Granite Construction Company
Website verified September 2026
Key takeaways
- Category: PPE & Protective Equipment
- Based in: Watsonville California, Monterey California, Santa Cruz California and 124 more locations
- Serves: Canada, Mexico, United States
- Operating: 1900
Granite Construction Company is one of the largest diversified construction and construction materials companies in the United States and a full-suite provider in the transportation, water infrastructure and mineral exploration markets. The company is an industry leader in safety and an award-winning firm in quality and sustainability.
Granite’s roots trace to California construction license No. 89, one of the first 100 licenses issued, 96 percent of which no longer exist. The company was founded in 1900 when John T. Porter, his son Warren, and A. R. Wilson purchased the Logan Quarry near Watsonville, California for 10,000 gold coins and formed the Granite Rock Company. The quarry initially employed 15 men and produced about 175 tons per day. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, demand for reconstruction materials drove growth. In 1922, the construction arm became a wholly-owned subsidiary called Granite Construction Company under the leadership of Walter J. Wilkinson, who established the company’s foundational Code of Conduct in 1958.
The company expanded significantly during World War II, opening offices in Monterey in 1945 and Santa Cruz in 1946. In 1955, Granite acquired the Perkins Quarry and American Sand & Gravel to break into the Sacramento market and establish its vertically integrated business model. The company constructed sections of Interstate 80 for the 1960 Winter Olympics at Lake Tahoe and later built the Powell Street station for San Francisco’s rapid-transit system, which opened in 1972. In the 1970s, Granite constructed seven stations for the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in Washington, D.C.
During the 1980s, Granite expanded into new territories including Texas, where it completed the Truscott Brine Dam, a 23 million dollar project in 1983. The company went public in 1990 on the NASDAQ Exchange as GVA, later moving to the NYSE, and reached the one billion dollar annual revenue milestone by decade’s end. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Granite crews worked at Ground Zero within days and constructed a temporary subway station inside the World Trade Center to replace those destroyed during the attacks.
In 2012, Granite celebrated its 90th anniversary and completed its acquisition of Kenny Construction, expanding its presence in power delivery and water infrastructure markets. The company participated in a joint venture to rebuild New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge, the largest bridge project in New York’s history. In 2018, Granite acquired Layne Christensen and LiquiForce, advancing its goal of becoming a full suite provider for water and wastewater markets. In 2019, Granite was recognized for the tenth consecutive year as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute.
In 2021, the company celebrated its centennial year. Kyle Larkin replaced Jim Roberts as CEO in 2021 and oversaw a refreshed strategic plan resulting in increased acquisitions and geographic expansion. In 2023, Granite acquired Lehman-Roberts Company and Memphis Stone & Gravel in Memphis, Tennessee, representing the first expansion into the mid-south region. In 2024, the company acquired Dickerson & Bowen in Mississippi. In 2025, Granite continued its aggressive acquisition strategy with the purchase of Warren Paving in Mississippi and Papich Construction in central California.
Granite has grown its profile as an expert in delivering projects using collaborative contracting methods including Progressive Design Build, Construction Manager/General Contractor, and Construction Manager At Risk. The company’s core values are Safety, Integrity, Excellence, Inclusion, and Sustainability. The five core values form the cornerstone of the company’s Code of Conduct.
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Company details
- Projects and clients
- Logan Quarry, Carnegie Library in Watsonville, Yosemite Park roads including road to Glacier Point, Highway 99 near Elk Grove Sacramento, Lake Tahoe Winter Olympics 1960 preparation including Interstate 80 sections between Squaw Valley and San Francisco, Powell Street station San Francisco rapid-transit system opened 1972, Washington Metro Area Transit Authority seven stations Washington D.C. 1976-1978, Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Watsonville, Donner Pass California, Rollins Dam north central California 242-foot earth-and-rock dam, Scotts Flat dam California, California Aqueduct 444-mile canal Northern California to Southern California, Truscott Brine Dam Texas panhandle 1983, San Joaquin Toll Road 1996 800 million dollars, Interstate 75 Atlanta 1996 Olympics preparation, Intercounty Connector outside Washington D.C., Queens Bored Tunnel New York, Ground Zero World Trade Center temporary subway station New York 2001, Tappan Zee Bridge New York joint venture, Carmel River Reroute California, San Clemente Dam Removal Project California, Kenny Construction acquisition, Layne Christensen acquisition, LiquiForce acquisition, Lehman-Roberts Company acquisition Memphis Tennessee 2023, Memphis Stone & Gravel acquisition 2023, Dickerson & Bowen acquisition Mississippi 2024, Warren Paving acquisition Mississippi 2025, Papich Construction acquisition central California 2025, Leon Hurse Dam Project Texas
- Scale
- 100 years in business, 90-year anniversary in 2012, centennial in 2022, one billion dollar annual revenue milestone achieved by end of 1990s, 23 million dollar Truscott Brine Dam project in 1983, 800 million dollar San Joaquin Toll Road project in 1996, 4.3 billion dollar California Aqueduct project, work volume exceeded 17 million dollars from 1940 to 1949, business volume increased from 5.8 million dollars in 1950 to 20.9 million dollars in 1959, 1.5 million dollars in profits from Rollins Dam and Scotts Flat dam, 242-foot earth-and-rock Rollins Dam, nearly one-quarter of California Aqueduct construction, 444-mile-long California Aqueduct, 25 dams and reservoirs in California Aqueduct project, 18 pumping plants in California Aqueduct project, 8 hydroelectric power plants in California Aqueduct project, seven Washington Metro stations constructed, five aggregate yards and one recycling yard in Carson City Nevada, four asphalt plants and two sand and gravel plants in Mississippi, nine board of directors members
- Also worth knowing
- California construction license No. 89, one of the first 100 licenses issued with 96 percent of original 100 no longer existing, founded 1900 on purchase of Logan Quarry for 10,000 gold coins, young engineer John Steinbeck earned 2.75 dollars per day working on Granite Rock project between Moss Landing and Castroville in early 1900s, prehistoric mastodon tusks 9 feet long discovered 65 feet below surface during Highway 1 construction between Santa Cruz and Watsonville, Walter J. Wilkinson Founder's Guide to Future Generations single sheet of paper establishing 11-step Code of Conduct in 1958, Ranked No. 1 in Highways on ENR Top Contractors List for fifth consecutive year in 2025, full employee stock ownership plan introduced 1985 with 51 percent sold to employees, first outside CEO Dave Watts hired 1987, initial public offering 1990 on NASDAQ as GVA later moved to NYSE, recognized World's Most Ethical Company by Ethisphere Institute tenth consecutive year in 2019, 100-year centennial in 2022, vertically integrated business model established 1955, specialty expertise in collaborative contracting methods including Progressive Design Build, Construction Manager/General Contractor, and Construction Manager At Risk
Details prepared by MineListings. Granite Construction Company can update them by upgrading to Premium.
Where is Granite Construction Company listed in the directory?
PPE & Protective Equipment 337 companiesFrequently asked questions
What does Granite Construction Company supply?
Infrastructure solutions, transportation construction, water infrastructure construction, mineral exploration, construction management, design-build, progressive design build, construction manager/general contractor, construction manager at risk, general contracting, mining quality aggregates, asphalt concrete design and production, hot mix asphalt, recycled asphalt pavement, warm mix asphalt, cold mix asphalt, EZ Street Ambient Asphalt, liquid asphalt, emulsions, tack products, latex modified products, paving grade asphalts, polymer modified asphalts, aggregate production, recycled products, slurry seal, pavement preservation, site civil work, post-driving, mechanical solar installation, substation construction, utility civil services, renewables installation, airfield construction, energy projects, structures construction, dam construction, tunnel construction, bridge construction, road construction, highway construction, rail infrastructure, water and wastewater services, water rehabilitation services, aggregates distribution, aggregate transportation, landscape supply, construction materials transportation
Where is Granite Construction Company based?
Watsonville California, Monterey California, Santa Cruz California, Sacramento California, San Francisco California, Lake Tahoe Nevada, Clovis California, Coalinga California, Santa Barbara California, Indio California, Fresno California, Bakersfield California, Arvin California, Visalia California, Ukiah California, Lakeport California, Paso Robles California, Santa Paula California, Santa Maria California, Arroyo Grande California, Ventura California, Los Angeles California, Ontario California, Santa Clara California, San Ramon California, Pleasanton California, Salinas California, Felton California, Lancaster California, Bishop California, Tracy California, Sacramento California, Anchorage Alaska, Palmer Alaska, Girdwood Alaska, Wasilla Alaska, Tucson Arizona, Tempe Arizona, Chandler Arizona, Marana Arizona, Mill Bay British Columbia Canada, Commerce City Colorado, Denver Colorado, Westminster Colorado, Tampa Florida, Fort Myers Florida, Pensacola Florida, Chicago Illinois, Des Plaines Illinois, Vernon Hills Illinois, Elk Grove Village Illinois, Overland Park Kansas, Wichita Kansas, Louisville Kentucky, Salem Kentucky, Prairieville Louisiana, Donaldsonville Louisiana, Houma Louisiana, New Iberia Louisiana, Plaquemine Louisiana, Rayne Louisiana, St. Rose Louisiana, Angie Louisiana, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico, Bay City Michigan, Plymouth Michigan, Bloomington Minnesota, Brookhaven Mississippi, Carthage Mississippi, Gulfport Mississippi, Hattiesburg Mississippi, Jackson Mississippi, McComb Mississippi, Moss Point Mississippi, Winona Mississippi, Byhalia Mississippi, Oxford Mississippi, Hernando Mississippi, Batesville Mississippi, Vicksburg Mississippi, Memphis Tennessee, Knoxville Tennessee, Fenton Missouri, Fremont Nebraska, Carson City Nevada, Elko Nevada, Henderson Nevada, Lockwood Nevada, Sparks Nevada, Wadsworth Nevada, Yerington Nevada, Schoharie New York, Columbus Ohio, Middletown Ohio, Hermiston Oregon, Garland Texas, Honey Grove Texas, Irving Texas, The Woodlands Texas, Provo Utah, Salt Lake City Utah, West Haven Utah, Ogden Utah, Willard Utah, Cottonwood Heights Utah, Tooele Utah, Magna Utah, Yakima Washington, Bellingham Washington, Wenatchee Washington, Belfair Washington, Mount Vernon Washington, Dallesport Washington, Ellensburg Washington, Granite Falls Washington, Richland Washington, Everett Washington, Marysville Washington, Moses Lake Washington, Okanogan Washington, Kennewick Washington, Pasco Washington, Zillah Washington, Everson Washington, Olympia Washington, Vancouver Washington, Waukesha Wisconsin
Which industries does Granite Construction Company work in?
Transportation, water infrastructure, mineral exploration, power delivery, wastewater, solar, energy, utilities, federal government, state and local infrastructure
What equipment or products does Granite Construction Company offer?
EZ Street Ambient Asphalt, Big Red concrete ready-mix plant, Companies, Institute, Company
How long has Granite Construction Company been operating?
1900, 100 years in business as of 2022
What certifications does Granite Construction Company hold?
World's Most Ethical Companies, Ethisphere Institute recognition for ten consecutive years
How do I contact Granite Construction Company?
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