Our Detroit and Norfolk client – Evans Distribution – Melvindale logistics company sees growth in its 85th year of business

Evanslogo

As a third-party logistics company set to celebrate its 85th anniversary soon, Evans Distribution is seeing growth from modernizing its business.

The company has grown 30 percent in the past year and opened two new operations.

“Our transportation division grew from 20 to 40 percent of our total revenue in 2013,” said Derek Byrd, marketing manager.

Evans Distribution, based in Melvindale, has more than 700 employees nationwide and about 120 at its headquarters.

“We’ve added quite a few drivers to our transportation department,” Byrd said.

In the past year, Evans Distribution opened a 30-person operation in Richmond, VA and a seven-person operation in Baltimore.

Byrd credits Evans Distribution’s growth in the past year to the company’s recent push to diversify its business.

“We’ve been open since 1929 in Detroit, and we’re very heavily involved in the automotive industry, so when the economy went down in ‘08, so did our business,” he said. “Our plan has been to diversify, so if automotive falls, we don’t take such a hit.”

Byrd said the company added a staffing division a few years ago and has adapted to the region it’s in — such as paper and pulp in its Norfolk facility.

Evans Distribution, in the last year, has also had an initiative to pursue government contracts.

“We started a division called Evans Distribution System Government Support Services,” Byrd said. “It’s another tactic to diversify our customer base.”

The warehouse in Melvindale is at 18765 Seaway Drive.  For more information on Evans Distribution Company call 313-388-3200 or visit the company’s website at evansdist.com.  Contact Erica McClain at 734-246-0832 or emcclain@heritage.com. Follow her on Twitter @eamcclain.