ANNA MARIA – Island-based G.I. Bins is responsible for keeping the City Pier clean.
Every other week, company owners Ryan Pfahler and Scott Hoogewind spend four to five hours cleaning the pier after it closes at 10 p.m.
G.I. Bins also cleans residential and commercial trash bins and dumpsters, power washes residential and commercial structures and provides water removal services too.
G.I. Bins began cleaning the City Pier in July after a chance meeting with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy’s wife, Barbara.
“We were at an AMI Chamber of Commerce event and my wife, Marcy, was talking with the mayor’s wife,” Pfahler said. “Barb asked Marcy if we had enough hose to get to the end of the pier because the mayor hadn’t found a company that could do that. The pier is about a thousand feet long and we’ve got about 1,200 feet of hose. We contacted the mayor and he said he’d give us one shot at it. We went out, cleaned the pier and took all night to do it. It was very dirty and had not been cleaned well in over a year. They came out the next day and said it looks brand new and you’ve got the job.”
“They made us earn the pier job,” Hoogewind said. “The mayor said he wouldn’t sign a contract until he knew we could do it. The mayor was happy and they signed us for two years.”
“You can’t use chemicals on the pier and you can’t increase the pressure because you’ll damage the wood,” Pfahler explained. “We use hot water to get the pier clean and our customized Isuzu truck heats the water to 200 degrees. We carry 800 gallons of water in our truck, but for big jobs like the pier we hook into their water and run it through our heater.”
“The truck is everything you’d want for the power washing, trash bin cleaning and water recovery. I’ve never seen another truck like it,” Hoogewind added. “With over 1,200 feet of hose, there’s no job we can’t reach.”
Cleaning the pier is a three-step process that begins with running a pressure washer surface cleaner, which is on wheels, over the pier decking. The surface cleaner features high-pressure jets that spin while dispensing hot water. The wooden tables, benches and pier edges are then cleaned using a smaller surface cleaner that features brushes and an agitator. Using hot water, they then spray the entire pier to complete the job.
Hoogewind said he enjoys the work and the scenery they’re exposed to while cleaning the pier.
“It’s just me and Ryan out here at night and we have the pier to ourselves. I love it. You never know what you’re going to see. We’ve seen hammerheads, dolphins and more,” he said.
“We also have a vacuum recovery system and we were very busy removing water after the recent flooding on the Island,” Pfahler said. “We clean garbage bins and dumpsters with our vacuum system and the apparatus on the back of the truck that lifts the bins. We do a lot of pressure washing and soft washing too.”
Soft washing utilizes cleaning solutions and chemicals to remove mold, mildew and things of that nature. G.I. Bins power washes and soft washes residential and commercial structures, roofs, driveways, sidewalks, parking areas, hallways, entryways and more. G.I. Bins recently soft-washed and pressure-washed the Pine Trailer Park clubhouse in preparation for it to be repainted.
Partnership formed
Ken Murillo and José Paguada formed G.I. Bins in West Michigan four years ago and they’re partners in the Pfahler and Hoogewind’s Florida operation. Murillo served in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a Marine Corps recruiter in Michigan, thus the company’s military affiliation.
“José and Ken have a few trucks and trailers doing business up there,” Pfahler said. “Our truck was built and equipped in Michigan. José sells Isuzu trucks and helps build the bin hoisting apparatus and cleaning system in the back.”
Pfahler spent 34 years working as a school administrator in Michigan. He was also a partner in a property maintenance company. In May 2020, he and Marcy bought a mobile home in the Pines Trailer Park. Marcy moved down that October and Ryan arrived a month later with the G.I. Bins truck after spending a month or so in Michigan getting the new business organized. Hoogewind, his wife, Andrea, and their children, Scarlett and Ryker, arrived last May.
“Scott’s 20 years younger than me but we graduated from the same high school,” Pfahler said.
“I was a truck driver. My dad owns a construction company and I’ve done construction work too,” Hoogewind said. “I’ve been working since I was nine years old. I met Ryan in Michigan. I’ve always wanted to move to Florida and I’ve always wanted to own my own business. José connected us and we have a great partnership. Ryan and I do everything, and our wives sometimes help. I grew up in an old Dutch family in Grand Rapids. Your last name is your bond and your work ethic is what they judge you by. We take our job seriously. You can trust us to do the job right and we’ll treat you like family.”
“We’re part of the community,” Pfahler added. “We own the company, we do the marketing, we run the truck, we take care of the truck, we do all the work ourselves and our work is 100% guaranteed.”
For more information, visit www.gibins.us or call or text 616-710-1110.
