Clickstop breaks ground for addition

URBANA - An Urbana company broke ground Monday for the second building addition in its history.

Clickstop, 202 Blue Creek Dr., will begin construction shortly on a $6 million, 53,080-square-foot physical expansion that will provide additional space for offices and manufacturing. The expansion will enable the company, with an average annual revenue growth of 41 percent, to hire about 100 people through the end of 2018.

Clickstop, an e-retailer and manufacturer, owns and operates several brands from two facilities in Urbana. The company, which employs about 120, serves diverse markets ranging from the moving and cargo control industries to energy efficient insulation, fasteners and home storage solutions.

Clickstop Founder and CEO Tim Guenther unveiled the expansion plans in June. The company has continued to experience rapid growth since it was founded in 2005.

'When we moved here in 2011, we bought a 9-acre lot,” Guenther said. 'With this building expansion and additional parking, we will use up about 90 percent of the land.”

When Guenther announced the expansion plans, he expected construction to start last month and projected completion of the addition in August 2016. Build to Suit of Coralville will be the general contractor for the project and Guenther expected to use many of the subcontractors that worked on the existing building in 2011.

Two years ago, Clickstop began manufacturing ratchet straps and other tie-down products for US Cargo Control, its flagship brand. Guenther made the decision to produce the products in house, rather than have them manufactured offshore.

'We're increasing our capabilities, which is major reason for the expansion,” he said. 'Capabilities are very important in terms of the brand and what you can do for a customer.

'We wanted to be able to respond quickly to our customers when they have a specific need. If you are relying on outside sources or importing, it becomes very challenging.”