History of Pier & Waterfront Solutions

PIER & WATERFRONT SOLUTIONS

image of PWS logo

Pier & Waterfront
Solutions LLC

As 2020 comes to an end, we’d like to summarize the history of Pier & Waterfront Solutions.

Dave Kalista and Jerry Englebert started in 2015. Like all new business owners, they were willing to put their futures on the line. 

The first “office” consisted of a tiny room that was so small you literally had to walk sideways to get past the table. It was more like a closet.

 

         All-Terrain Forklift

In the first year, installs and removals were done with ATF #1, an All Terrain Forklift, which Dave operated along with Alex, our first employee. Alex is with us today and has his own crew. 

The heavy equipment required a truck and a trailer to move it. The first time the trailer was loaded with the ATF and driven just a few miles, one of the tires blew out. Not a good omen.

 

PWS moved and expanded

Pier & Waterfront Solutions moved out of the “closet” into a one-room office on Hwy 57 (our current location). ATF storage was done in a separate warehouse on the property.

After doing sales and service themselves for a year, Dave and Jerry had a growing list of customers and added a full-time crew.  

2016-2020 saw the addition of more ATF’s, crews, and trailers. Five ATF’s to be exact. 

The shop has now grown to encompass about 90% of the building. Meanwhile, the one-room office has grown to three offices. We needed more room to accommodate the office staff of 5 needed to run the operation.

 

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

PWS expanded into our shoreline business, which became part of our “waterfront solutions” name.

              Track mounted skid steer

The shoreline business currently has three track-mounted skid steers, along with three excavators for installing rip-rap to protect shorelines. Each piece of equipment meant more crews, trucks, and assorted equipment.

 

 

 

THE GROWING BUSINESS HAS MORE FACETS

              Barge with excavator

As the rip-rap business grew, we introduced our 24′ x 45′ barge and pusher boat.

Why such a large barge? The barge allows us to transport the excavator, a track-mounted skid steer, and tons of boulders and rip-rap directly to work sites. It’s more economical for the consumer and gives us access to areas that were inaccessible by land.

Watch for more developments with the barge in 2021.

 

 

THE NEXT INTRODUCTION

PWS developed our own line of galvanized steel docks because other steel docks were not doing the job. 

3-Season Pier on Lake Michigan

         Steel 3-Season Pier

The 3-Season Pier was introduced as a heavier, stronger steel pier with oversized features from top to bottom. Even the side platforms went from the normal 4′ x 8′ platform (32 sq. ft.) to a 4′ x 10′ area. (40 Sq. ft.).  That’s  25% larger than lesser brands – and it’s the standard size.

Due to its quarter-ton+ weight per section, the 3-Season Pier is able to handle the record-setting high water we currently have.  But even more importantly, it can withstand the strong storms we now see frequently on the Bay of Green Bay.

 

More developments are coming in 2021!!

It’s not all good news.

On a sad note, early 2020 saw the tragic loss of John Engelbert, Jerry’s brother. John was our Service Manager and friend. He passed away due to complications from diabetes. Everyone who knew John misses him.


WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HAVE IN STORE FOR PWS?

PWS is not sitting back on its laurels. Our staff continues to seek even more ways to serve our customer needs.

  In the coming months, we will be announcing new areas we will expand to serve customers better.


How will you find out about these changes?

The best way is to come back here each week and follow the posts on our website. 


Where is Pier & Waterfront Solutions?

Located at 7325 St. Hwy 57, it’s 3 miles south of Sturgeon Bay and 1 mile past the intersection of Cty MM (heading north). Look on the right at the intersection of Idlewild Road and Hwy 57.

ARE WE OPEN?

Pier & Waterfront Solutions remains “open” year-round.

        Please use face masks

The virus continues to spread rapidly. The vaccines are arriving and PWS is conducting as much business as possible by email, text, or phone. 

Site visits continue as usual. When in-person contacts are necessary, we follow “social distancing” guidelines as closely as possible.

 

 

Our display yard is OPEN 24-7

                             Red Tag

Our display yard is always open for you to examine at your leisure. All displays available for sale have a numbered, red tag on them. If you want more information or pricing,
please reference that number when you inquire.


We provide estimates and quotes by email to make the process faster, safer, and paperless.  

What can YOU do? 

Please conduct as much business as possible via emails, messaging, and phone. When you see our staff and crews on-site, please practice “social distancing.”

Call, message, or email us with any questions.

Thank you for allowing us to work with you safely.

Let’s all stay safe!

BARGE – DOOR COUNTY

A Barge and Pier & Waterfront Solutions

It’s been a busy year for Pier & Waterfront Solutions (PWS).

So far, we’ve announced the acquisition of:

Today, we have another announcement!

DID YOU REALIZE?

Some Door County homeowners have properties inaccessible to even our equipment. The reason for this is simple – bluffs & cliffs. These prevent us from moving our equipment to the shoreline.

Moreover, large boulders in the water damage our equipment every time. That makes for a costly repair and a significant disruption to our schedule.

WHAT HAVE WE DONE IN THE PAST?

 In spite of this, we found a way around the situation. 

PWS contracted a barge to transport an excavator to the site. Once the excavator unloads, it can maneuver over the boulders and place the docks in position. 

To do this, PWS joined forces with another company. They provided transportation and an excavator, PWS provided the crews, and the jobs were completed. Over time, both companies grew, and it became difficult to coordinate the schedules. 

HAVE YOU GUESSED THE SOLUTION YET?

Many of you guessed that the addition of a “Pusher Boat” meant we needed something to “Push.” Today, we announce the addition of a new barge to our growing arsenal of waterfront equipment. 

With this acquisition, we have one less schedule to try to coordinate. 

At this point, we should show a picture of the latest equipment. Why can’t you see the image? 

You don’t see it because the construction of the barge is ongoing. We will post photos here when the barge arrives in March.  We are now updating this information.  The barge has arrived but is undergoing additional “fitting” to meet our needs. Please continue to watch for a new article sometime in late April.

CAN YOU PICTURE THE BARGE?

The barge is composed of two Commercial barges. We combine them into a single unit to form a 24′ x 45′ x 4′ unit. Despite its size, it will be able to pass through the DePere dam for work on the Fox River.

PWS will also use the barge to transport equipment and raw materials for the shoreline projects.

Needless to say, the pusher boat now has something to “push.”

HOW DOES A BARGE MOVE?

A barge does not have a propulsion system of its own. That’s why we added a “Pusher Boat” (see post) to move the barge. 

With the use of the barge, we can reduce the damage to property. Damage sometimes occurs when we move the excavator or raw materials across a lawn. 

PWS can also transport materials and equipment to remote construction sites or islands. 

HOW TO PROTECT A BARGE FROM STORM DAMAGE.

To help protect the barge from damage during a storm requires “spuds” or a jack-up rig. According to Wikipedia, a barge fitted with moveable support legs can raise the barge out of the water. 

The barge is maneuvered into position by the “pusher boat.” Upon arrival, the legs lower into the water to reach the “floor.”

The weight of the barge (45,000 lbs or 22.5 tons), combined with the weight of any cargo or equipment, “pre-load” the system. 

The pre-loaded system drives the legs into (or onto) the bottom. A jacking system then raises the entire barge above the water to a pre-determined height or “air gap.” 

This “air gap” allows waves or “tide surge” actions to act only on the relatively slender legs, and not on the barge hull.

WHEN DID WE DO ALL THIS WORK?

PWS utilized the off-season to put this all together. 

Keep in mind, March will bring even more news! Keep watching for the next announcement. 

PWS can solve your problems

PWS can be found at the intersection of Idlewild Road and Hwy 57. Located at 7325 St. Hwy 57, it’s 3 miles south of Sturgeon Bay, and 1 mile beyond the intersection of Cty MM (heading north).

Our staff looks forward to serving your waterfront needs.

Contact:

Dave @ (920) 905-2588 or Dave@wisconsinpws.com for erosion control and shoreline work.
   Jerry @ (920) 493-4404 or Jerry@wisconsinpws.com for commercial work and new & used Sales.
      John @ (920) 493-4405 or John@wisconsinpws.com for Scheduling & Service work