Palmdale Oil Company has acquired Tri-County Oil Distributors, a Williston, Fla., fuel distributor that has served North Central Florida for nearly a century. The deal, announced November 9, gives Palm Beach Gardens-based Palmdale a stronger position in the greater Gainesville area. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Tri-County sells fuel to retail and commercial customers across the region. At its Williston facility, it also runs a cardlock and sells packaged lubricants and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). The local team will stay on under Palmdale. Tri-County customers will be able to buy from Palmdale’s wider range of fuels, lubricants and chemicals, delivered through a network that reaches more than 50 Florida counties.

“Tri-County has been an important part of the Williston community for generations, and Mike and his team have built a business with a loyal customer base and a strong reputation in the region,” said Lachlan Cheatham, Palmdale’s CEO. “We see tremendous opportunity to build on what they have established, introduce additional products and services and grow our presence throughout North Central Florida.”

Mike Doerr, Tri-County’s president, said he wanted a buyer that would respect the company’s history “while helping us take the next step.” Joining Palmdale, he said, lets his team serve customers in new ways while keeping the personal attention they’re used to.

Jones Walker LLP served as legal counsel to Palmdale, and PCE Investment Bankers advised Tri-County.

Palmdale’s Continued Expansion

Tri-County is the latest in a string of Florida distributors Palmdale has bought over the past three years. In March, it acquired the assets of Fleetwing, a Lakeland fuel and lubricants distributor serving commercial and industrial accounts. Before that came Combs Oil Company of Naples in January 2025, Maassen Oil Company in August 2024, and Como Oil & Propane of Florida in October 2023. On the propane side, subsidiary Palmdale Propane bought Gatorgas, an Old Town distributor serving North Central Florida and the Gulf Coast, in June 2025, and Affordable Gas of Belle Glade in October 2026.

Founded in 1984, Palmdale is a family-led distributor of fuels, lubricants, propane, DEF and chemicals, serving commercial and residential customers throughout Florida. It has been backed by private equity firm First Reserve since 2023; the Cheatham family retained a significant ownership stake when First Reserve invested.