L.A. Fuller and Sons has quietly built a legacy measured in miles of pavement, tons of material and generations of leadership. What began as one man moving dirt has become one of the region’s most diversified civil construction companies during the past eight-plus decades.

Founded in the 1940s by L.A. Fuller, the company started with basic earthwork, terraces and dams before expanding into commercial construction. As opportunities grew, so did the scope of services, with L.A. Fuller and Sons steadily adding to meet market demand.

“We started with six people — three of them Fullers,” recalled L.A.’s son Mike, the second generation to lead the business. “I never imagined it becoming what it is today. Each generation took it as far as it could. Then, the next group pushed it further. That’s how it grew.”

Today, the third generation leads the business. Josh Fuller serves as the president and CEO, Jared Fuller oversees human resources, and Jonas Fuller manages operations as the chief operating officer. Together, they guide a workforce of more than 300 employees across six divisions.

“Our people matter, and what we do matters,” Josh said. “We build things that improve daily life. That responsibility drives us to keep getting better. That mindset has shaped every stage of growth.”

L.A. Fuller and Sons currently offers a one-stop solution for civil construction, handling everything outside the building shell, including earthwork and underground utilities, asphalt, concrete, and material supply. That has positioned the company for projects few regional contractors can manage alone.

Moving more material than ever

As the company expanded its services and geographic reach, its growing portfolio of complex projects demanded new approaches, new technology and new ways to build at scale. That evolution is visible on jobsites across the Texas Panhandle, where L.A. Fuller and Sons is executing larger, more complex projects than ever before. Now, the company typically manages 15 to 20 active projects at a time.

Recent work includes a multiyear rebuild of Georgia Street in Amarillo, converting a two-lane roadway into five lanes of concrete paving with extensive underground drainage. L.A. Fuller and Sons also recently completed a $19 million reconstruction of parking and roadway infrastructure at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.

“We’re moving more material and covering more ground than we ever have,” Jonas reported. “Some projects require hundreds of thousands of tons of base and hot mix in addition to what we’re moving in terms of dirt and putting pipe in the ground. It takes coordination across every division to make that happen.”

One dealer, multiple brands

To support its workload, L.A. Fuller and Sons relies on an expanding fleet that includes Komatsu intelligent machine control (IMC) equipment with integrated GPS grade control. The company currently operates a Komatsu D71EXi-24 IMC dozer and a Komatsu PC360LCi-11 IMC excavator. The PC360LCi-11 is primarily used for utility trenching, while the D71EXi-24 handles mass excavation, pad construction and final grading.

“The machines take the guesswork out of it,” Josh stated. “Operators know when they’re on grade. That precision saves time, labor and material because there’s no overcutting and replacing material, and we don’t need someone to constantly grade check or multiple surveys. It allows us to get to grade, get the job done, and move onto the next one faster.”

As projects grow in size and complexity, modern technology has become essential — not just for efficiency but for consistency, safety and accountability across every phase of construction. Both IMC machines feed real-time production data such as hours, locations and more to the office through My Komatsu telematics, as do several standard Komatsu pieces of equipment the company utilizes. L.A. Fuller and Sons is also remotely transferring files and getting a near-real-time jobsite picture with Komatsu’s Smart Construction Remote and Dashboard solutions.

“Having the data readily available is extremely valuable as it gives a clear, accurate picture of a site at any time,” noted Jonas. “It lets us make decisions that involve moving resources around faster. If there is an issue, we see it right away and can more quickly react.”

As L.A. Fuller and Sons expanded its equipment fleet and embraced intelligent technology, the company leaned heavily on its long-standing relationship with Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. (KSM), which began about 14 years ago. What started as a practical purchasing decision evolved into a trusted partnership when L.A. Fuller and Sons acquired multiple Komatsu loaders through KSM.

Competitive pricing opened the door, but service and support such as Komatsu Care has kept it open. KSM supports L.A. Fuller and Sons through equipment sales, rentals, parts supply and select service work, complementing the company’s in-house maintenance capabilities.

“They have always been easy to deal with,” Josh commented. “If we need parts, rentals or just answers, we know we can call and get help quickly from Territory Manager Britt Stubblefield or anyone else at Kirby-Smith. That reliability matters when machines are working every day, and uptime is essential.”

Britt also works with L.A. Fuller and Sons to purchase and rent additional brands, including HAMM, WIRTGEN and VÖGELE stabilizing, milling, paving and compaction equipment from the WIRTGEN GROUP of products as well as Takeuchi compact track loaders.

“It’s convenient to work with one dealer that has so many lines and applications covered,” Josh remarked. “Earthmoving, paving, stabilization — Kirby-Smith understands all of it. That makes a big difference for us as we build and diversify our fleet.”

Responsible growth

L.A. Fuller and Sons plans to continue expanding its footprint while staying true to the services that built its reputation, with a fourth generation of Fullers already in the fold. Growth will remain deliberate, focused on strengthening infrastructure before scaling operations.

“We continue to strive to be the trusted contractor in Amarillo and beyond,” Josh declared. “That means growing responsibly and continuing to do the work right. We’re still building for the long term.” 

*The opinions expressed here are based on the customer’s specific experience. Results may vary.