GrayMar Buys Six Hull's Sites, Pushing Network to 28 Locations

GrayMar Environmental Services has acquired six Hull's Environmental Services locations across Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, pushing its network to 28 service locations and its workforce past 650 employees.

The deal, announced without a disclosed price, covers four Florida sites — Panama City, Jacksonville, Tampa/St. Petersburg and Winter Haven — plus Atlanta and Nashville. For GrayMar, it adds established locations and personnel in three states. For the acquired teams, it connects regional operations to a nationwide service platform.

Tony Payne, formerly executive vice president of Hull's Environmental Services, will lead the acquired operations. His continued role gives the transition leadership continuity as the teams fold into GrayMar's operating structure.

What does the acquisition change?

The numbers frame it plainly. GrayMar goes from 22 to 28 operating locations and from an undisclosed base to more than 650 employees. The additions sit squarely in Southeast markets — three states — that the company says will strengthen its ability to serve customers across the region.

GrayMar's service lines include field operations, waste transportation and disposal, remediation and emergency response. The six acquired sites now plug into that broader network.

Payne framed the national reach as a founding goal realized. In a statement, he said:

"GrayMar was the right partner to help grow our business from the start. It was immediately clear to me that they put their employees first and have built a culture grounded in respect, integrity, safety, and excellence—all qualities I believe are essential to long-term success. Michael Gray, Kelly Ottmar, and the entire team have built an exceptional company over the past nine years, and I am proud to now be part of it. This partnership also gives our team the opportunity to join a nationwide company, serve clients across the country, and achieve one of the key goals we set when founding Hull's Environmental Services."

That quote carries two data points worth noting: Payne cites founders Michael Gray and Kelly Ottmar by name, and he dates the company's build-out to the past nine years. He also cites GrayMar's employee focus and operating culture as factors supporting the combination.

What happens to the acquired teams?

GrayMar CEO Tim Smith set the integration priorities in his own statement:

"This acquisition represents another important step in GrayMar's continued growth. We are excited to welcome the Hull's team to our GrayMar family and build upon the strong foundation they have established. As we grow to more than 650 employees, our commitment remains unchanged: putting our people first, operating safely, maintaining a strong culture, and delivering the highest standards of compliance and service for our customers."

The emphasis is safety, compliance and service. Smith said those priorities will guide how the acquired teams integrate into the larger organization as headcount grows.

The structure of the deal keeps an experienced executive — Payne — overseeing the incoming operations, which reduces execution risk in markets where GrayMar is adding density rather than entering cold.

Why the Southeast matters here

The acquisition stacks established locations in Florida's panhandle and peninsula, plus two of the region's largest metros, onto an environmental services platform that already spans a national footprint. Payne's stated rationale — serving clients across the country — signals the acquired teams will operate beyond their legacy geographies.

In short: six locations, three states, one retained leader, and a network now numbering 28.

With Payne in place and Smith's integration priorities set, the next test is whether the combined 650-plus workforce delivers on the compliance and service standards both sides put at the center of the deal.