AK-WA Connection 2013: Company excels with freight services

Seattle-based Pacific Alaska Freightways focuses exclusively on meeting shipping needs of Alaska clients across business spectrum

Rose Ragsdale

Alaska-Washington Connection

Pacific Alaska Freightways has provided freight transportation services to businesses and consumers in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Kenai, Kodiak and Southeast Alaska for than a half-century.

Rex and Dorothy Sears began Pacific Alaska in a small office in the Coleman Building in Seattle in 1961. Initially a consolidation business known as Pacific Alaska Forwarders, the company served many of the wholesale and electrical suppliers in Alaska, utilizing break bulk barge and shipping companies. In 2007, the company changed its name to Pacific Alaska Freightways to better reflect its expanded array of services.

Pacific Alaska is owned by J. Alain Smith and the Smith Family. The company provides award-winning shipping services to customers across the business spectrum in Alaska, including national retailers, commercial fishing companies, construction companies and oil and gas industry suppliers. The company also continues to be a leader in providing shipping services to the state’s electrical and plumbing wholesale distributors.

The Seattle-based company owns and staffs terminals in Washington and Alaska, including locations in Alaska’s major fishing communities. Pacific Alaska also operates a fleet of trucks and trailers in both states, employing a state-of-the-art computer system that provides customers with real-time tracking, rating and tracing capabilities, along with computerized loading and manifesting, which assures clear and concise documentation.

In 2012, Pacific Alaska merged with Southern Alaska Forwarding of Kodiak, a move aimed at creating opportunities for both organizations. As a result, the company now offers direct service to Kodiak.

New developments within the past year include an expansion of computer services to create greater shipment visibility. The transportation company also invested in its equipment fleet by purchasing 15 new tractors and 100 containers and flats.

These and other initiatives resulted in 11 percent growth in Pacific Alaska’s overall business in 2012.

Of particular interest to Pacific Alaska in recent months have been developments in Alaska’s oil and gas and commercial fishing industries.

“As oil and gas develops in Alaska, the trickle-down effect touches all business which, in turn, creates more shipping as the economy grows and vice versa,” said Smith in a recent interview.

“Unstable fisheries management by the State of Alaska has affected both commercial and sport fisherman/tourists. Lost tourist and fisheries dollars are hurting the economy tremendously and will into the near future unless drastic changes occur soon,” he predicted.

Yet Pacific Alaska remains committed to Alaska.

In the future, “we envision growth through acquisition and expanded services in both Alaska and the Lower 48 and providing more services to existing customers,” Smith added.