In 1925 our founder, Robert "Bob" Mitsugi Yamada, who at the young age of 16, founded the original company, Yamada Transfer, Inc. with a single one ton truck, sheer will, determination, and a whole lot of dreams. What started off as a one-man operation hauling to and from small businesses along the Hamakua Coast quickly grew to a successful hauling business. It was the beginning of a tradition of service to the Big Island.

 

Three years after he started the business he married Emma Maluo. Their marriage was unusual as she was part-Hawaiian and a daughter of a school teacher. Bob was from a plantation-poor Japanese immigrant family with only his desire to succeed and a penchant for hard work as a roadmap to their future. They had three children: Maile, Ronald, and Donald. Together with their children, they built a business that continues to thrive and service our island community.

 

When World War II hit it brought different challenges to Bob, but his quickness to react to disaster and problems helped the company grow even in the midst of turmoil. The small ports closed and Yamada Transfer secured several contracts to haul sugar and molasses to Hilo and to the Pa'auilo Railroad Terminal. Hauling military supplies to Waimea was also a large part of the company's business during the war. Bob was innovative and saw the increase in demand for hauling during the war and became the first trucking firm on the island to bring in semi-trailers.

 

At the end of the war, with the reduction of military forces and the decreased demand for hauling, Bob recognized the limited growth in hauling and decided to dive into contracting. Thus, Yamada and Sons, Inc. was born. He subsequently invested in land and developed that land to keep the construction arm of the company busy. 

 

Over the years, the Yamada firm has grown with the development of various companies and with investments in residential and agricultural land. Bob was smart and savvy and when the opportunity was right he moved away from businesses that were no longer profitable or no longer fit the growth patterns of the company.

 

Today Yamada Consolidated, Inc., which is the parent company for all of the various Yamada firms including Yamada and Sons, Inc., remains locally-owned and operated. We have since diversified into a licensed general contracting company specializing in civil construction work, asphalt paving, excavating, and grading. We have a commercial quarry providing all types of quality aggregate, asphalt concrete, and ready-mix concrete. The company also owns and operates various agricultural land holdings and operations. 

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Bob and Emma Yamada would be proud of the results of their humbled beginning that all started with a single truck and a whole lot of dreams.  

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Today we remain committed to our founder's legacy of empowering people and providing quality products and services to our island community.