Pella Pumpers

W10755 County Rd. M, Shawano
715-881-3867

While Pella Pumpers just started serving the Shawano area in March, the liquid waste and septic pumping service has roots that go back 30 years.
“In 1996, my uncle, Phil Allen, started a septic pumping business in La Farge,” said Pella owner and operator Chase Erickson. “I started riding with him and helped drag hose in 2001. I spent many summers down there helping when I could, and I always had a thing for big trucks. My love for semi-trucks came from those rides with uncle Phil. To this day, I have a love for International 9300s. Septic trucks are all semis, although they do make smaller trucks for servicing portable toilets.”
The most memorable part of helping uncle Phil, he said, was when they would stop at the co-op for a cold soda and a candy bar.
About 14 years ago, a family health problem steered Erickson into the auto business.
“My dad and other family members were auto-body technicians,” he said. “In 2012, when Dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, I started helping him complete his jobs. After his death in 2013, I started working for Shawano Auto Sales where I ended up doing start-to-finish body work installing parts, prepping for paint, painting and reassembling. I eventually started my own body shop after working for a few other shops. When COVID hit, work slowed,  and I decided to get my CDL (commercial drivers license).”
I was supposed to start hauling milk for a local company, but that job fell through,” he said. “I called Jerrod Kautza of Kautza’s Septic Service in Aniwa who had an opening, and I was able to start the following week. In a matter of days, I had found my career. Jerrod was a great teacher. I learned a lot from him and am ready to bring my skills and knowledge that I acquired to our community here in the more eastern parts of Shawano County, southern Menominee County, western Brown County and parts of Waupaca County.”
Erickson said he hadn’t considered the septic business as a career before working for Kautza but found that he really enjoyed the people he met.
“It was definitely a different feeling having people happy to see you,” he said. “In the body-shop business, people would come to you because of an unfortunate situation. It was the result of an unwelcome mishap. With the septic business, customers are happy to have their tanks pumped whether it was maintenance or pumping a backed-up system, It always seems to be a welcoming situation.”
According to Erickson, the ins and outs of the septic business are quite extensive when it comes to the training and knowledge required, but for the most part, he said, it’s understanding septic and how it works and educating customers how to maintain their septics for years of uninterrupted use.
“The only reason I left Kautza Septic was the distance,” he said. “I drove 40 miles one way, and that took its toll. I really wanted to be able to meet more local people and be able to service my community. I love the area with its farming background and the great people that make it a great place to live. I wanted people to know that there is a service as great as the community it services. I wanted it to feel local because that’s what we are.”
He advises people to maintain good bacteria in their systems.
“A failing system is a septic owner’s worst nightmare,” he said. “There are products out there that will give you a boost in bacteria. Septic owners also need to be aware of their usage and need to pump accordingly.”
While he’s just getting started, he hopes to expand by servicing on a larger scale and possibly get into fixing and installing. Recently, Pella Pumpers became affiliated with Krueger’s Septic & Sewer so it can serve as a one-stop shop.
“I really enjoy being out providing a service for the community,” he said. “I enjoy meeting the people, hearing their stories and developing friendships.”