We’ve all been impacted by rising costs over the past few years, and construction projects are no different. Nevertheless, 2026 is predicted to be a busy year for construction, driven by massive technology and infrastructure projects, such as data centers and transportation construction.

Basically, the increased costs of materials that would normally put a damper on growth is not expected to impact many construction projects. In times of rapid shifts in the market, it’s good to know that companies with a history of innovation and service are still here and working hard to support customers as they always have.

50+ years of innovation

Over the past five decades, Berntsen and its customers have weathered continual fluctuations in the market. Through it all, Berntsen has remained committed to delivering high quality, innovative products for surveyors and engineers to make their jobs easier and more predictable. Berntsen’s focus on the customer began when the owners listened to the challenges a surveyor for the State of Wisconsin faced when installing survey monuments. In response, Berntsen developed a lightweight aluminum alloy monument that was lighter to carry, easy to install and resisted corrosion, and we’ve been innovating ever since. The goal is and has always been to deliver quality, durable products that solve common problems faced by our customers.

Berntsen’s first product, the lightweight W-1 Monument

1970s

In the 70s, Berntsen focused on monument and survey marker design and innovation. Many of Bentsen’s core products were developed during this time, including monuments meant to break off and leave a magnetic remnant when disturbed along with monuments that could be driven into the ground. Additionally, a new approach that combined art and sand casting resulted in the first logo metal markers – the Disney markers used in laying out the new Walt Disney World in Florida. Always looking for a way to improve surveying tools, Berntsen began studying how RFID could improve boundary marking. Berntsen also began its tradition of giving back by supporting surveying scholarships through the NSPS.

1980s

Continuing to listen to our customers, Berntsen developed the Top Security Monument for the National Park Service (NPS) to streamline high-precision geodetic and GPS surveys. The Top Security Rod Monument System is a unique concept in monumentation. Its design helps protect against excessive movements in the control monument. The Berntsen extendible rods, when driven to refusal, provide excellent vertical stability. The unique Y-shaped design of the Top Security Sleeve adds the second and third dimension to provide the most stable 3-D survey monument available – even today.

Additionally, major investments in manufacturing included the purchase of two 200-ton Orbital Forging Presses, following several years of researching and testing to ensure that the cold-forging process was superior to existing approaches. The goal was to reduce lead times from thirty or more days to three days or less. The press also allowed the production of hub shapes, rebar caps, pipe caps and concrete markers in aluminum first, and then in leadfree bronze. Berntsen was the first to promote the use of lead-free alloys in survey markers and monuments.

1990s

The company focused on product development, with many new patents and awards for its innovative products, and e-commerce was introduced. As part of the focus on serving customers, Berntsen sought out partners that could supply high-quality, innovative products, such as Carsonite posts, markers and decals. These fiberglass-reinforced posts are made of composite material that will not rust, rot, or become brittle in nature’s elements - and they meet the requirements of government agencies.

2000s

Lasting Impressions - celebrating surveying

Berntsen’s CEO Rhonda Rushing published “Lasting Impressions,” a stunning book that highlights the beauty and historical significance of surveying. Despite invsesting considerable time in writing a book, Berntsen continued R&D and the Deep1 magnetic survey marker was introduced. This magnetic marker preserves nearly any underground location, and are an authorized way to mark references to government land survey monuments. Easy to install, these magnetic markers conform to U.S. government instructions for color codes of collateral evidence of cadastral surveys.

R&D continued to bear fruit, and in 2009, Berntsen submitted its first patent on the InfraMarker RFID system.

2010s

InfraMarker RFID integrates with Esri’s Survey123 and FIeld Maps

The company went “paperless”, and continued research and testing on a range of products. At the same time, Berntsen tested and approved other innovative and helpful products for surveyors, including the Rothbucher line of prisms, targets and reflectors designed for top precision.

2020s

Berntsen continues to support surveying with high quality products as it expands its services to management of all kinds of assets. Its InfraMarker Connected RFID integrates with Esri’s Survey123 and Field Maps to deliver unprecedented accuracy for organizations that need to track and maintain assets. RFID is the leading technology for complex, large-scale asset tracking where efficiency and real-time data are critical, particularly in supply chain, infrastructure and environmental management.

Today - and tomorrow

Get started with the InfraMarker Connector Kit.

Now is a great time to stock up for next year with Berntsen’s full line of survey markers, monuments, reflectors, and prisms. As we continue supporting survey professionals with the durable, dependable products you rely on, we’re also looking ahead to the future of field data and asset intelligence.

Berntsen’s InfraMarker RFID solution is at the center of that future. InfraMarker connects physical survey and infrastructure assets directly to GIS, making it easier than ever to locate, verify, and manage assets with confidence. If you’re exploring ways to modernize workflows or improve accuracy in the field, this is a great moment to see how InfraMarker could work for you.

The InfraMarker Connector Kit gives you a clear look at what’s possible and how RFID can help bring your field data into the next generation of survey technology.

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Thank you for choosing Berntsen – we look forward to serving you in 2026.

Looking forward to serving you in 2026