Keeping Laredo's supply chain moving for eighty years.
A short history of a long family.
From a handful of trucks moving freight across a dusty border town to one of Laredo’s largest privately operated warehouse and rail facilities scroll through eighty years of the Gilbert family story.
Where It All Began Wagons, Mules & a Will to Work
Joe L. Gilbert Sr. set roots in Cotulla, Texas, hauling feed and furniture before most roads had names. When Union Pacific's rail line came through connecting Laredo to San Antonio, Joe was ready picking up consignment loads and delivering them to the corners of Texas the railroad couldn't reach. Mules became trucks. Local became regional. A hardworking hauler from Cotulla became a pioneer of American logistics.
The Gilberts Were Born to Move Freight
Transportation wasn't just a trade for the Gilberts it was a calling shared across the entire family. Felix Gilbert and his brother-in-law Claude Cosby ran their own routes out of San Antonio, keeping the family name on the roads of South Texas. From wagons hitched to mules to full-sized fleet trucks, the Gilbert family collectively laid the foundation for what would become one of the most enduring logistics names on the US–Mexico border.
The Gilbert Hut Where Business Was Born
Gilbert's first offices were established inside an authentic Union Pacific caboose acquired directly from the railroad by Joe Gilbert Sr., not a reproduction. Set up in early 1947, this iconic red caboose became the original nerve center of Gilbert operations. It remains standing on the property today, a living artifact of the entrepreneurial spirit that built everything that followed.
Joe L. Gilbert Jr. Veteran, Leader, Visionary
A graduate of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets in 1961, Joe L. Gilbert Jr. answered his country's call before answering the business world's. He served with distinction as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army carrying the same discipline and commitment to excellence that would define his decades of leadership at Gilbert International. Service wasn't just a value. It was in his blood.
Gilbert Truck Lines The Name on the Road
By the mid-1960s, the Gilbert name was rolling across South Texas on the sides of a growing fleet of commercial trucks. Gilbert Truck Lines became a recognized carrier in the region, building the operational backbone that would eventually evolve into a full-service warehousing and cross-border logistics operation. Every truck on the road was a statement: Gilbert moves freight.
Joe Jr. Takes the Helm Warehousing Reimagined
In the early 1970s, Joe L. Gilbert Jr. returned from service and reshaped the family business for a new era. He expanded beyond trucking into warehousing and distribution, revolutionizing how freight moved in Laredo, Texas. His vision full-service logistics at the US–Mexico border set the standard for an entire industry in South Texas. Visionary. Veteran. Pioneer.
Gilbert International A New Chapter Begins
With a growing portfolio of bonded warehouses, distribution centers, and cross-border capabilities, Gilbert International formally positioned itself as the premier full-service logistics operation at the Port of Laredo. Over 220,000 square feet. Covered rail siding. Customs bonded storage. A bilingual team serving importers, exporters, and shippers across 48 states, Canada, and Mexico. The foundation was set for the next generation.
The Cactus on the Roof Rooted Like Gilbert
Nobody planted it. Nobody planned it. A cactus simply took root on top of one of the Gilbert warehouses and stayed. Over the years it drew enough attention that the building earned its own name: "The Cactus Building." It became an unofficial landmark in Laredo and, in time, a quiet symbol of the Gilbert brand itself resilient, unplanned, and impossible to ignore. Some things grow where they're meant to.