Pacific Alaska Freightways celebrates 50 years in Alaska: Washington-state company builds lasting relationships with Alaskans.

• Author: Dischner, Molly
• Position: TRANSPORTATION ANNIVERSARY - Company overview

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After 50 years in Alaska, there isn't much that surprises the people at Pacific Alaska Freightways, a Fife, Wash.-based shipping company. The company moves almost everything a person could need to Alaska and around the state. Like the U.S. Postal Service, they do it in all sorts of conditions.

"Everything that you touch and feel and see that constructs anything that is worn by anyone has to be shipped into Alaska," said Joan Johnson, the company's Alaska sales executive, who is based in Fairbanks.

But for PAF, the business is about building relationships, not just the boxes they move.

"Our ability to be around 50 years later is a testament to our clients up in Alaska asking for us," said Director of Sales and Marketing Curt Dorn, who works out of the company's Fife headquarters.

MOVING ANYTHING, EVERYTHING The company's clients range from the hospitality industry to oil field construction. It moves anything that is sold wholesale to electricians or is needed by retail stores to sell to the public. Retail needs range "from dog food to candy to clothing, china, fabric," Johnson said.

With such a long history in the state and the wide range of goods shipped, there are just a few things that stand out as unusual. Like the 55 gallons drums someone wanted brought north.

"A client called today about shipping fuel up from the Lower 48," Johnson said. "I didn't ever envision shipping fuel."

Can she make it happen?

"Yes," she said. "Yes."

Once, Johnson helped orchestrate the move of five sports cars for a group of businessmen who planned to drive from Prudhoe Bay to the southern tip of South America.

"It was the Porsche Cayennes," she said. "They were brand new to the market."

She got the cars to Fairbanks. The drivers flew in and picked them up there, and drove north to Prudhoe before embarking on the cross-continent adventure.

"It was crazy," she said.

Johnson also handles another delivery that's a little different. PAF is responsible for transporting a giant Christmas tree to Alaska for a Fairbanks hotel every winter.

"We ship it every year," Johnson said. "And it's huge."

The size isn't the only thing that makes shipping the tree interesting. Logistically, the company has to time it just right because of the fire-proof chemicals sprayed on the tree to make it safer to put on display.

Some things are just interesting because of the logistics of getting them moved. Raw sheets of granite are one item taking particular care.

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