H.Essers, a Belgian family-owned logistics provider, recently entered the United States market by acquiring Palmer Logistics, a chemical warehousing and logistics specialist based in Houston. The deal establishes a trans-Atlantic platform designed to support the chemical industry’s shifting “center of gravity” toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.
For U.S.-based tank truck carriers and bulk logistics professionals, the acquisition introduces a new player to the domestic landscape. H.Essers brings an extensive European asset base, including a fleet of nearly 1,500 trucks and 2,000 ISO tanks, with more than 50% of its fleet being multimodally deployable, the company reported. By combining these assets with Palmer’s 3.8 million sq. ft. of specialized warehousing in Texas and Louisiana, the group aims to provide end-to-end, high-compliance logistics for global chemical manufacturers.
“We chose H.Essers because they share our values and respect what Palmer has built over the past 60 years,” Brett Mears, Palmer president, said in a news release. “H.Essers is a family-owned company with a long track record, deep expertise in chemical logistics, and a long-term mindset.
“For our customers and our people, this is the right choice. Same team, same locations, same service, backed by a stronger trans-Atlantic platform.”
The strategic move is centered on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the heart of the U.S. chemical manufacturing sector. H.Essers CEO Gert Bervoets noted that the company is planning for where their customers will be in 2035, anticipating continued growth in the U.S. Consequently, the group set an ambitious target to grow U.S. revenue from $70 million to $300 million within five years.
Following the stabilization of the Palmer integration, H.Essers intends to expand its specialized bulk and chemical logistics footprint toward the East and West Coasts, the company stated. For the time being, Palmer’s 350 employees and management team will remain in place to ensure service continuity while gradually integrating H.Essers’ multimodal capabilities and global ISO tank network.
