A local company celebrated a major milestone this week.

PFCollins marked a full century in business on Thursday.

President Raymond Collins, the great-grandson of founder Patrick Francis Collins says it all started with a dry goods business in St. John’s that met with calamity.

The original business burned down in 1912, and nine years later and after a series of jobs, PF Collins, at the age of 51 struck out to become a customs broker working from a rented desk at the customs house. At the time, Collins’ business operation consisted of a pad of paper, a pen and a cake tin in which to keep his money.

Since then, the business has expanded to international trade and logistics solutions.

Over that time they moved to private offices, and expanded their services to freight forwarding, warehousing, marine agency and immigration consulting.

A celebration involving employees past and present was held at PFCollins on Thursday to mark the occasion.