About Boldt
Helping the World Build Boldly Since 1889
A history of BOLDTHINKING®
Since Martin Boldt set up his carpentry shop more than 135 years ago, we’ve shown what’s possible when you approach every challenge with innovation, problem-solving and partnership. That’s what powers a construction company founded in woodworking to become a national leader in markets as diverse as healthcare, industrial, education and renewable energy.
Boldt Today
100% Employee Owned
BUILDING A BOLD FUTURE
From one man’s carpentry shop to a top-ranked construction leader with a nationwide reach, we’ve come a long way from what Martin Boldt started more than 135 years ago. One thing hasn’t changed: Boldt remains an honest, reliable contractor, driven by BOLDTHINKING®. Challenging assumptions, approaching every project with flexibility and imagination and doing what it takes to help our clients and partners build the extraordinary.
Defining a Decade of Resilience and Growth
The 2020s marked a transformative chapter for Boldt, one defined by resilience, innovation and purpose-driven growth. The decade also brought profound change with the passing of Oscar C. Boldt, whose legacy continues to shape our values and vision. As the company reorganized to support long-term growth, Boldt expanded its capabilities with the launch of Bildt, a modular and prefabrication business, and the acquisition of Calnin & Goss, strengthening our self-perform expertise. These milestones culminated in a defining achievement: the successful transition to 100% employee ownership, ensuring Boldt’s future is built by those who power it forward every day.
4th Generation
Tom Boldt
CEO — 1998-2024
Cementing a Reputation for Building the Extraordinary
Boldt takes its place as a national healthcare builder and Lean construction expert with the award of its first billion-dollar contract, Sutter Health CPMC’s Van Ness Campus Hospital in San Francisco. Boldt earns a reputation for environmental stewardship, building the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, Wisconsin’s first LEED® Platinum-certified project.
Pioneering new approaches
Building on more than a decade of Lean construction expertise, the firm debuts its trademark Integrated Lean Project Delivery® (ILPD) method with great success. The complicated rebuild of Stora Enso’s #64 paper machine conclusively demonstrates the effectiveness of ILPD, opening the door for new applications across markets.
A national construction leader
In 1998, Oscar C. transitions to chairman and Tom Boldt to CEO, with a continuing focus on the Boldt tradition of building strong relationships. Boldt leverages expertise in pulp and paper to serve the growing power market. The company helps pioneer Lean construction on a national level, expanding its reputation as an industry leader.
3rd Generation
Oscar C. Boldt
CEO — 1950-1998
Building for growth
The company experiences steady, sustained growth, expanding its reach with milestone projects in locations as diverse as Saudi Arabia and Memphis, Tennessee. Boldt sees significant growth in pulp and paper projects. Revenue increases from $50 to $300 million over the course of the decade.
Boldt Construction proves itself
Under Oscar C., the company begins to establish a regional presence, becoming a powerhouse in industrial, education and healthcare construction. Boldt expands locally as well, opening satellite offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Building value through service
As the company grows, so does the Boldt reputation as a different kind of contractor. Community involvement, industry-leading profit-sharing and safety programs are hallmarks of Oscar C. Boldt’s leadership and contribute to the company’s steady growth. Boldt secures industrial, healthcare, and pulp and paper projects.
Oscar C. creates an icon
Having learned the construction business at the feet of his father, Oscar C. takes over as CEO in 1950. During his leadership tenure, the company begins taking on larger, more complex commercial, institutional and education construction projects.
2nd Generation
Oscar J. Boldt
CEO — 1931-1950
Joining the War Effort
America goes to war and Boldt joins the fight. Abroad, Oscar J. Boldt’s son, Oscar C. Boldt, serves as a navigator, completing 18 combat missions, while back at home the company builds artillery shell boxes—up to 1,000 a day.
Oscar J. builds the business
Even as the country struggles with the long-term effects of the Great Depression, O.J. takes over the business from his father in 1931, incorporating it as Oscar J. Boldt Construction and continuing to pursue commercial construction work.
1st Generation
Martin Boldt
Founder — 1889-1931
Roaring growth
For the young company, the 1920s are a tale of two economies. The early decade sees a booming home-building market. And, Martin Boldt & Sons’ reputation helps the company expand its portfolio of small commercial projects, fueling company growth. The stock market crash of 1929 challenges the company to seek out new markets.
A Boldt construction legacy built on relationships
Joined by his sons Arthur, Robert and Oscar (“O.J.”), Martin renames the company “Martin Boldt & Sons.” Quickly showing his penchant for inventiveness, O.J. files for his first patent in 1916: a new bowling pin design.
Martin Boldt begins a construction legacy
A son of German immigrants, Martin Boldt sets up a carpentry shop in Appleton, Wisconsin. His first ad lays the groundwork for the company’s values today: Martin Boldt – Honest and reliable contractor.