Penn. logistics firm building cross-dock centers in Va.

Pennsylvania-based warehousing and logistics company A. Duie Pyle Inc. will invest about $20 million to establish three cross-dock service centers in Manassas, Richmond and Roanoke, an expansion expected to create 75 jobs, Pyle and Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday. It’s the company’s first entry into Virginia.

“Global supply chains are experiencing unprecedented pressure and we are pleased that A. Duie Pyle will take advantage of Virginia’s infrastructure and transportation network as a vital provider of supply chain solutions,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Manassas, Richmond and Roanoke all offer key logistics assets.”

Based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Pyle has been a family-owned business for almost 98 years. Pyle owns 27 less-than-truckload service centers and 16 warehouses, counting the three Virginia centers, and has 3.5 million square feet of public and contract warehousing space. The company provides logistics solutions, fleet operations and warehousing and distribution services.

“With a long history of providing our customers throughout the Northeast with premier transportation and logistics services, expanding our footprint with three new facilities across the commonwealth of Virginia has positioned us to directly reach key metropolitan areas along the Eastern Seaboard,” Pyle Chairman and CEO Peter Latta said in a statement. “This strategic expansion enables us to improve shipping and schedules, while strengthening our overnight delivery capabilities to neighboring states.”

The new centers will provide Pyle access to Virginia’s ports and connections to Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The Manassas center, located at 10461 Colonel Court, will have 30 employees, the Richmond one, located at 3609 East Belt Blvd., 25 and the Roanoke center, located at 3348 Sale Turnpike Northwest, 20 employees. Each will have drivers, dock workers, supervisors and fleet technicians. All three will open in April.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the cities of Manassas, Richmond and Roanoke, the Greater Richmond Partnership and the Roanoke Regional Partnership to secure the project for Virginia. Pyle is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, for the Richmond location.