Palmer, founded in 1965, operates 14 facilities and approximately 3.8 million square feet of storage capacity, primarily on the Gulf Coast.
key takeaways:
- H.Essers entered the US market by acquiring Houston-based chemical warehousing firm Palmer Logistics into its operations, financial terms were not disclosed.
- Palmer operates 14 Gulf Coast-focused facilities with approximately 3.8 million square feet of capacity and 350 employees that will remain in place.
- H.Essers plans a phased branding change and aims to grow US revenues from $70 million to $300 million within five years.
H.Essers is entering the US market by bringing in chemical warehousing firm Palmer Logistics into its operations, setting up its first footprint in the country and outlining expansion plans.
The Belgian, family-owned logistics company said the move is aimed at supporting customers operating in North America and Europe. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Houston-based Palmer, founded in 1965, operates 14 facilities and approximately 3.8 million square feet of storage capacity, primarily on the Gulf Coast. Its 350 employees and entire management team will remain in place, with President Brett Mears continuing to oversee day-to-day operations.
“We chose H.Assessors because they share our values and respect what Palmer has built over the last 60 years,” Mears said. “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 location, same service, supported by a strong transatlantic platform.”
H.Essers said it plans to build on Palmer’s existing operations while expanding into the United States.
“Within five years, our goal is to grow our US revenue from $70 million to $300 million,” said Gert Bervoets, CEO of H.Assessor. “This is an ambitious but realistic goal, based on the demand we are already seeing from our European and US chemical customers. The United States is rapidly becoming the center of the chemical sector, and we intend to play a leading role there.”
The Gulf Coast would serve as the starting point for that expansion, reflecting the concentration of chemical manufacturing in Texas and Louisiana. H.Essers said it plans to expand further in the US over time, including on the East and West coasts.
Company officials said many of their European customers already work in the United States, while H.Essers serves US-based customers in Europe. The combination is intended to allow the company to support those customers in both regions.
H.Essers is a Belgian, family-owned logistics company. (Palmer Logistics via LinkedIn)
“H.Essers has been in business for almost a century,” Bervoets said. “We make decisions not based on today’s headlines, but based on where our customers will be in 2035. A significant part of the chemical sector is shifting its center of gravity to the United States.”
Palmer will be integrated into H.Essers over time, with branding changes introduced in phases. The company said the location, customer relationships and service levels will remain in place during the transition.
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