidding pool with overlapping service lines.

Regional players

• Emery & Sons Construction: Pacific Northwest site work, excavation, and underground utilities contractor serving public and private clients. Comparable mid-sized scope and service mix to K&E with similar Oregon/Washington geographic focus.
• Rotschy Inc. Washington and Oregon-based site preparation, excavation, and grading contractor serving public infrastructure and private development. Comparable mid-sized regional excavation contractor competing in adjacent PNW markets.

Broad incumbents

• Knife River Corporation: Vertically integrated aggregate and heavy civil construction operator with significant Pacific Northwest presence. Comparable through its combination of aggregate production, paving, and excavation services that mirror K&E Rock Products plus excavation division.
• Granite Construction: One of the largest U.S. heavy civil contractors with extensive highway, bridge, and airport work across the West. Comparable to K&E in core services (excavation, grading, paving, underground utilities) but operates at far greater scale and geographic breadth, often competing head-to-head on ODOT and Western DOT bids.
• Sterling Construction Company: Heavy civil construction company focused on highway, bridge, water, and specialty services across the U.S. Comparable to K&E in core heavy civil scope but operates at public-company scale with broader geographic and segment reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/keexinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/k-e-excavating-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries8 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 K & E Excavating