A.N. Webber, Inc. stands firmly rooted in its identity as a trucking company, a heritage that has transcended generations. While our range of services has grown over the years, the heart of our business has always been the movement of freight. Our journey began in an aging wooden garage in Chebanse, Illinois, just 70 miles south of Chicago, where the Webber family, spanning four generations, has always had trucking in its DNA.
In 1947, Albert N. Webber Sr. (Neal) made a pivotal decision by acquiring a 1941 KB7 International truck, initially to transport stone from a quarry near Kankakee, Illinois, to various road and bridge projects. Prior to this, Neal had worked as a driver for different companies, including his brother's, whose roots date back to the 1930s. This marked the first time he was at the wheel of his own truck, unknowingly sowing the seeds of the thriving company we are today. Neal Sr. continued hauling stone for over a quarter of a century.
In 1958, A. Neal Webber Jr. joined the company as a driver upon his release from the U.S. Army. He transported construction materials during the warmer months and switched to hauling tankers when the weather grew too harsh for stone transport. The construction of Interstate 57 in 1961 necessitated the use of flatbeds to carry rebar from a local steel mill across the length of Illinois. In 1967, the company relocated to a Sinclair gas station in town, offering not just gas and oil but also tires and trucking services. Neal Jr. transitioned from driving in 1968 to help manage the growing trucking enterprise, which began transporting water heaters in dry vans. In 1970, he added a 1965 B Model GMC truck to the expanding fleet.
By 1975, Neal Sr. retired, passing his share of the business to his son Neal Jr. and wife Dee. In the same year, their son Alan joined the workforce immediately after high school. In the midst of a blizzard in 1979, the company moved its headquarters to a larger location ten miles north in Kankakee, IL.
In 2005, Alan initiated the company's logistics arm, A.N. Webber Logistics, Inc. Today, with a diverse fleet of equipment, including dry vans, drop frame vans, containers, flatbeds, and tankers, and a suite of services encompassing warehousing and brokerage, A.N. Webber, Inc. and its affiliated companies possess the capacity to provide comprehensive logistics solutions to a multitude of clients.
A.N. Webber's CEO, Alan Webber, is also an accomplished writer and commentator, with a syndicated column. He has authored a captivating novel titled "Whipping Post," which delves into the world of truckers, interwoven with elements of intrigue, outlaw bikers, drugs, humor, and a touch of rock 'n roll. It offers readers a unique narrative that places a real person behind the wheel of those formidable big rigs that often pass by unnoticed in the rearview mirrors of the motoring public.
In 2023 Alan released his second novel Roll Me Away. This this book Tim Harrison, a company driver for Saxon Brothers Trucking in Dallas, Texas, leads a tranquil life on a ranch in Cave Creek, Arizona, with his dog, Rory. However, his past trauma resurfaces when a fellow Saxon Brothers trucker is murdered by a menacing theft ring operating out of El Paso, Texas. Tim's old friend, JD Tolliver, becomes involved in tracking down the gang, only to end up in the hospital. With two employees attacked and no help from the police, John Saxon, the owner of Saxon's, enlists Tim's aid, drawing him back into a dangerous situation he's hesitant to confront, all while he navigates personal issues and the possibility of a new love interest.
