About | Brink Family of Companies

Brink family values

We know you care about getting the job done right, on time, and for a great value. And guess what? So do we. Faith guides us through every decision—big or small—keeping us trustworthy, honest, and kind in all we do.

Integrity

We’re committed to communicating with friendly honesty, providing quality services, and sticking to your timeframe. We’ll take care of you, no matter what.

Teamwork

No one can do jobs this big alone. Our companies collaborate together to make sure things get done right. And we have fun doing it.

Creativity

It takes some big-picture thinking to solve our customers’ challenges. We think outside the box every day, which makes us one of the best in the business.

Here’s how we get it done

Our History

Moving Things since the late 1800s

1880s

Farming and Hauling in Graafschap

In 1884 Evert Brink emigrated to Graafschap, MI from Onnen, Groningen at the age of 20, leaving his family behind in the Netherlands. His parents and siblings eventually joined Evert in Michigan. Evert farmed in Jamestown, MI and also worked as a drayman with a team of horses and a wagon for hire. He hauled furniture and household goods, dirt from foundation diggings, and gravel among many other items. The bell that still hangs in Central Ave. Christian Reformed Church and the rooster atop Graafschap Christian Reformed Church steeple in Holland were both hauled by Evert.

Mid-1900s

Upgrading from Horses to Model Ts

In 1918 Ralph Brink, oldest son of Evert & Helen Brink, and his wife Mary, purchased a farm in East Saugatuck and welcomed their first of 9 children, son Edward. Ralph replaced his horses and wagons with 2 Model Ts hauling hay, straw, cattle and hogs.

1930s

Holding Steady Through the Depression

The Great Depression brought hard times to the Brink Family. When Ralph couldn't make his farm mortgage payments it was suggested that he turn over his flatbed trucks. But Ralph said, "No, they are the ones that will put me back on top." Eventually they did!

1940s

Drafted for WW2

By 1939 the farm and trucking business was prospering. Now hauling with semi trucks, they were hauling hay, livestock, fruit, corn, Christmas trees, milk to the creamery, and pickles to the Heinz factory in Holland. In 1942, eldest son Ed, was drafted. By 1943 Ed was on the Western front as a tank mechanic because of his machinery experience on the farm. He became Tank Retriever Commander in the 191st Tank Battalion. His younger brothers received deferment for the farm.

1945

Farming in East Saugatuck

Upon returning home from war, the family farm and trucking business was being operated by Ed's younger brothers. Ed and Alma were married and purchased a farm in East Saugatuck and struck out on their own.

1950s

Corn Shelling and transporting grain

Beyond farming and trucking, Ed developed a mobile corn shelling business. Pulling a sheller on wheels behind a straight truck, he traveled all around Southwest Michigan custom shelling for area farmers, then transporting the grain. Always innovating, he mounted a corn sheller on a truck for efficiency and pulled that with a semi so he could manage the whole process by himself. This business was pivotal and developed many significant relationships for Ed, where he began working with the farm government loan program and transporting grain to government grain bin sites. Ed also began buying and selling grain as a broker.

1960s

Grain elevator and dryer

The 60s brought the addition of a grain elevator to the farm. Shortly thereafter a grain dryer was added and allowed for custom drying and grain storage.Ed also bought a combine, upgrading from a corn picker, which allowed him to custom harvest grain for area farmers.

1970s

Edward Brink & Sons

Ed and Alma suffered the tragic loss of their eldest son, Bob, in a tractor accident at the age of 18. In the early 1970s, Ed's second and third sons, Lloyd and Glenn bought into the business, reorganizing as Edward Brink & Sons.

1980s

Officially becomes Brink Farms

With over 3,000 acres of farmland, the family operation also included trucking and a full service grain facility. In 1983, Ed retired and Glenn took the helm. The business officially became Brink Farms and shifted from farming to focus solely on transportation and the grain elevator, including government grain storage. In the mid-80s, the company expanded trucking into the Ontario market.

1990s

Brink Farms, Incorporated

The business incorporated into Brink Farms Inc. in 1992. By the early 1990s Brink Farms had phased out of grain elevator operations as trucking became the main focus of business, which saw significant growth after becoming the preferred carrier for the IMC Kalium potash mine in Hersey, MI. Brink Terminal Services was formed after the purchase of the old Zephyr fuel refinery facility in Muskegon, MI. Work began immediately at the brownfield site to refurbish the facilities for liquid fertilizer storage. In the late 90s, Glenn's eldest son Brian entered into a leadership role in the company.

2000s

Agricultural Growth

Brink Farms purchased Sargent Trucking of Zilwaukee, MI to acquire the potash transportation for the entire state of MI. As ethanol was entering the scene, Brink Farms landed the contract to haul inbound and outbound for one of Michigan's first ethanol plants. In 2005, the company moved from the original Ed Brink farm location in East Saugatuck to the current Hamilton location. The late 2000s brought the opportunity to service the fracking sand boom by hauling Michigan sand to rail sites.

2010s

Addition of New Terminals

Brink Transfer Services was created to expand into the pneumatic industry, led by Glenn's third son, Shawn. The New Buffalo Terminal was built to support the Chicago cement business of Brink Transfer Services. Relationships were developed with both mainline and short rail companies and transloading in multiple locations across West Michigan began. In 2012, Brink Terminal Services expanded with the addition of the Bay City terminal on the Saginaw River, opening the opportunity for importing liquid fertilizer products by ocean vessel, led by Glenn's fourth son, Ben.

2020s

Continued expansion

The Bridgman Terminal (formerly Technisand) was acquired to expand operational capacity of the nearby New Buffalo Terminal. In 2022, Mark Harwell Trucking was purchased at Mark's retirement. Ottawa Lake Terminal was built in 2023 to grow the Michigan - Ohio trucking business.

The Brink Brothers

Meet the People behind the wheel

Our teams are made up of so many hard working drivers, mechanics, experts and others, and we couldn’t do it without them! Here are the three guys that lead these incredible teams.