W.S. Newell & Sons, Inc. has been building Alabama since 1951, when Billy Newell founded the company in Montgomery. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2026, the family-owned company has grown to approximately 175 employees across the state while maintaining its home office and hub in Montgomery. Through three generations of Newells, the company has built a reputation for quality workmanship, integrity and long-term relationships.
W.S. Newell & Sons specializes in heavy civil construction and serves as the site contractor for industrial and commercial developments throughout Alabama. The company also grades and constructs highways and roadways for the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), with services ranging from clearing, grading and earth-moving to storm drainage, utilities, subgrade preparation, stone base and erosion control.
What sets W.S. Newell & Sons apart is 75 years of experience navigating the challenges of civil construction. Its superintendents bring decades of industry knowledge, while the company’s equipment fleet and productivity help ensure projects are completed on time and within budget. That combination of experience, resources and consistency has allowed the company to take on some of Alabama’s most significant construction projects.
From its work on the historic Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, one of the largest grading operations in the United States, to Montgomery Whitewater and the construction of I-65 between Montgomery and Birmingham, W.S. Newell & Sons has played a role in shaping Alabama’s infrastructure. A section of I-65 was even named the W.S. Newell Highway. Today, the company is continuing that legacy through multiple segments of the West Alabama Highway.
Recent accomplishments include being named Supplier of the Year in a worldwide competition for the company’s site work at Diageo Montgomery, an honor accepted by President Sam Newell in Chicago. The Linden Bypass section of the West Alabama Highway also received the 2025 Clear Water Alabama Award for excellence in erosion control.
Looking ahead, W.S. Newell & Sons continues work on the West Alabama Highway, with the latest segment expected to be completed in fall 2028. The company also continues to build relationships with timber and manufacturing facilities for future projects throughout the state.
For the Newell family, one of its greatest accomplishments is reaching the third generation. Statistically, only a small percentage of family businesses successfully make that transition. The company credits its longevity to a commitment to high-quality work, honesty, transparency and integrity. As Billy Newell often said, “It takes a lifetime to build your reputation but only a moment for it to crumble.”
That philosophy extends to the company’s employees, many of whom have spent decades with W.S. Newell & Sons. One employee has been with the company for 45 years, reflecting the family atmosphere that has become another important part of its legacy. In 2026, approximately 400 people gathered for the company’s 75th anniversary luncheon, a celebration of the employees, clients, subcontractors, suppliers and relationships that have helped build W.S. Newell & Sons for generations.
W.S. NEWELL & SONS
10480 HWY 80 EAST, MONTGOMERY, AL 36117
(334) 215-8000 | WSNEWELL.COM