President’s Message
In 1933, our grandfather, Joseph Merrick Jones, founded Canal Barge Company with one barge and an initial capital investment of $10,000 in the middle of the Great Depression. Our founders were entrepreneurs and optimists with a vision to form long-term partnerships with companies to efficiently move their cargos along the Inland Waterways.
Over the years much has changed in the industry and our business - technology has made shipping faster; regulations have made the waters safer. And Canal Barge has grown from that single barge to a fleet of over 800 tank, hopper and deck barges, 43 towboats, a state-of-the-art liquid bulk terminal, and the largest independent towing and fleeting service on the Illinois River.
Despite all these changes, the guiding principles at Canal Barge are the same as they were in 1933. We approach every relationship, be it with a customer, supplier or employee, with the intention of establishing a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership. This requires an unmatched level of personal service that we apply to every part of our business. Time has proven our approach to be a successful one, as some of our partnerships span three, four and even five decades. As we look ahead, I am confident that Canal Barge is positioned for success. CBC is a strong company, with numerous avenues for growth and a culture that reflects the foundational values of entrepreneurship, long-term thinking, integrity in all dealings and a commitment to safe and environmentally sound operations that has sustained our company.
We are proud of the growth and development of our company over the years. Importantly, this growth has not come at the cost of sacrificing our values or our commitment to the highest quality service. We are proud of the company that we have built and are extremely grateful for the loyalty and commitment of our customers, suppliers and employees who have supported us. We are committed to being industry leaders as well as responsible citizens. We will work to make the waterways we serve safer and more productive and will be active in industry and community affairs. And of course, we will seek to continuously improve our company as we look to the future.
Merritt Lane
President/CEO
