Brubacher, an excavation, utility and paving contractor headquartered in Bowmansville, Pa., marked 50 years in business in May 2021.

Founded by Ben Brubacher with just one backhoe, the company has grown to one of the largest site construction companies in eastern Pennsylvania. Headed by Ben's son Keith Brubacher, who purchased the company with his brother, Myron, in 2005, the company currently employees more than 260 with growth plans to add 30 employees in 2021.

"Ben's plan never included building a big company," Keith said. "He was focused on doing what he loved — running equipment, paying the bills and providing good work at a reasonable price. Well, he soon learned that when you do that, it creates demand for more work and opportunities for great people with initiative. So, here we are today, still focused on providing great opportunities for our team and high-value services to clients," he said.

As opportunity presented itself, Ben added services to supplement the traditional excavating and earthwork services, including a drilling and blasting operation in the mid-1980s; construction survey and stakeout in 1985; landscaping and hydro-seeding (1990-2015); environmental and UST removal in the 1990s; land clearing services in 1994; concrete curbing (1997-2009); paving services in 2000; crushing and screening (2004-2008); and energy services, based in Liberty, Pa., in 2010.

In recognition of the people who helped them achieve this milestone, the company hosted a two-day event — one day for employees and their families and one day for customers and business partners — on May 8 and May 10. Attendees browsed displays showing pictures from the last 50 years, lists of Brubacher employees with their service years, and mentions of those who have retired. They also got to experience antique and original equipment used by Ben along with modern equipment used today and Cat equipment simulators for attendees to try their hand at operating.

More than 200 people attended the employee event and more than 100 guests joined the celebration for business partners.

"The events were the purest representation of this company's mission, vision and values that I could have imagined," said Carolyn Weaver, director of human resources at Brubacher.

"The children just loved sitting in the huge equipment, and I believe the spouses appreciated the opportunity to get a first-hand experience of what this company is all about," she said.

The family-owned company is clear that the next 50 years will bring new challenges and will require ongoing evolution of services. Their confidence for the future is rooted in their faith and in having a team that is committed to living out the company principles, both of which are key to getting them where they are today.

For more information, visit www.Brubacher.net.

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