A. Duie Pyle, a Northeast-based transportation and logistics provider, recently opened its newest and largest service center in Northborough, Mass. The decision to build the service center was based on a need for expanded capabilities at a site where additional growth could be accommodated, says Peter Latta, the company’s chairman and owner.
While the company had operated a service center in nearby Webster, Mass., building a new state-of-the-art facility in Northborough was viewed as a more efficient way to maintain and enhance customer service, Latta says. “Building a new facility provided opportunities to create an infrastructure to better serve our customers,” he says. “The Northborough location brings us closer to our markets, and it is ideally situated for easy access to U.S. Route 495 and the Massachusetts Turnpike.”
The service center features 121 doors for loading and unloading trailers, with room for an additional expansion up to 165 doors. A separate building houses a truck and trailer maintenance shop, and an automatic drive-thru truckwash. Ceiling heights have been raised from the traditional 14-foot height to 21 feet to accommodate racking systems for shipment storage.
A proprietary Qualcomm satellite tracking system, used in Northborough and throughout A. Duie Pyle operations, offers real-time communication between drivers, dispatchers and customers, further enhancing the company’s just-in-time delivery capabilities. The site is fully gated and remotely monitored 24/7 by a third-party security service for fire and burglar protection; the security system also includes a direct digital link to the Northborough Fire Department, and the buildings are fully protected with wet and dry fire-suppression sprinkler systems.
The new service center, combined with a second new facility opening in Johnston, R.I., represents a $30 million capital investment for the company. “We’re investing for the future,” Latta says. “We have a great team and a reputation for a high-reliability service. We will continue to build our tools and infrastructure so that we can continue to serve our customers well.”
