What J W Kelso does

J.W. Kelso Company, Inc. is a family-owned construction management and general contracting firm headquartered in Galveston, Texas, founded in 1979 by John Kelso and J.H. Wedemeyer to continue a Kelso family construction tradition dating to the early 1900s. The company delivers five integrated service lines: General Construction, Construction Manager Agent, Construction Manager-at-Risk, Design-Build, and Self-Perform. Self-perform capabilities cover demolition, pile driving, earthwork, concrete, carpentry, and interior finishes using company-owned equipment and a specialized labor force. The company also operates a 310' x 95' graving dock at the Galveston Marine Shipyard for vessel repair and floating concrete caisson construction, plus a Pre-Cast/Pre-Stress Yard producing pre-stressed concrete piling, deck slabs, and sheet piling with direct barge loading capability. Affiliated companies Texas Gulf Construction Company (founded 1934) and Kelso Concrete Company (TXDOT-certified) provide vertically integrated marine, civil, and concrete supply services.

The company generates revenue through project-based contracts, fixed-price construction, guaranteed maximum price (GMP) arrangements under CM-at-Risk, and fee-based professional services under CM-Agent engagements. Pricing is project-specific and quote-based with no public pricing. The go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-based, targeting city, county, state and federal government entities, institutes of higher education, medical facilities, religious organizations, historical restoration projects, and private commercial developers throughout the Gulf Coast region of Texas. Notable customers include the City of League City, City of Dickinson, Galveston County, City of Texas City, County of Galveston, Galveston Independent School District, Archdiocese of Galveston/Houston, and Del Papa Distributing.

The business is privately held with no institutional investors, no public listing, and no disclosed funding history. Marketing is limited to a company website (jwkelso.com) featuring project portfolio, history, and contact information, with no active social media presence. Geographic operations are concentrated in Galveston County and adjacent Gulf Coast Texas markets including Texas City, League City, Dickinson, Beaumont, Lamarque, and Crystal Beach.

Name

J W Kelso

Legal name

J.W. Kelso Company, Inc.

Website

https://jwkelso.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J.W. Kelso Company is a family-owned construction management and general contracting firm in Galveston, Texas, serving government entities, educational institutions, religious organizations, and private developers across the Gulf Coast region with self-perform and marine capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Services

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Heavy Lifting & Material Handling Infrastructure (Goliath Cranes, Jib Cranes, Hoists) (IMAJALAD)

Keywords

• General construction services
• Construction management
• Design build construction
• Marine construction
• Concrete construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Galveston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. General Construction Services: Provides general construction services for various project types including bridges, pile driving, foundations, marine & dock facilities, and industrial buildings. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts.
2. Construction Manager Agent Services: Construction Manager Agent services provided since 2004 for government municipalities, schools, and churches. Fee-based professional services model.
3. Construction Manager-at-Risk: Construction management services where the company assumes risk for project delivery within guaranteed maximum price.
4. Design-Build Services: Integrated design and construction services under single contract.
5. Marine Shipyard Services: Graving dock services for repairs on deep draft vessels, tugs, barges, and offshore/supply vessels. Also constructs large floating concrete caisson units and floating docks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

J.W. Kelso Company provides construction management and general contracting services to government entities, educational institutions, religious facilities, and private developers in the Texas Gulf Coast region. The company offers five primary service lines—General Construction, Construction Manager Agent, Construction Manager-at-Risk, Design Build, and Self-Perform—and additionally operates a marine graving dock and pre-cast/pre-stress concrete yard at the Galveston Marine Shipyard.

Product overview

J.W. Kelso Company is a construction management and general contracting firm offering five integrated service lines: General Construction, Construction Manager Agent, Construction Manager-at-Risk, Design Build, and Self Perform services. The company differentiates through its self-perform capabilities including demolition, pile driving, earthwork, concrete work, carpentry and interior finishes using company-owned equipment. Additionally, the company operates specialized marine and precast services through its Graving Dock and Pre-Cast/Pre-stress Yard operations, enabling it to serve complex Gulf Coast construction projects with vertical integration from design through delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Construction
• Construction Manager Agent
• Construction Manager-at-Risk
• Design Build
• Self Perform Construction
• Graving Dock Services
• Pre-Cast/Pre-Stress Yard

Named customers8 records

Segments6 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Texas Gulf Construction Company, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1934 as successor to W. A. Kelso and Company. Continues long history of building heavy commercial/industrial dock facilities throughout Gulf Coast areas of Texas since early 1900s. Owns and maintains marine fleet (barges, push boats, cranes, pile hammers), landside civil equipment, ready mix concrete plants, and prestress yard operations. Operates two marine yards adjacent to Intercoastal Waterway, mile marker 355.
• Kelso Concrete CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal bonded, TXDOT certified concrete supplier providing quality concrete for residential, commercial, industrial, and highway projects throughout Galveston and surrounding areas.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Texas Gulf Construction Company, Inc. Affiliated operating subsidiary (est. 1934) of JWK that owns the marine fleet and prestress yard; included here as a peer because it operates as a distinct heavy marine/civil entity with comparable scope and Gulf Coast customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Turner Construction Company: Largest U.S. commercial GC offering CM-at-Risk, design-build, and general construction — overlaps with JWK's service offerings and public-sector bid list, though at much greater scale and national footprint.
• McCarthy Building Companies: Large, employee-owned national GC with self-perform concrete, marine, and heavy civil capabilities including port and marine work — competes for similar project types as JWK but at significantly larger scale and broader geography.
• DPR Construction: National technical GC with strong self-perform capabilities and growing public-sector portfolio — competes for similar CM-at-Risk and design-build opportunities as JWK but with substantially larger scale and technology investment.
• Orion Group Holdings: Public specialty construction firm providing marine, concrete, and heavy civil services to Gulf Coast clients — comparable marine construction capabilities and Gulf Coast presence, but operates at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Tellepsen: Houston-based, family-owned general contractor and construction manager offering CM-at-Risk, design-build, and general construction across Texas — directly comparable to JWK in scale, region, ownership structure, and service mix.
• Harvey Builders: Houston/Gulf Coast area general contractor with self-perform capabilities and CM-at-Risk delivery — comparable to JWK in regional footprint, public-sector client base, and self-perform model.
• Manhattan Construction Company: Family-held (since 1896) national general contractor with strong Texas presence and broad service lines including CM-at-Risk and design-build — comparable heritage, ownership profile, and delivery model to JWK.
• Satterfield & Pontikes Construction: Texas-based general contractor and construction manager with strong public-sector portfolio including schools, fire stations, and civic facilities — closely comparable to JWK in service lines and Gulf Coast/SE Texas customer mix.
• SpawGlass: Texas-based, employee-owned general contractor with heavy civil, commercial, and marine construction capabilities including pile driving and concrete — directly comparable in Texas geography and self-perform marine/heavy work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-w-kelso-company-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 J W Kelso