Palmdale Oil Company: A Rich History of Stellar Service

We’ve built a business you can be confident to partner with

For 40 years, Palmdale Oil has been growing while keeping true to the values that have served our customers well over that time.

This growth has allowed us to provide a wide range of Florida industries with comprehensive fuel services they can count on. We understand the needs and concerns of local businesses because we are one also, based right here in the Sunshine State.

1980s–1990s

• 1984: Bill Cheatham founded Palmdale Oil Company, by acquiring first the bulk fuel provider Lake Oil Company in Okeechobee and then John D Beinki Oil Company, a fuel trucking operation, in West Palm Beach. The former Lake Oil Company’s site is now our Okeechobee office.
• 1996: Bill’s son Lachlan “Lach” Cheatham joins Palmdale, moving to the Okeechobee facility while corporate headquarters stays in West Palm Beach.
• 1999: Palmdale acquires the wholesale sales and bulk plant operations of Reliance Petroleum. Our first steps into expanding our territory are made when we purchase the Carol Oil bulk plant in Fort Myers.

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2000s

• 2002: Sadly, Bill Cheatham passes away after an illness. Bill was the kind of leader who inspired everyone around him. He was always the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night, putting in long hours seven days a week. He truly believed that success came from hard work, dedication and giving your all to everything you do. His commitment and work ethic set a powerful example for everyone who knew him.
• 2002: Lach takes over as president, focusing on growth, while keeping true to his father’s values, which built Palmdale.
• 2003: To help meet his goals for growing Palmdale, Lach hires his sister and brother, Mallory and Kendall Cheatham, to support sales and marketing initiatives.
• 2006: Palmdale’s first big growth happens with the acquisition of FH Foster Oil Corporation in Boynton Beach, expanding Palmdale’s territory in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

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2010s

• 2012: We expand our territory to the Gulf Coast, acquiring Ward Oil Company of Tampa.
• 2013: Palmdale helps to solidify its position in Palm Beach County by acquiring Charles Brown Oil Company in Riviera Beach.
• 2015–16: Our westward expansion continues as we acquire the Orlando businesses Scotty’s Oil and Lube Brokers. We also acquire Tanker Oil in Palm Beach County.
• 2017: We acquire Supreme Petroleum in Fort Lauderdale and Beeline Distributors in West Palm Beach.
• 2018: Palmdale acquires BV Oil in Palm Beach County.
• 2019: We acquire Land and Sea Petroleum in Fort Lauderdale.

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2020s

• 2020: This year had three acquisitions. Our territory expands to the north with Able Oil in Cape Canaveral, followed by Lee County Fuels in Fort Myers and JE Wilson & Son in Belle Glade.
• 2021: As we emerged from the pandemic, our growth continued with the acquisition of Laramie Oil in Tampa.
• 2023: This is another big year for us. We establish a partnership with First Reserve, a global private equity firm dedicated to investing in energy, infrastructure and industrial markets. Later that year, we acquire Como Oil & Propane of Florida, with a service area of Vero Beach, Stuart, Palm City, and Palm Bay. This is our entry into the commercial and residential propane markets and expands our service areas in those cities.
• 2024: Palmdale established a Castrol distribution partnership in Florida. Later that year, we also acquired Maassen Oil Company in Arcadia and Combs Oil Company in Naples.
• 2025: We make our first move into North Central Florida, acquiring Gatorgas, a local propane distributor in Old Town.

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