About RiverLift
The company was founded by Michael Schaefer in 1959 as a trucking business.
Owner Bob Schaefer grew up unloading barges, moving materials in the yard, cleaning trucks and working on road crews at their father’s business. Beginning in the late 80s and early 90s, he was also directly involved in expanding the facility to a full-service, multimodal terminal and shifting to an emphasis on logistics, transloading and trucking solutions, while continuing to distribute de-icing products. Most recently, he expanded trucking capabilities and officially adopted the names RiverLift Industries and RiverLift Trucking for our integrated companies. The terminal now has more than 40 employees, with the trucking fleet contracting approximately 50 additional people.
Our Core Values
SAFETY
Never compromise the safety of people, the environment, property or equipment. We will conduct all of our activities in a safe, conscientious and environmentally sound manner. We will continually align the production, quality and performance of our services and products with the safety and protection of the environment as our first priority.
CUSTOMER FOCUS
Deliver superior customer service. We are committed to supplying our customers with on-time, premium services of the highest quality. We will always strive to exceed customer expectations.
INNOVATION
Set the standard in transportation and material handling solutions. We will work to provide new and innovative solutions to our customers. We will invest in our Employees, equipment and facilities to attain a position of advantage among our competitors and exceed the demands of our customers.
INTEGRITY
Always do the right thing. We earn trust, meet commitments and are accountable for results. It is not always the easy way, but it is the only way to attain long-term success.
VALUE
Let the creation of value drive all we do for our stakeholders. In all our products and services, we will create real and lasting value for everyone involved. Increasing profitability and value in all business areas is the basis for our success.
Environmentally Conscious
According to studies sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation, shallow-draft water transportation is the most fuel-efficient and least energy-intensive mode of transportation for bulk materials. The standard barge capacity is equal to that of 70 truck loads. Reducing the number of trucks on the road cuts back on emissions significantly and helps to preserve our nation’s highways.
