In the “four corners” of Southern Minnesota—where Waseca, Steele, Rice, and St. Mary’s townships meet—the name Timm is synonymous with the very foundation of the community. Based out of Morristown, Timm’s Trucking and Excavating has grown from a survival-driven pivot on a rocky farm into the region’s premier aggregate and earthmoving group.
Today, the business is led by Randy and Vicky Timm, but the story is one of three generations, thousands of miles of road maintenance, and a deeply-rooted commitment to the land.
The origins of the company date back to 1954, born out of necessity. Grandpa William Timm originally purchased the land where the shop sits today, but he struggled to make crops flourish in the notoriously sandy and rocky soil. Seeing an opportunity where others saw an obstacle, Howard Timm (Randy’s father) started hauling milk before finding a niche hauling the very gravel that made the family farm so difficult to till.
Howard founded the company, eventually working alongside his brother Dan. In 1998, Howard stepped down, leaving an opportunity for the second generation of Timm’s to take the reins. Dan and Randy—Howard’s son—took over operations, and 20 years later, Randy became the sole owner of the trucking empire; however, he is quick to point out that the entire operation remains—and always has been—a family affair. With his wife Vicky and their two sons Zach and Seth involved, the company is currently navigating a transition plan to move into its third generation of leadership.
“I have no plan to retire right away,” Randy said with a smile, “We’re just paving the way for our boys to one day run the show.”
Due to their line of work, Timm’s Trucking is a barometer for the seasons in Minnesota. The workload shifts with the weather, employing roughly 25 team members during the peak summer months and scaling back to a core crew of 10 in the winter. During the spring and fall, the crew hauls fertilizer seven days a week for local partners like Ag Partners and CFS. When summer comes around, the team’s focus shifts to the bulk of their workload—site prep, residential driveways, and township maintenance; they manage the material for roughly 170 miles of road, ensuring culverts are set and surfaces are paved smooth before the August heat breaks. During the more frigid months, Timm’s aids local farmers excavate space for basements; however, their primary focus work comes from the townships as they provide plowing services for the “four corners” region of neighboring townships.
While many know them for their gravel, the scope of Timm’s services is vast. Their portfolio includes:
- Agricultural Work: Cleaning out barn yards, field tiling repairs, and livestock field excavation.
- Commercial Site Prep: Major projects like the Waterville Fire Hall, additions for WEM schools, and the Tractor Supply Co. in Dundas.
- Specialized Hauling: Everything from grain and rock to lime spreading and septic system installation (averaging about 10 new systems a year).
One of the most visually striking sides of the business is demolition. Randy admits it’s a personal favorite. “It’s dangerous, but it’s a lot of fun,” he says. The team handles about 15 demolitions a year, ranging from small garages to an entire city block in Faribault.
Because they operate their own seven-acre MPCA-inspected landfill, they can offer a closed-loop service: demolish the structure, haul the debris to their private site, and return to the lot with fresh topsoil, gravel, and seed.
The industry has changed significantly since Howard Timm hauled his first load of gravel 72 years ago. Today, Timm’s utilizes 20-to-50-ton excavators, bulldozers, and “automated rovers” where the operator simply steers while GPS systems handle the precision grading.
Looking forward, the company is leaning heavily into custom crushing. By recycling concrete from demolition jobs and asphalt from parking lots, they are turning “waste” into usable Class 5 gravel. A new storage shed to fit these behemoth-sized machines was recently added to the main shop at Timm’s, and Randy expressed pride in their potential, “We have the resources available. We crush our own material, so we might as well capitalize on it.”
Despite the high-tech GPS and the massive new shop, the heart of Timm’s Trucking remains rooted in the relationships built over decades. They have worked with Neilman’s Construction since the 1960s and local townships since the 50s. It’s that continued support that keeps the Timm family grateful and eager to keep pursuing new heights, “We’ve had a lot of great customers for many years,” Randy reflects. “I’m thankful for my dad, who started this and utilized the resources we had. We have great employees who take pride in their work, and they are the reason we’ve been able to grow.”
As the third generation prepares to take the wheel, Morristown’s “biggest rock group” shows no signs of slowing down. Whether it’s a 100-mile haul to Lake Mille Lacs or a driveway repair just down the road, the Timm family continues to move earth for their neighbors.
