MSI General
MSI General is a private, family-owned design-build commercial construction firm in Nashotah, Wisconsin, founded in 1957, that delivers integrated architectural, interior design, and construction services under its trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ model across Southeastern Wisconsin.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersNashotah, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What MSI General does
MSI General is a privately held, family-owned design-build commercial construction firm headquartered in Nashotah, Wisconsin, operating under that name since 1976 (originally founded as Metal Structures Inc. in 1957 by Claude and Pete Debbink). The company delivers integrated architectural design, interior design, and construction services under a single roof, governed by its trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ methodology and a structured five-phase Life of the Project Manual process (Dream, Design, Contract, Build, Own) backed by a five-year warranty. It serves mid-market and enterprise clients across Southeastern Wisconsin in industrial and manufacturing, commercial and corporate, retail and restaurants, religious and education and civic, and specialty project segments.
The firm's core product is the fully integrated DESIGNBUILD service, supplemented by ground-up construction, additions, and renovations across its five target segments. Service delivery is enabled by an in-house team of architects, engineers, interior designers, estimators, project managers, and field superintendents, supported by a vetted network of 500+ subcontractors (3-4 qualified subs per trade). The company has completed six LEED-certified projects, multiple award-winning builds (including two AIA Wisconsin Best of Show awards for Mars Cheese Castle in 2012 and Milwaukee Ale House in 2009), and maintains a repeat-client rate above 70%.
MSI General generates revenue through project-based contracts with custom pricing determined by scope, size, complexity, and specifications; the firm operates exclusively through direct field sales led by a VP of Sales with a team of project executives and directors, primarily targeting Southeastern Wisconsin. Ownership is concentrated among third-generation family owner Dirk Debbink and co-owners Ken Krahe (President & CEO) and John Kutz (VP of Sales) following a 2021 ownership transition, and the company completed the bolt-on acquisition of architectural firm Tredo Group LLC in December 2022 to deepen in-house design capability.
MSI General firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MSI General
- Legal name
- MSI General
- Website
- https://msigeneral.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- MSI General is a private, family-owned design-build commercial construction firm in Nashotah, Wisconsin, founded in 1957, that delivers integrated architectural, interior design, and construction services under its trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ model across Southeastern Wisconsin.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where MSI General is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashotah
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
MSI General business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Construction Services: MSI General generates revenue through design-build construction services, including ground-up construction, additions, renovations, and buildouts for commercial, industrial, and institutional clients. Revenue is project-based, derived from contracts for construction services across various sectors including manufacturing, retail, healthcare, education, religious, and municipal projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based custom construction pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
MSI General product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MSI General is a fully integrated design-build commercial construction company that combines architectural design and construction management services under one roof. The firm delivers ground-up construction, additions, expansions, and renovations across industrial, commercial, retail, religious, educational, civic, and specialty sectors primarily in southeastern Wisconsin, operating under a trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ methodology that provides single-point accountability from initial concept through final completion.
Product overview
MSI General is a fully integrated design-build commercial construction company combining architectural design and construction management services under one roof. Their core offering is the DESIGNBUILD approach paired with their trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ philosophy, which manages all aspects of projects from initial design through final construction. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of construction services including industrial and manufacturing facilities, cleanrooms, commercial buildings, restaurants and retail spaces, religious and educational facilities, and specialty projects. Services span ground-up construction, additions, renovations, and remodeling. The company was founded in 1957 and serves Southeastern Wisconsin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DESIGNBUILD Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 70% of projects come from repeat clients
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use MSI General
Customer profileNamed customers23 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MSI General technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
MSI General partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Tredo Group LLCminorMSI General acquired Milwaukee-based architectural firm Tredo Group LLC in December 2022. The acquisition included Tredo Group's project portfolio. Company founder Jeff Tredo joined MSI General as Vice President and Director of Design, bringing his architectural expertise and project portfolio to strengthen MSI General's design capabilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MSI General competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Catalyst Construction: Milwaukee-based design-build firm specializing in commercial, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in southeastern Wisconsin. Direct geographic competitor targeting similar mid-market and enterprise clients.
- The Boldt Company: Wisconsin-based (Appleton) integrated design-build firm serving industrial, healthcare, education, and commercial clients. Comparable in integrated delivery model and regional Midwest presence, though larger in scale than MSI General.
- C.D. Smith Construction: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin-based design-build construction firm serving commercial, industrial, healthcare, and education clients across the Midwest. Direct competitor in the Wisconsin design-build market with similar integrated delivery.
- Kraus-Anderson: Minneapolis-based integrated design-build and real estate firm with Wisconsin operations. Comparable in full-service construction delivery, Midwest regional focus, and multi-sector project portfolio.
- J.H. Findorff & Son: Madison, Wisconsin-based general contractor and construction manager serving commercial, education, healthcare, and residential clients. Comparable regional Wisconsin construction firm with overlapping client verticals.
- Miron + Co. Wisconsin-based (Neenah) design-build construction firm serving industrial, commercial, and institutional clients across the Midwest. Directly comparable to MSI General in integrated design-build model, regional Midwestern focus, and project verticals.
Broad incumbents
- Weitz Company: National design-build and general contracting firm with Midwestern roots serving commercial, industrial, and senior living clients. Comparable integrated delivery model but broader geographic footprint.
- Mortenson Construction: Minneapolis-headquartered national design-build firm with significant renewable energy, healthcare, and industrial practice. Comparable in integrated delivery but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than MSI General.
- Gilbane Building Company: National privately-held design-build and construction management firm serving commercial, healthcare, education, and public-sector clients. Comparable integrated delivery model but at significantly larger scale than MSI General.
Regional players
- Hunzinger Construction: Milwaukee-area commercial general contractor serving southeastern Wisconsin clients across industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors. Direct regional competitor with overlapping client base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MSI General social profiles
Digital presenceMSI General financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MSI General leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
MSI General subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
MSI General funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MSI General M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MSI General
What does MSI General do?
MSI General is a fully integrated design-build commercial construction company that combines architectural design and construction management services under one roof. The firm delivers ground-up construction, additions, expansions, and renovations across industrial, commercial, retail, religious, educational, civic, and specialty sectors primarily in southeastern Wisconsin, operating under a trademarked Single Source Responsibility™ methodology that provides single-point accountability from initial concept through final completion.
Is MSI General a public or private company?
MSI General is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was MSI General founded?
MSI General was founded in 1957. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is MSI General based?
MSI General is headquartered in Nashotah, United States, in the North America region.
How does MSI General make money?
One revenue line is on record: construction Services.
Who are MSI General's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Catalyst Construction, The Boldt Company, C.D. Smith Construction, Kraus-Anderson, J.H. Findorff & Son and Miron + Co.. Broad incumbents are Weitz Company, Mortenson Construction and Gilbane Building Company. Hunzinger Construction is listed as a regional player.
Does MSI General have an API?
No public API is recorded for MSI General.