Kewaunee Riverview Transfer Station - About Us
Our Mission
At the Kewaunee Waste and Recycling Transfer Station we provide the citizens of the area with an environmentally responsible solution to their refuse disposal and recycling needs at a fair price to them and our shareholders.
Our PurposeTo live and practice quality of life with a safer environment.
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Our PeopleMeet our winning team:
John Mastalir: Sales
Mike: Equipment Maintenance Technician
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Our Core Values
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Our VisionPractice environmental safety in all we do by:
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From Heavy Truck Repair Shop to Trash Hauling and Recycling
BlueWater Services Ltd. has a strange background for a business that we are very proud of. Although the BlueWater operation officially started in 2001, its origins date back much earlier. Back in the early 70’s, John started doing work during the winter months on all kinds of equipment. At the time he was employed as a Heavy Truck and Equipment Mechanic for construction contractors in Two Rivers.
Trash Business Company
In the early 80’s, as jobs got tight, John started in business in Kewaunee, repairing and maintaining anything that rolled in the door, or he could drive to or floated for that matter. Being as how the original BlueWater location is only a few hundred feet from the Harbor, John was a natural to be the guy to see about getting something fixed.
As most of us may remember, the early 80’s was not good for business, and a couple of John’s customers went out of business about this time. One of those customers left with a huge repair bill, and John bought his garbage truck to settle the account. To recoup the lost money in a matter of 2 days, John and his wife Lynn ended up in the trash business, as well as one of John’s brothers who assisted in the office.
Over the next few years, by starting early and quitting late, they built the company to be the largest in the area, while running a trash company with 7 employees and 5 trucks per day and a full-service truck repair facility by night. In the mid to late 90’s, they had a chance to sell the trash operation and did so.
John worked for that trash company and decided the corporate structure with profit before the customer was not for him and soon thereafter went to work for Frank Bernard Management Company to run the service department at the Kewaunee Marina, until 2001 when his non-compete ended.
As most of us may remember, the early 80’s was not good for business, and a couple of John’s customers went out of business about this time. One of those customers left with a huge repair bill, and John bought his garbage truck to settle the account. To recoup the lost money in a matter of 2 days, John and his wife Lynn ended up in the trash business, as well as one of John’s brothers who assisted in the office.
Over the next few years, by starting early and quitting late, they built the company to be the largest in the area, while running a trash company with 7 employees and 5 trucks per day and a full-service truck repair facility by night. In the mid to late 90’s, they had a chance to sell the trash operation and did so.
John worked for that trash company and decided the corporate structure with profit before the customer was not for him and soon thereafter went to work for Frank Bernard Management Company to run the service department at the Kewaunee Marina, until 2001 when his non-compete ended.
Blue Water Services
During this same period, John’s son Michael was working at the local Kenworth dealer as a service technician, and John & Mike decided to start up the Trash Company again. John set the company up under the one name with different business entities, the hauling (trash) division named BWS, BlueWater Truck Repair and the Scrap Metal Operation.
The first year of the operation was the hardest and without Michael, John admits it would have been impossible to do, as he also spent the 2001-2002 year as District Governor of the Lions District he belongs to. With close to 200 nights away from home that year, it was challenging to say the least.
In 2003 the first new full-time employee came aboard when John and Mike hired Lynn, John’s wife, as their bookkeeper and secretary. This move was natural as she already knew the business from the former trash and shop operation and, in a short time, she was up to speed helping our customers.
The original company facility had a 3000 sq. ft. shop and 1800 sq. ft. parts and office facility. In December of 2013 it was moved into our present 15000 sq. ft. building housing the Office, Parts, Truck repair and vehicle storage.
The first year of the operation was the hardest and without Michael, John admits it would have been impossible to do, as he also spent the 2001-2002 year as District Governor of the Lions District he belongs to. With close to 200 nights away from home that year, it was challenging to say the least.
In 2003 the first new full-time employee came aboard when John and Mike hired Lynn, John’s wife, as their bookkeeper and secretary. This move was natural as she already knew the business from the former trash and shop operation and, in a short time, she was up to speed helping our customers.
The original company facility had a 3000 sq. ft. shop and 1800 sq. ft. parts and office facility. In December of 2013 it was moved into our present 15000 sq. ft. building housing the Office, Parts, Truck repair and vehicle storage.
Transfer Station
In 2018 with the closing of Kewaunee Landfill, we set up a Transfer Station as a separate entity named Riverview Transfer Inc. We now have 14 full and part-time employees. John & Mike also at this time decided to expand back into the front load commercial refuse market.
Our truck repair operation can handle just about any truck repair possible. We have Master Certified Technicians on staff from ASE in Heavy Duty Truck, familiar with most makers of heavy-duty vehicles. These techs are certified in gas and diesel engines from International, Detroit Diesel, Cat, Cummins as well as Fuller and Eaton transmissions and rear ends as well as other manufacturers with over 100 combined years of experience.
Our hauling operation can handle small dumpsters from 2 yd size up to 50 yd size. We currently operate a fleet of three roll off trucks, a couple small container trucks and tractor trailer combinations, in addition to a front load garbage trucks. We can offer permanent service as well as temporary service if you are just doing spring or fall cleaning, to a major reconstruction or demolition of your home or business.
We have the experience of being able to play in the same arena as the big 700-pound gorillas and survive. With today’s ever escalating fuel prices and with other costs running higher daily, we believe that we can compete as never before covering Brown, Door and Kewaunee and Manitowoc Counties and other selected areas as attention demands.
Our truck repair operation can handle just about any truck repair possible. We have Master Certified Technicians on staff from ASE in Heavy Duty Truck, familiar with most makers of heavy-duty vehicles. These techs are certified in gas and diesel engines from International, Detroit Diesel, Cat, Cummins as well as Fuller and Eaton transmissions and rear ends as well as other manufacturers with over 100 combined years of experience.
Our hauling operation can handle small dumpsters from 2 yd size up to 50 yd size. We currently operate a fleet of three roll off trucks, a couple small container trucks and tractor trailer combinations, in addition to a front load garbage trucks. We can offer permanent service as well as temporary service if you are just doing spring or fall cleaning, to a major reconstruction or demolition of your home or business.
We have the experience of being able to play in the same arena as the big 700-pound gorillas and survive. With today’s ever escalating fuel prices and with other costs running higher daily, we believe that we can compete as never before covering Brown, Door and Kewaunee and Manitowoc Counties and other selected areas as attention demands.
How to Contact US
We are located in downtown Kewaunee on Harrison and Juneau Street, two blocks from the original location and the transfer station is at E3726 County L west of Kewaunee at the former landfill site.
For additional questions, feel free to contact John Mastalir, who handles our sales department and will make an onsite visit to your location to evaluate your needs.
Since early 2023, our office had been run by Pam Wagner who previously ran our transfer station. Pam, now semi-retired, has hired Dennis Shimanek to run our office and dispatch operations, after the untimely death of John’s wife Lynn.
- Visit our websites at www.bluewaterservices.org or www.kewauneetransferstation.com
- Email us at [email protected] or [email protected]
- Feel free to call our office at 920-388-4550
- Visit and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Bluewaterservices
For additional questions, feel free to contact John Mastalir, who handles our sales department and will make an onsite visit to your location to evaluate your needs.
Since early 2023, our office had been run by Pam Wagner who previously ran our transfer station. Pam, now semi-retired, has hired Dennis Shimanek to run our office and dispatch operations, after the untimely death of John’s wife Lynn.