Berger
Berger Excavating Contractors is a family-owned, second-generation heavy civil contractor serving Chicagoland, Northern Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin with self-performed earthmoving, underground utility, highway, detail excavation, and specialty construction services for public and private clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersWauconda, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Berger does
Berger Excavating Contractors is a family-owned, second-generation heavy civil contractor founded in 1975 and headquartered in Wauconda, Illinois. The company self-performs earthmoving, detail excavation, underground utilities, highway construction, and specialty construction for private developers and public-sector clients across Chicagoland, Northern Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin. Its technical stack is built around GPS-guided machines with 3D modeling for single-pass cut/fill, laser-guided equipment for decades-durable utility installation, and a vertically integrated aggregates operation comprising two permanent plus several portable recycling plants. The company owns one of the larger equipment fleets in the region, enabling it to act as both general contractor and subcontractor on multi-phase projects ranging from hyperscale data center site development (the 907,000 sq ft High Noon Data Center on 500 acres in Dekalb) to state highway realignment and large-diameter stormwater infrastructure.
Revenue mechanics are project-based: Berger bids competitively on both private developments (universities, hospitals, data centers, retail/industrial/residential developers) and public works (Illinois DOT, municipalities such as the Village of Wilmette), and is paid via milestone or contract completion on multi-year terms. The company monetizes through five integrated service lines rather than discrete product SKUs, and pricing is quote-based on project scope, complexity, and requirements. Sales motion is sales-led with project bidding as the primary commercial channel, supplemented by case-study-driven content marketing, careers recruitment, and a light organic social presence on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. The company holds no disclosed institutional investment, no outside parent, and no funding history, with second-generation family ownership remaining in place. Operational stability and award velocity are reflected in multi-year AGC safety recognition and APWA project-of-the-year honors from 2022 through 2025.
Berger firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Berger
- Legal name
- Berger Excavating Contractors
- Website
- https://bergerexcavating.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Berger Excavating Contractors is a family-owned, second-generation heavy civil contractor serving Chicagoland, Northern Illinois, and Southern Wisconsin with self-performed earthmoving, underground utility, highway, detail excavation, and specialty construction services for public and private clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Berger industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Excavation & Underground Utility Contracting
- NAICS
- Site Preparation Contractors (23891), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110), Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237)
- SIC
- Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass Excavation & Bulk Earthmoving (Cut/Fill, Grading) (IMAFAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Trenching & Utility Excavation (IMAFAKAD)
Keywords
Where Berger is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wauconda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Berger business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Construction services: Project-based revenue from general contracting and subcontracting services. Revenue earned through bidding on and completing construction projects including earthmoving, underground utilities, highway construction, and specialty construction for private and public sector clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based bidding |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Berger product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Berger Excavating Contractors performs site development, earthmoving, detail excavation, underground utility installation, and highway construction for private and public sector clients across Chicagoland, northern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin. The company self-performs most scopes of work using its own equipment fleet and union labor, delivering integrated earthwork, utility, and roadway solutions without relying on subcontractors for primary tasks.
Product overview
Berger is a family-owned, second-generation excavation and underground utility contractor offering a unified set of construction services for private and public sector clients in Chicagoland, northern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin. The company operates five core service offerings: Earthmoving, Detail Excavating, Underground Utilities, Highway Construction, and Specialty Construction. These services are delivered as an integrated package—Berger self-performs multiple aspects of each project using its own equipment fleet and skilled union labor, enabling tight coordination across earthmoving, utilities, and roadwork. The company distinguishes itself through advanced technology including GPS-guided machines and 3D modeling, operating one of the largest equipment fleets in the region. Projects range from residential developments and commercial sites to heavy highway construction, wastewater facilities, and large-scale data center infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Earthmoving
Quantifiable outcome
- All projects delivered within or ahead of project schedule
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Berger
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Berger technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Berger partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Lakemoor MaterialsminorMaterials supplier shown as partner/vendor. Provides construction materials for Berger projects.
- Northbrook MaterialsminorMaterials supplier shown as partner/vendor. Provides construction materials for Berger projects.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Berger competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- V3 Construction Group: Illinois-based contractor providing earthwork, site development, and structural construction for residential, commercial, and public-sector clients in the greater Chicago region. Directly comparable in regional service mix.
Broad incumbents
- Michels Corporation: Large Midwest-based infrastructure contractor with major trenchless underground utility and pipeline construction capabilities. Comparable on the underground utility side of Berger's business and competes for major utility and energy-related infrastructure work in the upper Midwest.
- Granite Construction Incorporated: National heavy civil contractor with strong Midwest presence in transportation infrastructure, underground utilities, and site development. Publicly-traded peer whose project mix closely matches Berger's highway and specialty construction scope.
- MasTec, Inc. National infrastructure construction services conglomerate covering utilities, oil & gas pipelines, and heavy civil work. Competes for large-scale site development and underground utility packages and could acquire Berger-like regional players as it expands in the Midwest.
- Walsh Construction: One of the largest Chicago-based general contractors with a heavy civil division covering earthmoving, underground utilities, and highway work. Operates as both prime and subcontractor and competes with Berger for IDOT and large private infrastructure bids.
- Sterling Infrastructure (formerly Sterling Construction): Heavy civil infrastructure company operating across transportation, water, and specialty site preparation. Comparable in earthwork, underground utility, and highway construction services with national breadth Berger lacks.
Direct peers
- Lindblad Construction Company: Long-established Illinois earthwork, site development, and underground utility contractor. Similar crew size, self-perform capabilities, and target markets (private developers + public agencies in northern Illinois).
- Plote Construction: Illinois-based general contractor specializing in earthwork, site preparation, underground utilities, and heavy highway construction. Highly comparable in service mix, union workforce, and self-perform model to Berger. Headquartered in the Chicago suburbs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Berger social profiles
Digital presenceBerger financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Berger leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Berger funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Berger 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 Berger
What does Berger do?
Berger Excavating Contractors performs site development, earthmoving, detail excavation, underground utility installation, and highway construction for private and public sector clients across Chicagoland, northern Illinois, and southern Wisconsin. The company self-performs most scopes of work using its own equipment fleet and union labor, delivering integrated earthwork, utility, and roadway solutions without relying on subcontractors for primary tasks.
Is Berger a public or private company?
Berger is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Berger founded?
Berger was founded in 1975. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Berger based?
Berger is headquartered in Wauconda, United States, in the North America region.
How does Berger make money?
One revenue line is on record: construction services.
Who are Berger's main competitors?
V3 Construction Group is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Michels Corporation, Granite Construction Incorporated, MasTec, Inc., Walsh Construction and Sterling Infrastructure (formerly Sterling Construction). Direct peers are Lindblad Construction Company and Plote Construction.
Does Berger have an API?
No public API is recorded for Berger.
What industry is Berger in?
Berger's product category is Excavation & Underground Utility Contracting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAKAC, Mass Excavation & Bulk Earthmoving (Cut/Fill, Grading), with a secondary code of IMAFAKAD, Trenching & Utility Excavation. Its NAICS code is 23891 and its SIC code is 1600.