Sand & Gravel:
Norgaard Sand & Gravel first opened for business in 1968 delivering screened gravel, pit run gravel and fill dirt. An old conveyor vibrator was used to screen gravel for use on farmer’s driveways and lanes. An antique Bantam dragline with a 3/8 yard bucket loaded the 1952 Ford 5 yard dump truck for delivery and fed the conveyor. Our first major job was the Dickens Coop Elevator, no
w Maxyield Coop, when they built a new grain elevator in the early ‘70s. By 1973, a larger, dragline, a new Kolman screener/shaker, a hough loader and a 1962 GMC 10 yard dump truck had been added to the gravel business. In addition to the gravel business Norgaard Sand & Gravel diversified by raising and purchasing Hay & Straw for resale and delivery. By 1973 two semi-tractors plus flat bed trailers were being used to deliver hay & straw in Iowa. In 1974, the business became known as Norgaard Hay & Gravel and a large Michigan loader and more dump trucks were added to the gravel business. At times, it was necessary to hire local gravel trucks to keep up with the material demands. In 1975 the business continued to evolve and a corn cob hauling business was started. Corn cobs were purchased from local farmers and were hauled to a manufacturing plant in Omaha, NE. In the late 1970’s a new steel building was built for use as a shop and in 1984 an office was built onsite to support the continued growth of the company as a wash plant was purchased. This expanded the company’s material offering, adding concrete sand, mason sand, pea rock, inch rock and oversized rock. Trucking:
Norgaard Trucking began in 1988 when one over the road semi was purchased and leased to haul tankers of LP and anhydrous gas in the Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota region. In 1990 an additional semi was purchased and leased out to haul reefer loads. This seemed like a promising venture so another semi was purchased in 1995 but by 1997 it was determined that long hauling reefer loads would not be the focus of our trucking business so we purchased a livestock trailer to haul cattle to plants in the Midwest and to move calves from MT, SD, ND, MN, and MO. In 2003 we began hauling scrap metals for Shine Brothers out of Spencer, Iowa to Chicago, IL. The scrap metal business seemed like a good fit for our trucking goals so additional trucks were purchased and drivers were hired between 2004 and 2006. In 2007, the scrap metal business began to slow with the economy so to keep our drivers on the road and our trucks running, we purchased 2 dry vans to haul general freight and found our own loads using internet load boards until 2010 when the scrap metal business picked back up. During the economy slow time we purchased a grain hopper trailer allowing an additional truck to remain hauling loads. By 2011 we expanded the grain hauling business purchasing additional trailers and hiring 3 additional drivers.
