Heavy work, done right the first time. Since 1916.
Lakehead Constructors is a self-performing contractor for the mines, mills, refineries, railroads, and power plants of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. When the scope is complex and the outage window is short, owners call us.
Minntac · Keetac
Tilden · Northshore
Allouez Taconite
Alberta Clipper
Boswell · Hydro
Superior Refinery
Arcola High Bridge
Center ExpansionMinntac · KeetacTilden · NorthshoreAllouez TaconiteAlberta ClipperBoswell · HydroSuperior RefineryArcola High BridgeCenter ExpansionWe self-perform the trades that matter and manage everything else, with one team accountable from the first site walk to commissioning.
Constructability reviews, preliminary budgets, permitting support, and long-lead procurement before drawings are final.
Owner-side management of scope, schedule, and cost, with the field experience to catch problems before they cost you.
A single contract from concept through commissioning, so design decisions get made with build cost in the room.
Full-scope delivery of industrial, commercial, and institutional projects with our own crews and equipment fleet.
ASME-stamped pressure piping, process piping, and mechanical installations inside operating facilities.
Certified shop fabrication of pipe spools, structural steel, and pressure components in our Superior facility.
Industrial vacuum trucks for plant cleanup, spill response, and material recovery, ready when your facility needs them.
Cranes, heavy equipment, and specialty tooling from our own fleet, leased with or without operators.
From taconite plants on the Iron Range to municipal water infrastructure on Lake Superior's shore, we build where the work is hardest.
Crane and crew on a structural set
Most general contractors broker your project out and manage it from a trailer. We put our own union tradespeople, our own equipment fleet, and our own supervision on your site.
Safety is the first of our four founding pillars, and it comes with real authority: every employee on every site can stop work immediately to correct an unsafe condition. No sign-offs, no hesitation.
Conveyor setting, Northshore Mining
Fifty-plus documented projects across seven markets. Here are three that show the range.
Founded by civil engineer Roland C. Buck to revolutionize large-scale harbor construction, we have carried the same four pillars through every era: safety, quality, service, and innovation.
Roland C. Buck opens shop in the Twin Ports and earns a national reputation for large-scale harbor facilities.
Floyd Bernard and two partners incorporate under the name the region still calls first.
Long-time employee Brian Maki purchases the company with two Lakehead veterans, taking sole ownership in 2015.
Three offices, seven markets, and client relationships that have lasted more than 50 years.
Lakehead Constructors did a great job and we were able to rely on their expertise. The project went well and communication was great.
You guys were so great to work with. We can't thank you enough for your efficiency. I will be recommending you to anyone and everyone around.
As usual, best contractor in the area!
Direct lines and direct answers. The people who run Lakehead Constructors came up through its field crews, shops, and project trailers.
We serve the Upper Midwest from three offices: Superior, Wisconsin; Aurora, Minnesota; and Marquette, Michigan. Our crews work across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, from the Iron Range to the Twin Ports.
We are a traditional self-performing contractor. Our own union tradespeople handle civil, structural, mechanical, and piping scopes, backed by our own crane and equipment fleet. One accountable team, tighter schedules, and no finger-pointing between subs.
Yes. Plant maintenance, major outages, and shutdown or turnaround work are core to what we do. We have staffed maintenance and capital projects with up to 300 multi-trade personnel while the facility kept running.
We are ISO 9001:2015 certified for quality management, hold ASME A and PP stamps for power boiler assembly and pressure piping fabrication, and carry the NBIC R stamp for repair and alteration of pressure-retaining items.
Every employee is empowered to conduct work safely, stop work immediately to correct any unsafe condition, and take corrective action before work resumes. The program includes multi-level project audits, supervisor training, and substance abuse programs, and has earned safety awards from AGC of Minnesota, TAUC, and the National Safety Council.
Call 1-800-450-5181 or send us your project details through the form below. For budget-stage work, our pre-construction team can help with constructability reviews, preliminary budgets, and scheduling before drawings are final.
A real person reads every inquiry, and we respond within one business day. Prefer to talk it through? Call any office, weekdays 7:30am to 5:00pm.
Budget-stage or bid-ready, we'll give you a straight answer either way.
Our past clients have stayed with us for more than 50 years. The first project is how those relationships start.
