Tankstar

What Tankstar does

Tankstar USA, Inc. is a privately held holding company, owned by the Schwerman family since its 1980s management buyout, that operates six independently managed trucking and logistics subsidiaries collectively serving industrial customers across the eastern half of the United States. Founded in 1913 when Fred Schwerman Jr. began hauling agricultural products in Milwaukee, the enterprise pioneered the enclosed screw tank trailer in 1944, a design that remains the foundation of modern dry bulk cement transportation. The company provides dry bulk transportation of cement, lime, sand, fly ash, gypsum, and ceramic beads, and liquid bulk transportation of chemicals and petroleum products, through a fleet of pneumatic and tank trailers operated from more than 30 terminal locations spanning 17 states.

The portfolio comprises Schwerman Trucking (the oldest US dry bulk carrier, 1913), Rogers Cartage (liquid bulk chemicals, acquired 1998 with 300 drivers and 13 terminals), North American Bulk Transport (dry bulk cement, 1953), Tidewater Trucking (Florida/South Georgia dry bulk, founded 1999), McCorkle Truck Lines (dry bulk operating in 45 states), and Bulk Logistics (3PL, freight brokerage, and rail-truck transloading). Supporting infrastructure includes 25+ truck maintenance shops, explosion-proof tank cleaning facilities, 2.5 million pounds of bulk storage capacity at Oklahoma City, and rail spurs for intermodal operations. Adjacent revenue streams include storage bin leasing, equipment leasing, used trailer and tractor sales, and owner-operator programs (Fast Start and Lease-to-Purchase) structured to build driver supply.

The business model is transaction-based freight revenue, with pricing quoted per shipment by distance, commodity, and volume. Customers are industrial enterprises in construction, chemical manufacturing, oil and gas, and agriculture, acquired through direct B2B sales relationships rather than intermediaries. The company employs 1,001-5,000 people and has received industry safety recognition including the 1992 Trailmile/ATA One Million Mile safety award and the 2012 NTTC Mileage Class Safety Award.

Name

Tankstar

Legal name

Tankstar USA, Inc.

Website

https://tankstar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Tankstar USA is a privately held, family-owned holding company operating six trucking subsidiaries that provide dry bulk and liquid bulk transportation of cement, chemicals, and industrial commodities across the eastern United States from 30+ terminals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bulk Transportation Services

NAICS

Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Liquid Bulk (Latex/Resins/Paints/Adhesives) Transport (TLADALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Chemical Tank Farms & Bulk Liquid Chemical Storage (TLALAHAH)

Keywords

• Bulk trucking services
• Dry bulk transport
• Liquid chemical transport
• Freight logistics
• Tank truck carrier

Headquarters

HQ city

Meredosia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices41 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Bulk Transportation Services: Transportation of dry bulk commodities (cement, lime, sand, specialty sands, fly ash, gypsum, oxides, ceramic beads) and liquid bulk commodities (chemicals, petroleum products) using tank trucks. Revenue generated per shipment based on distance, commodity type, and volume transported.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Tankstar USA, Inc. provides bulk commodity transportation services through six subsidiary trucking companies, hauling dry bulk materials (cement, lime, sand, fly ash, gypsum, specialty sands) and liquid bulk commodities (chemicals, petroleum products, food-grade liquids) via tank truck fleets. Supporting offerings include equipment sales, storage bin leasing, third-party logistics, freight brokerage, rail-truck transloading, and tank cleaning services.

Product overview

Tankstar USA, Inc. is a holding company operating six independently operated trucking companies (Schwerman Trucking, Rogers Cartage, North American Bulk Transport, Tidewater Trucking, McCorkle Truck Lines, and Bulk Logistics) that collectively form the Tankstar USA Family of Companies. The core offering consists of dry bulk and liquid bulk transportation services for commodities including cement, chemicals, petroleum products, and construction materials. Supporting services include equipment sales, storage bin leasing, owner operator programs (Fast Start and Lease-to-Purchase), and on-the-job driver training. The companies operate over 30 locations across the eastern half of the United States with a combined fleet of over 25 shop locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dry Bulk Transportation Services

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quality Carriers: One of the largest bulk liquid chemical carriers in North America, operating a fleet of tank trucks serving chemical, petroleum, and food-grade customers. Directly comparable to Tankstar's Rogers Cartage liquid bulk chemical business.
• Kenan Advantage Group: Specialty bulk transportation provider focused on liquid bulk chemicals, petroleum, and food-grade products across North America. Closely comparable in fleet composition and customer base to Tankstar's liquid bulk operations.
• Groendyke Transport: Bulk liquid tank truck carrier with terminals across the US, hauling chemicals, petroleum, and specialty liquids. Comparable terminal network and liquid bulk focus to Rogers Cartage and Schwerman's liquid chemical lines.
• Transport Service Company: Specialty bulk liquid carrier focused on chemicals, with tank cleaning and terminal operations. Overlaps directly with Tankstar's liquid bulk chemical transport and tank cleaning capabilities (e.g., the Gibraltar explosion-proof wash bay).

Broad incumbents

• Heartland Express: Public truckload carrier with dry van and dry bulk freight operations across the US. Comparable in dry bulk trucking scale though less specialized in cement and pneumatic cement transport than Schwerman/NABT.
• Schneider National: Large diversified public truckload, intermodal, and logistics provider. Overlaps with Tankstar via its bulk freight offerings and Bulk Logistics' intermodal/3PL services, though Schneider is far broader in scope.
• Werner Enterprises: Large public truckload and logistics company with dedicated and specialty freight capabilities. Provides broader competitive context for Tankstar's enterprise customer relationships and freight brokerage ambitions.
• Knight-Swift Transportation: One of the largest US truckload carriers following Knight and Swift mergers and the US Xpress acquisition. Competes for shipper contracts and represents a better-capitalized incumbent as Tankstar pursues acquisition-led growth.
• J.B. Hunt Transport Services: Diversified public carrier with dedicated, intermodal, and truckload services. Comparable to Bulk Logistics' intermodal and 3PL offerings and provides a benchmark for what scaled, capital-rich competition looks like.
• Daseke (TFI International): Specialty transportation platform acquired by TFI International in 2024, focused on flatbed, heavy haul, and bulk freight. Directly comparable specialty-haul orientation to Tankstar's dry bulk cement and construction-materials focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/schwermantruckingcompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tankstar-usa-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries6 records

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 Tankstar