In the early stages of a new company, some owners adopt a measured approach — taking jobs they are confident they can handle and growing into larger projects over time. Not Kraig Hanson. He started Crow River Construction in 2013. Hanson sold his house, bought a building for his equipment, and the family moved into his camper.
Last fall, Eastern Iowa Excavating & Concrete LLC Owner Chad Demmer made the decision to add a new GOMACO GP3 slipform paver to his fleet. Buying the machine was the simple part. What followed in the months before its delivery that spring ensured his company was ready to maximize performance. “This would be the first GP3 in our fleet, so we knew we would need training on it,” said Demmer. “That winter, we sent five people to GOMACO University for training, so they’d be able to apply what they learned when they got on-site.”
In 1947, Junie Manatt purchased a truck, grabbed his shovel, and pulled into a local sand pit. From this humble beginning — thanks to a great deal of hard work — came what is now one of the most successful Iowa-based heavy highway construction and materials companies.
