Palmer Gas & Oil

What Palmer Gas & Oil does

Palmer Gas & Oil is a family-owned fuel delivery and home services company headquartered in Atkinson, New Hampshire, operating since 1932 (originally founded as a kerosene business by Charles A. Ermer) and serving residential and commercial customers across Southern New Hampshire, Northern Massachusetts, and Southern Maine. The company's core offering is propane and heating oil delivery, automated via historical-usage and weather-based scheduling and supported by 810,000 gallons of propane storage across three facilities (Atkinson, Raymond, Somersworth) — the largest independent propane storage footprint in Southern New Hampshire. Palmer runs an integrated home services platform: HVAC equipment sales and installation (furnaces, boilers, water heaters, central AC, mini-splits, generators, pool heaters, log sets), in-house plumbing and electrical services added in 2023, multi-tier Comfort Plans (Platinum, Gold, Tank Guard, A/C, Generator), price protection programs (Easy Pay, Price Assurance, Pre-Buy), financing through Wells Fargo, and a Palmer Points loyalty program.

The revenue model is hybrid. Fuel delivery is per-gallon, usage-based, with margin management through price-cap and pre-buy contracts. Equipment sales are one-time transactions (often financed). Service plans are annual subscriptions that generate recurring revenue and lock customers into the Palmer ecosystem. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct field representatives, a call center, an online account portal (MyAccount), and structured referral channels (Refer-a-Friend, Realtor Referral Program, Builder partnerships). Customer acquisition is reputation-driven — 10-time Best of Business Award winner as NH's Best Fuel Provider, A+ BBB rating, Business NH Magazine Business of the Decade — and the company is now marketing Renewable Propane, a low-carbon drop-in fuel. Leadership remains Ermer-family controlled (Bill Ermer, President & Owner; Charlie Ermer, VP Business Operations; Joanne Ermer, VP HR/IT), with operational leadership strengthened by the 2018 acquisition of Lamprey Energy (Don Lamprey promoted to Director of Operations in April 2026).

Name

Palmer Gas & Oil

Legal name

Palmer Gas & Oil

Website

https://palmergas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Palmer Gas & Oil is a family-owned, Atkinson, NH-based fuel delivery and home services company delivering propane and heating oil to residential and commercial customers across Southern New Hampshire, Northern Massachusetts, and Southern Maine, complemented by HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Delivery and HVAC Services

NAICS

Fuel Dealers (457210), Fuel Dealers (4572)

SIC

Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)

akta.pro primary industry

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Propane (LP) Gas Line Installation & Conversion (HSAOAKAJ), Expansion Tank, Circulator Pump & Zone Valve Service (HSAOACAG), New Gas Line Installation & Extensions (HSAOAKAA)

Keywords

• Propane delivery services
• Heating oil delivery
• HVAC equipment installation
• Home heating services
• Fuel delivery company

Headquarters

HQ city

Atkinson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fuel Delivery (Propane and Heating Oil): Delivers propane and heating oil to residential and commercial customers across Southern NH, Southern ME, and Northern MA. Revenue is generated per gallon delivered, with pricing influenced by market conditions and protected by various price cap programs. Volume depends on number of customers, tank sizes, and consumption patterns.
2. Equipment Sales and Installation: Sells and installs HVAC equipment including furnaces, boilers, water heaters, central AC, mini splits, pool heaters, generators, garage heaters, and propane log sets. Revenue is one-time per installation. Financing available through Wells Fargo.
3. Service Plans and Maintenance: Recurring service plan subscriptions (Heating Comfort Plans, A/C Comfort Plan, Generator Comfort Plan, Tank Guard Plan, Platinum Comfort Plan) that include annual tune-ups, priority scheduling, and discounts on parts and labor.
4. Plumbing and Electrical Services: In-house plumbing and electrical services for residential customers including repairs, fixture installation, water heater work, panel upgrades, and lighting. Billed per service call or project.
5. Price Protection Programs: Budget plans (Easy Pay) spread heating bills over 11 months; Price Assurance caps maximum fuel price per gallon; Pre-Buy locks in gallons at a set price upfront. Some plans require contracts and enrollment fees.
6. Financing Services: Equipment purchases financed through Wells Fargo Bank with 0% financing available for qualified customers, generating referral or partnership income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Palmer Gas & Oil delivers propane and heating oil to residential and commercial customers across Southern New Hampshire, Northern Massachusetts, and Southern Maine. The company sells, installs, and services HVAC equipment including furnaces, boilers, water heaters, central AC, mini splits, generators, and pool heaters, and provides in-house plumbing and electrical services, recurring maintenance plans, and price protection programs.

Product overview

Palmer Gas & Oil is a family-owned propane and heating oil delivery company serving southern New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts, and southern Maine since 1932. The company operates as a one-stop-shop offering fuel delivery (propane and heating oil), equipment sales and installation (heating, cooling, generators, water heaters, pool heaters), and maintenance services. In 2023, the company expanded into plumbing and electrical services, enabling customers to access heating, plumbing, and electrical services from a single provider. The product portfolio includes core fuel delivery services supplemented by multiple service plan tiers (Comfort Plans, Tank Guard), financing options through Wells Fargo, customer loyalty programs (Palmer Points, Refer a Friend), and price protection programs. The company recently introduced Renewable Propane as a sustainable fuel alternative and offers specialized commercial and builder programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Propane Delivery
• Heating Oil Delivery
• Commercial Propane
• Commercial Heating Oil
• Renewable Propane
• Heating Equipment Installation
• Cooling Equipment Installation
• Generators
• Water Heaters
• Pool Heaters
• Log Sets and Garage Heaters
• Service Plans (Comfort Plans)
• Plumbing Services
• Electrical Services
• Price Protection Programs
• Builder Program
• Equipment Financing

Quantifiable outcome

• New high-efficiency heating systems can save up to 30% or more on annual fuel usage
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered support, core and community.

• LP TransportationsupportOthersLP Transportation provided support and assistance in making the new fuel storage facility possible. Referenced in the National Propane Day announcement as a partner whose support helped realize the new facility project.
• Propane Gas Association of New England (PGA_NE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Propane Gas Association of New England (PGA_NE) for the creation of National Propane Day, co-championed by Charlie Ermer of Palmer Gas & Oil and Leslie Anderson of PGA_NE. PGA_NE also supported the opening of the new fuel storage facility.
• Alliance EnergysupportOthersReferenced in the National Propane Day announcement as a partner whose support and assistance helped make the new fuel storage facility possible.
• Southern New Hampshire Chamber of CommercecommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Southern New Hampshire Chamber of Commerce provided support and assistance for the new fuel storage facility opening. Represents a community/business networking partnership.
• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPERC organizes National Propane Day annually (since 2022) and selects the annual theme. Palmer Gas & Oil's Charlie Ermer was instrumental in creating National Propane Day, working with PERC and the Propane Gas Association of New England.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dead River Company: Maine-based, family-owned provider of propane, heating oil, and HVAC services across Northern New England. Directly comparable to Palmer on geography, product mix (fuel + equipment + service), customer base, and business model, with similar brand-loyalty positioning.
• Rymes Propane & Oil: New Hampshire-headquartered propane and heating oil dealer with HVAC equipment and service plans. Closest geographic and operational peer to Palmer, with overlapping service territory in Southern NH and comparable scale.
• Haffner's: Northern Massachusetts/Southern NH energy and home services provider offering heating oil, propane, HVAC, plumbing, and generator services. Comparable one-stop-shop model and overlapping geography.
• Eastern Propane Gas: Regional propane distributor serving New England and the Mid-Atlantic with residential and commercial propane delivery. Comparable in core fuel-delivery activity and customer profile.
• Blue Flame Gas: New England regional propane and heating services company. Comparable in product offering (propane delivery, equipment, service) and regional customer base.

Regional players

• Irving Energy: Northern New England (Maine) fuel delivery arm of Irving Oil, with propane and heating oil service. Comparable in fuel delivery activity but part of a much larger integrated energy company headquartered outside Palmer's core territory.
• TWC Services: Heating oil and home services provider operating in Northern New England, with a comparable fuel-delivery and service model. Regional competitor with overlapping customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Suburban Propane Partners: One of the largest national propane distributors, serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers across the U.S. Comparable product but vastly greater scale, public-company capital, and geographic breadth.
• AmeriGas Propane: Largest U.S. propane retailer, with national distribution and a full suite of tank-monitoring and service offerings. Directly comparable in core product but operates as a public, national incumbent.
• Ferrellgas Partners: Public national propane distributor serving residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Comparable in core fuel delivery but at national scale with substantially greater capital and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3-87RiY0QbfdKkpAcnIhmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/palmergasco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/palmergas
• Instagraminstagram.com/palmergas
• Xx.com/PalmerGasOil

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palmer Gas & Oil