A. Duie Pyle’s innovative protect-from-freeze program ensured that shipments were delivered without damage during one of the coldest winters in the past century, the company reported in a news release.

The West Chester-based company, with a warehouse in Parkesburg and warehouses and service centers in West Chester, reported that more than 43,000 vulnerable shipments were delivered safely and on time during the winter of 2013-14.

“This winter has been challenging to say the least,” Evan Stensrud, a senior transportation manager at Valspar, said in a news release from the Pyle firm.

Valspar is an international marketer of paints and coatings based in Minneapolis, Mn. Stensrud called A.Duie Pyle one of Valspar’s preferred carriers.

“A Duie Pyle’s commitment to service freeze protect shipments throughout the northeast was critical in meeting production schedules and customer demands,” he said. “Valspar Transportation’s long-term vision is to deliver service excellence by developing strong business partnerships with our core carriers.”

To manage shipping in freezing weather, A. Duie Pyle uses heated and insulated trailers, thermal blanket protection and temperature-sensitive load planning software. All Pyle service centers are fully heated, and each service center is equipped with independent emergency power sources to ensure protection from freezing. The company has also installed on-site, company-owned snow removal equipment to quickly and safely remove accumulated snow/ice from trailer roofs.

Peter Latta, chairman of A.Duie Pyle, said safety and protection of customer shipments are top priorities.

“We invest in top-of-the-line equipment, systems and proper training of Pyle People for the challenges of winter and other weather events,” he said. “This cannot be done without the dedicated efforts and attention to details of our Pyle People.”

A.Duie Pyle has been in the transportation business since 1924 when Alexander Duie Pyle began a transport firm serving Lukens Steel.

Its Parkesburg warehouse has one of only 10 one-megawatt solar projects in the entire state. It was installed in 2010 with a $450,000 state grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, and the company reports the facility runs 100 percent on solar energy.