Hoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc. was an influential business that was originally owned by members of the Neimoidian species and was in existence since at least around 4000 BBY. Around that time, the company was facing financial difficulties and was fending off a buyout attempt by a group of Nimbanese.
Later it was secretly a subsidiary of the Trade Federation and produced for it numerous vehicles, including the Lucrehulk-class battleship. After the Trade Federation's defeat at the Battle of Naboo, the company was first sold to Duros investors and then, around the end of the Clone Wars, to a Nimbanese clan of businessmen and investors.
Hoersch-Kessel Drive helped produce starships for the Confederacy of Independent Systems along with the Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, which included the Recusant-class light destroyer and the Munificent-class star frigate and even the R60 T-wing interceptor.
In an attempt to make HKD more profitable, its Nimbanese owners closed down the corporation, shutting down hundreds of factories and entire design divisions. This drove many designers and engineers away from the corporation, further weakening the company. Ownership of HKD changed many times between the Clone Wars and the end of the Galactic Civil War.
By the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, Hoersch-Kessel Drive had returned to its roots, producing transports and container ships, though it was still unprofitable and produced very few ships.