Wendler

What Wendler does

Wendler Inc. is an Iowa-based heavy civil construction company founded in 1973 by Glenn Wendler in South Amana, Iowa, with current headquarters at 415 12th Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids. The company delivers water and wastewater treatment plants, electrical substations, flood control systems, pump stations, airport infrastructure, and renewable energy projects, primarily for municipal, utility, federal, and private energy clients across Iowa. Wendler executes work through self-performed civil scopes, Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC), and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery models, and claims to have built more water and wastewater treatment plants in Iowa than any other contractor over the past 50 years.

The company's core service portfolio spans high voltage electrical general contracting (including 345kV substations), deep foundations and excavation (micropiles, geopiers, sheeting, H-piles), structural steel fabrication and installation, equipment installation, high-performance concrete (precast and cast-in-place), process piping, underground utilities, high-security fencing, and wind farm access roads. Notable technical capabilities include advanced 3D modeling and value engineering that delivered a $2.8M cost reduction (nearly 10%) on the 12th Avenue Pump Station through re-engineering of a temporary stormwater bypass. Safety performance is anchored by an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) consistently below industry average, OSHA 10/30 certifications, daily Job Hazard Analyses, and an Iowa OSHA Partnership program.

Wendler operates on a project-based revenue model with revenue earned through competitive bidding, prequalification, and relationship-based procurement of public and private contracts; pricing is custom and quote-based per project scope. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting city administrators, public works directors, utility managers, and federal agency representatives, supported by a VP of Business Development and preconstruction services (cost modeling, constructability review, procurement strategy, value engineering, risk identification). Marketing is primarily relationship-driven with content marketing support (e.g., the "Beyond the Bid" downloadable guide) and organic social presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment. Leadership transitioned from founder Glenn Wendler (retired 1998) to Randy Reihmann (President 1998-2020, then Chairman) and then to current President & CEO Jamie Rich in 2020. In 2025, the company reclaimed the Wendler name after operating as WRH since 2008.

Name

Wendler

Legal name

Wendler Inc.

Website

https://wendlerinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wendler Inc. is an Iowa-based heavy civil construction company delivering water/wastewater treatment plants, electrical substations, flood control systems, pump stations, and renewable energy infrastructure for municipalities, utilities, and federal agencies across Iowa through EPC and CMAR delivery models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Heavy Civil Construction Services

NAICS

Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction (237)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Construction Management & Delivery (EPCM/CMAR/Design-Build Oversight) (EUANALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Storage & Conveyance Structures (Reservoirs, Tanks, Culverts, Tunnels) (IMAFAGAE)

Keywords

• Heavy civil construction
• Water treatment infrastructure
• Electrical substation construction
• EPC project delivery
• Municipal infrastructure contracting

Headquarters

HQ city

South Amana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Heavy Civil Construction Services: Project-based revenue from construction contracts for water/wastewater treatment facilities, electrical substations, flood mitigation systems, pump stations, and other civil infrastructure. Revenue earned through competitive bidding on public and private projects with EPC and CMAR delivery models.
2. EPC/CMAR Project Delivery: Full-scope Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts as well as Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) arrangements. Revenue generated from complete project delivery including engineering coordination, procurement of major equipment, and self-performed civil construction.
3. Preconstruction Services: Cost modeling, constructability review, value engineering, and risk identification services provided before project award. Integral part of business development and relationship building with municipalities and utilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wendler is an Iowa-based heavy civil construction company that self-performs infrastructure projects for municipalities, utilities, and government agencies. The company delivers water and wastewater treatment plants, electrical substations, pump stations, flood control systems, and underground utilities through Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery models. In-house capabilities span deep foundations, structural steel, process piping, high-performance concrete, and high-voltage electrical work.

Product overview

Wendler is a heavy civil construction company offering a portfolio of integrated construction services centered on civil infrastructure. The core service offering includes Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), High Voltage Electrical General Contracting, Deep Foundations & Excavation, Structural Steel, Equipment Installation, High-Performance Concrete, Process Piping, Underground Utilities, High-Security Fencing, and Wind Farm Access Roads. These services are delivered across water and wastewater treatment plants, electrical substations, pump stations, flood control systems, and airport/industrial facilities. The company operates primarily in Iowa, serving municipalities, utilities, and public agencies, with EPC and CMAR delivery methods as key execution models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC)
• High Voltage Electrical General Contracting
• Deep Foundations & Excavation
• Structural Steel
• Equipment Installation
• High-Performance Concrete
• Process Piping
• Underground Utilities
• High-Security Fencing
• Wind Farm Access Roads
• Preconstruction Services

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.8 million cost reduction (nearly 10%) through value engineering on 12th Avenue Pump Station project
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stanley ConsultantscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Engineering partner on multiple EPC substation projects including the Iowa Wind Farm Substation and A Avenue Pump Station. Provides engineering coordination and accurate, timely engineering deliverables throughout projects.
• Veenstra & KimmcoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering firm partner on Marion Water Treatment Plant and Elkhart Water Treatment Plant projects. Collaborates on design and construction of municipal water infrastructure.
• HR GreencoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering partner on Williamsburg Water & Wastewater Plant Improvements project. Worked closely with city officials, operational staff, and public to ensure project met technical and community needs.
• H.R. GreencoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineering partner on 12th Avenue Pump Station project in Cedar Rapids. Owner representative alongside City of Cedar Rapids.
• Foth EngineeringcoreTechnology or IntegrationEngineer of record for Eastern Iowa Airport Fuel Depot project. Provided engineering services and project coordination.
• Iowa OSHAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partnership program focused on safety and accountability. Part of Wendler's proactive safety culture and compliance programs.
• Master Builders of IowaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association providing training and education assistance for employee career development and growth.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Black & Veatch: Global EPC firm specializing in water, wastewater, and energy infrastructure. Directly comparable on water treatment plant EPC delivery; much larger and broader, and serves as both an engineering partner alternative and competitor.
• Burns & McDonnell: National employee-owned engineering, construction, and architecture firm with a substantial substation, transmission, and water practice. Comparable to Wendler on EPC substation delivery and municipal infrastructure, but operates nationally and at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Primoris Services Corporation: Public infrastructure construction services firm with utility-scale electrical, pipeline, and civil work. Comparable to Wendler on utility substation and renewable energy construction, particularly wind-related infrastructure.
• Hoffman Construction: Heavy civil and industrial contractor with self-perform capabilities across concrete, structural, and process piping. Comparable to Wendler on integrated self-perform delivery for water/wastewater and industrial infrastructure.
• MYR Group: Specialty electrical construction services firm serving transmission, distribution, and renewable energy markets. Comparable to Wendler's high-voltage substation and wind farm EPC work, though focused exclusively on the electrical scope.
• The Weitz Company: Iowa-headquartered general/industrial contractor with overlapping municipal, industrial, and heavy civil work. Comparable as a regional Iowa-based builder pursuing similar public and private clients, though broader in scope than Wendler.
• M.A. Mortenson Construction: Large national EPC/CMAR contractor with a significant wind, substation, and civil infrastructure practice. Directly comparable to Wendler on wind farm substations and high-voltage EPC delivery, though Mortenson operates at much greater scale and geography.
• Graham Construction: Heavy civil and building contractor with deep municipal water/wastewater and infrastructure delivery experience. Comparable on CMAR/EPC delivery of treatment plants and underground utilities, with a similar mid-market contractor profile.

Regional players

• Carver Construction: Midwest heavy civil contractor with municipal water/wastewater and bridge work. Comparable as a regional peer competing for similar Iowa and adjacent state municipal infrastructure projects.
• Petersen Brothers Construction: Iowa-based site development and underground utility contractor. Comparable on underground utility and civil site work for municipal clients, though smaller in scale and narrower in scope than Wendler.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WendlerInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wendler-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/wendlerinc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Wendler