About Us

QUICK FACTS

Year Established:

In 1913 Swedish immigrant and carpenter Carl Nelson started Carl A. Nelson & Co. In 1940 the company became employee owned.

Ownership:

Carl A. Nelson & Co. is owned by 26 employees from various functions including accounting, estimating, project management, and field supervision. 

Employees:

Carl A. Nelson & Co. is a merit shop company with approximately 135 employees.

Delivery Methods:

Design-Build, Construction Management, and General Contracting

Work Performed By Own Forces:
  • Division 2: Site Work
    • • Structural Excavation
  • Division 3: Concrete
    • • Slabs and Foundations
    • Equipment Foundations
    • Precast Concrete
    •Concrete Superstructures
    • Site Cast Tilt-Up Concrete
  • Division 5: Metals
    • Misc. and Structural Steel Erection
  • Division 6: Wood and Plastics
    • Rough and Finish Carpentry
  • Division 8: Doors and Windows
  • Division 9: Finishes
    • Metal Studs and Drywall
  • Division 10: Specialties
  • Division 11: Equipment
  • Division 13: Special Construction
    • Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings
    • Swimming Pools
  • Division 14: Conveying Systems
    • Bridge Crane & Monorail Erection
  • Division 15: Mechanical Millwright Work


Size of Projects:

Carl A. Nelson & Co. has successfully completed and can bond up to $35,000,000 per project.  Our company branch, Nelson Plant Services, specializes in routine maintenance and small industrial projects.  Nelson Plant Services’ projects generally range between $1,000 and $100,000.

Project Locations:

Carl A. Nelson & Co. has the ability to work in the United States and Canada.  We are adept at applying and receiving licensing where ever our clients' projects take us.  We currently have the ability to perform in CO, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SD, TN, TX, VT, WV, WI, WY and Ontario, Canada. 

See our latest video highlighting our 98 years of experience in our hometown, Burlington, Iowa.

Safety:

2010 Workers Compensation Experience Modification Rate (EMR) = 0.78. 
In February 2009, we exceeded over 1,000,000 man-hours worked without a lost work-day injury.