Our History

Herbert “Buzz” Grane and his brother-in-law, Tony, start the company, providing cartage services in Chicago and throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Iowa. By the end of the year, the company expands to 6 trucks.

Buzz and Tony purchase their first building, a 24,000-sq. ft. facility at 4459 Division Street in Chicago, from which the company thrives.

By the time of the Chicago’s World Fair, the fleet more than doubles in size to 15 vehicles.

Buzz delivers machinery to the Salerno Cookie Company. Grane is proud to say that we also brought the first load of flour into Salerno, and transported the first load of completed cookies from the company to the Goldblatt Bros. department store.

Grane transports K-rations from Salerno to various U.S. Army destinations.

Grane hauls Navy torpedoes (two per truck) while the military police serve as armed escorts, accompanying the trucks to their destinations.

Tragedy strikes when Tony dies in a bizarre accident involving a chicken coop. Buzz assumes sole ownership of the Grane Trucking Company, which carries his name to this day.

Hubert “Bud” Grane joins his father on a part-time basis, then works full-time after his college graduation, assuring a second generation of the family business.

Buzz and Bud branch out into full-service truck and trailer leasing with the founding of The Grane Leasing Company.

Bud establishes Grane Transportation Lines, Ltd., a regional common and contract-for-hire motor carrier.

After the company outgrows its old terminal, Grane moves its operations to 1001 S. Laramie Avenue in Chicago. This new 115,000-sq. ft., state-of-the-art headquarters facility houses our Cross-Dock and Break-Bulk Operation for Ocean Containers and Interstate Pool Distribution Line Hauls. A 24/7 Truck Maintenance Shop becomes an essential part of the Full-Service Truck Leasing and Contract Maintenance services.

Piggyback and container businesses are exploding and the U.S. Customs container stations are established. Grane is a proud training center for U.S. Customs dogs.

On July 4th, Congressman Harris W. Fawell presents Hubert “Buzz” Grane with an American flag that was flown over the capital, honoring Grane’s 60 years in the trucking industry.

Grane expands its fleet, acquiring Union Freightways and its 30 owner-operators.

Grane’s third generation comes on board as Bud’s sons, Allan and Paul, enter the family business. They work their way up the ladder until they become the leaders of Grane.

Grane continues its growth trend, buying the assets of Acme Motor Freight and adding its 35 drivers.

The Grane brothers, Allan and Paul, purchase Gotoh Distribution, expanding services into the air freight business and serving Chicago O’Hare and Rockford International airports.

Folded SXT, Inc. into our core business, adding a 250,000 square foot warehouse to the Grane operations.

GLX experienced exponential growth and moved to its new headquarters in Oak Brook, IL.