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Loren Hunewill is pictured with the company’s construction memorabilia in his Winnemucca office.
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The Hunewill Construction office on Railroad St. in Winnemucca.
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Bechtel and their supply chain partners are committed to responsible procurement procedures, continuous innovation and creating economic opportunities in the communities where they operate.
Two Thacker Pass project suppliers, both headquartered in northern Nevada, were recognized recently in Bechtel’s 2025 Global Supply Chain Awards. Western Nevada Supply and Hunewill Construction joined 23 other companies whose excellence and collaboration help Bechtel deliver projects around the world.
Bechtel is Lithium Americas’ engineering, procurement, and construction management contractor and also performs significant construction scope on site.
Hunewill Construction has been in business since 1958 and operating in Winnemucca for 40 years. They have been a supplier to just about every mining company in northern Nevada. Hunewill “consistently delivers materials and services that fully comply with Thacker Pass specifications, demonstrating a strong commitment to quality assurance. Their reliability has minimized rework and ensured smooth field operations,” according to the award nomination.
We chatted with owner Loren Hunewill, whose father founded the company, about Hunewill’s role in Thacker Pass and the importance of hiring local suppliers.
Q: What has Hunewill Construction been hired to do for Thacker Pass?
Loren Hunewill: We completed the widening of State Route 293 near the construction site, installed the water, sewer, and paved the road widenings at the Workforce Hub, and delivered material to Thacker Pass. We supply sand, rock, sub-base, base, whatever they’re looking for…. I think we’ve probably delivered 60-70,000 tons of material, so far.
Q: How would you describe the demand for materials for companies in northern Nevada?
A: The demand has been high everywhere. We’ve been really busy this year. Maybe 25% busier.
Q: How has your business adapted to greater demand?
A: We’ve recently expanded into Orovada, to get a location closer to Thacker Pass. It’s more efficient to be closer to your destination if you have a lot of material to haul.
Q: Why is it important for a project like Thacker Pass to hire locally?
A: Lithium Americas is hiring a lot of people locally, which is usual, but it’s not the first time for Winnemucca. Building local relationships will help in the future too. The site’s going to need material in the future and as the mine goes into operations, it will have established relationships.
Q: What has mining meant to Winnemucca?
A: Hunewill has been here for almost 40 years and helped build a lot of gold mines in the area. Mining has given a lot of people a very good living. I know people who started at the mines young and then on to retire from the mines.
Q: When you see all the different mines up and running, how does that make you feel?
A: Well it’s great. That’s how life goes on. For every mining job out there, it probably gives you two to three jobs in town. You’ve got to keep growing. If you don’t keep growing, that’s not a good thing.
Thank you Hunewill for being an integral part of the Humbolt County mining community.