DeSiato Excavating was founded by Felix DeSiato three years after the end of World War II in Storrs/Mansfield, Conn. Just six years later, in 1954, a sister company was formed under the name of DeSiato Sand and Gravel Corporation.

Today, DeSiato Sand and Gravel encompasses both the excavating and the sand and gravel work under one umbrella and is still going strong, led by President Phil DeSiato, the second generation of the DeSiato family to hold that title. Operating with 20 employees, the company works throughout the entire state of Connecticut. DeSiato also operates across many sectors, including residential, commercial, municipal and educational. Enjoying more than half a century of tenure in the state, DeSiato serves numerous towns and municipalities that know of the company’s good work.

DeSiato Sand and Gravel performs excavation work, installs septic systems, does lot clearing, new home site preparation, and supplies a variety of materials, such as sand and drainage material, for golf courses. The corporation also carries numerous products for home owners, landscapers and roofing companies (as exhibited on www.desiatosandandgravel.com).

The corporation is a member of the Connecticut Associated Builders and Contractors (CTABC), the Home Builders Association of Hartford (HBA), and the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut (MTAC). The MTAC, serving Connecticut since 1920, is of particular importance because of the company’s heavy reliance on trucking. The association keeps DeSiato and many other Connecticut companies apprised of the latest changes in the trucking industry.

Universities to Golf Greens

In today’s challenging economy, DeSiato Sand and Gravel is feeling the effects of the downturn. “We have to watch the cost of everything,” admits Phil. “The cost of running a business these days is tremendous. We have to be on top of all that.” Phil says the biggest expenses are fuel and insurance, both health and liability. Admittedly, DeSiato Sand and Gravel has seen some work disappear from the horizon because of the economy. The company is staying busy, however. “And I think 2010 will see an increase in business,” Phil predicts.

Some of the more recent projects keeping DeSiato busy involve providing materials for two new soccer fields in Portland-Middletown, Conn. The company also completed a specialized drainage project for them. DeSiato Sand and Gravel also supplies material for the University of Connecticut. Most recently, the company supplied materials for the drainage systems for a baseball field and a practice football field. “We specialize in a lot of projects dealing with drainage issues,” says Phil.

One of the more interesting projects Phil has been involved with was completed for TPC, the Tournament Players Club, in Cromwell, Conn. Phil admits he has a particular affinity for golf course projects. “I don’t watch golf, but I like building them,” he jokes. This project involved supplying materials for the course’s drainage system beneath the greens. The company also made the sand for the sand traps on the course.

Staying Steady

Although he was forced to scale back by default, Phil admits that he is comfortable with the size the company is now. “People like to think bigger companies are better, but staying this size is more rewarding. I don’t want to get any bigger than we are.”

Though the market may have some more unpredictability up its sleeve, the DeSiato Sand and Gravel Corporation has been around so long it doesn’t need to market its product. New clients are generally the result of word-of-mouth recommendations and Phil says this is “the best advertising you can get.”

With this picture in mind, it is easy to see that DeSiato has a well-established reputation which will continue to serve its employees and clients well and keep the company soaring even in unsteady markets.