John Johns

Conrad Yelvington Distributors (CYD), A CRH Company, named after its founder, began in the late 1940’s as a trucking company hauling clay tiles and sewer pipe. In the late 1970’s, however, an opportunity arose to transport slag from Tennessee into Florida by rail to supplement a Florida phosphate slag producer’s diminishing supply. CYD signed a contract with CSX Railroad to transport the product to a rail siding near its Daytona Beach headquarters. The product was then hauled by truck primarily into central Florida and was the beginning of what is now a multi-state construction material distribution network. With the help of Conrad’s son Gary, who joined the family business in the late 70’s, the first fully operational CYD aggregate transfer facility opened in Orlando in 1983. From 1983 to 1993 facilities opened in Tampa, Jacksonville, DeBary, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and a Daytona Beach rail site opened on the FEC. Since 1993, (11) additional sites have opened statewide bringing the total number of CYD Florida operations to eighteen. Our multi-city aggregate distribution network in Florida has now expanded to include Southern Alabama, SE Mississippi, and South Carolina. CYD developed 27 rail distribution terminals between 1983 and 2007, including three facilities in Michigan, and received a prestigious award from CSX Transportation for shipping over 1,000,000 carloads (100 million tons) during this period. In 2007, CRH, a company headquartered in Atlanta, acquired Conrad Yelvington Distributors. Much good came from this transaction, including advanced training opportunities, increased safety and expanded resources. The CYD vision of President Gary Yelvington continues to thrive because of its dedicated staff. Management’s goal to promote within the company has certainly aided in the rapid growth and expansion of the past and has contributed greatly to this longevity.