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About
A.N. Webber, Inc. is a North American
transportations carrier and warehousing firm
based in Kankakee, Illinois, just 60 miles south
of Chicago. Founded in 1947 out of a house
in Chebanse, Illinois by A.N. "Neal Sr." Webber,
the company hauled gravel and related products
with six wheel straight trucks from a nearby
quarry for various road projects. Prior to
that time, Neal Sr. had been an over the road
truck driver for various companies, including
North American Van Lines. Gravel hauling
was an opportunity for Neal Sr. to own and
operate his own company. Gravel hauling
remained a major part of the Webber
transportation business until the late 70's.
Neal Jr. joined
the company as a truck driver upon his release
from the army in 1958. In 1961, during the
construction of the National Interstate system,
Neal Jr. bought a flatbed to transport steel
rebar from a local mill. More units were
added to keep up with the amount of business
awarded to the company. With trucks
operating around the clock, it signaled the
emergence of the tractor-trailer type fleet and
a new direction for the company. In
1967, the company out grew its home base and
moved into a gas station on the east side of
Chebanse, selling gas as well as transportation
services. By 1968, the first van trailers
were added to haul water heaters from a factory
in Kankakee, IL.
By 1975, Neal Sr.
was ready to retire and sold his interest in the
company to Neal Jr. and wife Dee. In that
same year, Neal Jr's son, Alan, graduated from
high school and went to work for his father.
During a winter blizzard in 1979, A.N. Webber
moved the terminal to their first Kankakee
location on Issert Drive. Interestingly,
there were only five businesses located on
Issert Drive at that time and all were operated
as father-son businesses.
In 1981, the first
satellite terminal was opened in Bethune, South
Carolina, about 50 miles northeast of Columbia.
Initially located in a truck stop, the operation
later moved next door to yet another gas
station. Originally established as a
private fleet for one customer, the Bethune
terminal soon expanded to include services to
many businesses within the area. By 1989,
Webber had outgrown the terminal in Bethune and
built a new facility in neighboring McBee, SC.
The complex was then sold in 1997 and then
terminal operations were moved to its present
location in McBee.
In 1987, a third
terminal was opened in El Paso, Texas.
Initially sharing an office with a primary
customer, the company designed, built and moved
into a new facility in 1996 on the east side of
El Paso, about 1 mile north of the Zaragosa
Bridge. The Zaragosa bridge connects El
Paso with Mexico.
In 1990, Neal Jr.
purchased the former A.O. Smith building in
Kankakee. The new venture was named
South-Tec Development Corporation and provides
office and light industrial manufacturing, as
well as public warehousing to various companies.
In 1997, the corporate office for A.N. Webber,
Inc. moved its entire terminal operation
to the present location at the South-Tec
facility.<<Selection in Document>>
Subsequent satellite operations were opened in
Tennessee in the late 90's and early 00's.
First in Kingsport and later near Nashville, in
Pleasant View. Today the company operates
over 200 trucks and 450 trailers, hauling long
distance, regional, local, and intermodal
freight. A brokerage operation was started
in August of 2005, expanding the company's list
of growing services.
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