Posted on February 12, 2025
LONGVIEW — J.L. Storedahl & Sons, which dates back more than half a century, has been bought by one of Southwest Washington’s largest excavation and construction companies.
Vancouver-based Rotschy Inc. is the new owner of sand and gravel firm Kelso’s J.L. Storedahl & Sons and metal fab business Nor-Tech Fabrication, according to a press release issued Monday by the contractor and excavation company.
No name or leadership changes are expected after the ownership change. Rotschy said in the release that it “deeply respects the legacy and reputation” of the two businesses.
“To honor that, both companies will continue to operate independently, maintaining their respective management structures, employees and business practices,” Rotschy said in the release.
The purchase price was not released.
J.L. Storedahl & Sons dates to 1969 when it was incorporated as Les Darr Trucking Co., according to the Washington Secretary of State’s office. It changed to its current name in 1988 under the leadership of company president Jerry Storedahl.
The company has five operating quarries, one sand and gravel pit and two sand pits, according to a detailed case study written by rock crushing equipment manufacturer Astec. The company is operated by brothers Kevin and Kimball Storedahl and eight of their children.
Nor-Tech Fabricating was incorporated in 2006 and lists Jerry, Kevin and Kimball Storedahl as governors at the company, according to the Washington Secretary of State’s office database.
Nor-Tech is custom fabrication, machining, industrial sandblast and painting shop that specializes in the rock crushing industry. It also has a transportation division that makes dump boxes, trailers and applies Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s QuickSilver polyethylene coating to dump box liners.
Rotschy spokesman Nick Massie said in the release that the companies will continue to support the regional construction and materials industries.
“We want to assure customers, suppliers and partners that pricing structures will remain consistent with market trends and competition in the industry remains robust,” Massie said in the release. He declined to comment further.
Rotschy’s was founded by Cecil Rotschy in 1988 as a small excavation business helping build forest roads in Southern Washington. It’s gone on to build complex projects such as public roads, highways, bridges, reservoirs, water treatment plants, fish hatcheries and railroad projects.
Last month, Rotschy was the low bidder awarded a $44 million Port of Longview railroad expansion contract, despite local union leaders highlighting a Washington State Department of Labor and Industries investigation into child labor and worker safety violations.
A 16-year-old boy lost both his legs while working a for Rotschy at a project in La Center in 2023. The teen was operating a walk-behind trencher in June 2023 when he was dragged underneath, according to a release issued by L&I.
