Muth Electric got its start over 44 years ago on July 15, 1970, when Dick and Darlene Muth decided to start the company in their garage in Ethan, South Dakota. Their first job involved wiring a house–including the light fixtures–for $410.
Today there are more than 200 vehicles in Muth Electric’s fleet, but in 1970, Dick used a 1959 Ford car with its back seat removed. Eventually, the couple traded up for a 1967 Chevy pickup, and then, in 1973, they got their first white van, which has since become synonymous with the company.
Keep in mind that Muth Electric got its start before everyone had their own cell phones. In fact, computers weren’t really used until nearly 10 years after they began. The Muth’s first computerized accounting system cost $33,300 back in 1978, and the company’s first fax machine cost $3,300.
The 1980s saw Muth Electric expand, and in the 1990s, the “Total Quality Team” concept was front and center, followed by the addition of prefabrication and “Lean Construction” principles in 2007. In other words, there was always a focus on continually ensuring employees would provide the kind of quality service customers needed and deserved. A company’s reputation matters, and thankfully Muth Electric has built a solid one over the years
From humble beginnings in the 1970s to today, Muth Electric has earned more than $680 million in revenue, currently has more than 100 employees who’ve graduated from the Mitchell Technical Institute, and done almost 2 million hours’ worth of work without an accident. It is a South Dakota success story.
Whether installing wind towers to generate electricity near Pipestone, MN, or working on the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD, Muth Electric has proven to be a versatile, trusted company proudly serving 7 states in the upper Midwest. With the hard work of its employees, it continues to follow its growth pattern each year.