What Shafer Contracting Company does

Shafer Contracting Company, Inc. is a family-owned heavy civil construction contractor founded in 1968 and headquartered in Shafer, Minnesota. The company provides earthwork, underground utilities installation, concrete paving, curb and gutter, traffic control, bridge construction, retaining walls, noise walls, and bituminous paving services for transportation infrastructure projects. Its primary customer is the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), with secondary work for local municipalities and counties; the company has delivered projects on I-94, I-694, TH 610, TH 35E, and various county roads.

The business operates as a union contractor, signatory to the Operating Engineers, Teamsters, Laborers, and Cement Mason unions, which provides access to skilled heavy equipment operators, drivers, and tradespeople. It supports workforce development through a mentorship program and emphasizes a close-knit company culture. Shafer has won more than a dozen national concrete paving awards and is repeatedly recognized by MnDOT for quality workmanship, supporting its incumbency on state highway and interchange work.

The revenue model is project-based competitive bidding on government contracts, primarily through MnDOT and local public agency tenders, with one-time project delivery rather than recurring or subscription revenue. The company is privately held with no external investors, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed acquisitions; its operations are entirely domestic and concentrated in the state of Minnesota. There is no disclosed use of AI, software platforms, or proprietary technology beyond conventional heavy civil construction equipment and project execution capabilities.

Name

Shafer Contracting Company

Legal name

Shafer Contracting Co., Inc.

Website

https://shafercontracting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shafer Contracting Company is a family-owned, union heavy civil construction contractor in Minnesota providing earthwork, underground utilities, concrete paving, and traffic control services primarily for MnDOT and local government transportation infrastructure projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction

NAICS

Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (237310), Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Asphalt Paving & Roofing Materials (2950)

akta.pro primary industry

Trenching & Utility Excavation (IMAFAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Roadbuilding & Paving Equipment Rental/Leasing (TLABAFAB), Pavers & Road Construction Equipment (IMAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Heavy civil construction
• Concrete paving services
• Earthwork and grading
• Underground utilities installation
• Transportation infrastructure contracting

Headquarters

HQ city

Shafer

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Infrastructure Construction Services: Project-based revenue from government transportation infrastructure contracts, including highway construction, interchange building, concrete paving, and utility installation for state and local road projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Shafer Contracting Company provides heavy civil construction services for Minnesota transportation infrastructure, including earthwork and grading, underground utilities installation (storm sewer, sanitary sewer, watermain), concrete paving, curb and gutter construction, traffic control, bridge and retaining wall construction, noise wall installation, and bituminous paving. The company delivers these services primarily to state and local government clients through competitively bid infrastructure projects such as highway construction, interchange building, and road reconstruction.

Product overview

Shafer Contracting Company is a family-owned construction company based in Shafer, MN, offering a comprehensive suite of heavy civil construction services. The company operates as a unified service business rather than a software platform, providing earthwork, underground utilities, concrete paving, curb and gutter, traffic control, bridge construction, and retaining wall services. Their project portfolio spans simple roadways to complex interstate highways and interchanges throughout Minnesota, with notable recognition including multiple national concrete paving awards. As a union contractor, they are signatory to Operating Engineers, Teamsters, Laborers, and Cement Mason unions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Earthwork Services Site preparation and land grading services including excavation, filling, and terrain shaping for construction projects. Provided primarily to government transportation and infrastructure clients in Minnesota.
• Underground Utilities Installation Installation of underground utility infrastructure including storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and watermain systems for road and infrastructure projects. Provided primarily to government clients in Minnesota.
• Concrete Paving Concrete pavement construction for roadways, highways, interstates, and interchanges, including mainline paving operations. Recognized with more than a dozen national concrete paving awards.
• Curb and Gutter Installation Construction and installation of concrete curbs and gutters for road construction and infrastructure projects. Provided primarily to government transportation clients.
• Traffic Control Services Planning and implementation of traffic control measures for construction zones and road projects. Provided to government clients managing active road construction sites.
• Bridge Construction Construction of bridges and overpass structures as part of highway and interchange projects, including bridge deck and supporting structures. Provided to government transportation clients.
• Retaining Wall Construction Construction of retaining walls for highway and infrastructure projects to support soil and manage elevation changes. Provided to government transportation clients.
• Noise Wall Installation Construction and installation of noise reduction walls along highways and major roadways. Provided to government transportation clients.
• Bituminous Paving Asphalt paving services for road construction and surface improvements. Provided to government transportation and infrastructure clients.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Operating Engineers UnioncoreOthersUnion partnership providing skilled heavy equipment operators for construction projects. Shafer Contracting is signatory to this labor union.
• Teamsters UnioncoreOthersUnion partnership providing skilled truck drivers and transportation workers. Shafer Contracting is signatory to this labor union.
• Laborers UnioncoreOthersUnion partnership providing skilled laborers for construction projects. Shafer Contracting is signatory to this labor union.
• Cement Mason UnioncoreOthersUnion partnership providing skilled cement masons for concrete work. Shafer Contracting is signatory to this labor union.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Kraemer North America: Midwest and national heavy civil contractor performing bridge, highway, and rail construction across multiple state DOTs including MnDOT. Broader geographic footprint and larger scale than Shafer but directly competitive on Minnesota heavy highway and interchange bid lettings.
• Ames Construction: Privately-held heavy civil contractor performing large-scale highway, airport, and infrastructure work across the Midwest and western US including MnDOT projects. Comparable core scope (earthwork, grading, paving, bridges) but significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Knife River Corporation: Large publicly-traded aggregate and heavy civil construction company with vertically integrated materials (asphalt, aggregate) supply and significant Midwest operations including Minnesota. Larger and broader than Shafer but a key competitor on paving and highway projects given vertically integrated materials advantage.

Direct peers

• Lunda Construction Company: Midwest-based heavy civil and bridge contractor with significant MnDOT and Wisconsin DOT project experience, including interchange and interstate work. Comparable on bridge construction, structural concrete, and heavy highway project types overlapping with Shafer's interchange scope.
• Mathiowetz Construction: Family-owned Minnesota heavy civil and earthwork contractor serving MnDOT and county clients across central and southern Minnesota. Directly comparable in business model (family-owned, unionized, project-based), service offering (earthwork, grading, utilities, paving), and geographic focus on Minnesota highway infrastructure.
• Meyer Contracting: Minnesota-based heavy civil and utility contractor performing site development, underground utility installation, and roadway construction for MnDOT, counties, and private developers. Comparable in service scope (earthwork + utilities + paving) and Minnesota DOT customer base.
• C.S. McCrossan Construction: Minnesota-based heavy civil contractor of comparable scale performing earthwork, underground utilities, grading, and bridge work for MnDOT and local municipalities across the Twin Cities metro. Closest like-for-like peer given overlapping service mix, customer base (MnDOT), and Minnesota-only operating geography.
• Bituminous Roadways Inc. Long-standing Minnesota asphalt paving and heavy civil contractor serving MnDOT and the Twin Cities metro. Directly comparable on the bituminous paving and concrete paving service lines, with similar Minnesota DOT customer concentration and competitive overlap in the regional highway bid market.
• Hardrives Inc. Minnesota-based paving and site development contractor serving MnDOT and municipal customers in the Twin Cities region. Comparable on asphalt/bituminous paving and roadway construction scope, with overlapping competitive positioning on MnDOT paving bids.
• Bolander & Sons: Minnesota-based heavy civil contractor performing earthwork, utilities, and structural concrete work for MnDOT and private developers. Similar family-owned operating profile, comparable service mix in earthwork and underground utilities, and overlapping Twin Cities metro customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shafer-contracting-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Shafer Contracting Company