August 10, 2001

Owners of Stoner Products to build facility on Rt. 130  

BY ROB STROUD  Staff Writer 

CHARLESTON -Local residents Howard and Susan Meacham are paving the way for future development on the west side of Illinois Route 130 in the industrial area of Charleston. 

The Meachams are consolidating their Stoner Products facility in Charleston and their Hartwood Industries facility in Newton into a new facility south of County Road 1000 N. The consolidated industries will be known as Sustainable Resources Group Inc.

Stoner Products builds components made of wood and recycled plastic for the trailers produced by Trailmobile and other companies.

Hartwood Industries builds wooden point-of-purchase store displays for Kraft, Hostess, Coca- Cola, Archway Cookies and many other companies.

Howard Meacham said Stoner Products business has grown to the point that the current rent facility at 100 Eighth St. cannot accommodate its need for work space and loading docks.

"We're just choked for space here. We can hardly move,"  Meacham said.

Meacham said the new facility will contain 32,000 square feet of production space and 7,000 square feet of office space. He said the facility should be operational by November, adding that a 3,500-square-foot storage area has already been built at the site.

The new facility will occupy 5 acres and 15 additional acres will be available for any future expansions, Meacham said.

Sustainable Resources Group will fit in well with the other manufacturers on Route 131 north of Charleston Meachan said. The city recently extended a sewer line north on the west side of Route 130 to serve Sustainable Resources Group and other potential development.

"The city has been very cooperative in saying, 'What can we do to help your business grow, Meacham said.

Meacham said the lease on the Hartwood industries facility in Newton expired recently, and the facility is now being leased on a month-to-month basis.

A few workers from Newton, including plant manager Stewart Gage, will likely work at the new facility in Charleston, Meachan said. Sustainable Resources Group will regularly employ 20 workers and will employ more during peak business periods, he said.

Sustainable Resources Group will also offer the new service of marketing environmentally friendly products for home building, such as energy-efficient lighting, Meacham said.

Meacham said he envisions Sustainable Resources eventually selling stock homes made of wood that can be traced back to forests that are regularly
replanted. He said the wood his industries currently work with can be traced back to its sources.

Stoner Products was founded in 1924 by Palmer Stoner, a future mayor of Charleston. Palmer Stoner's son, John Stoner, was a partner in the industry and eventually took it over.

Meacham said Stoner  Products evolved from making doors and custom cabinets to building industrial arts and science room cabinets during the school-building boom of the 1950s.

In the 1970s, John Stoner retired and Stoner Products started making components for Trailmobile Trailer, Meacham said.

John Stoner sold his industry to Don and Margaret Dennis, who are Meacham's in-laws. Howard and Susan Meacham have owned Stoner Products for about 10 years and Hartwood Industries for about four years.