Menzies Aviation, the global aviation logistics specialist, today announces that it has surpassed the milestone of 50 stations in its cargo handling network. This follows a number of significant cargo contract wins globally and strategic joint ventures which have seen Menzies expand its presence into 17 new airports over the last year.
Despite the challenging conditions of the past year, Menzies has achieved significant expansion, offering cargo logistics solutions across the sector. AMI, its cargo wholesale subsidiary, continues to see substantial growth after a record year in 2020 with ongoing investment to boost capacity at existing sites as well as targeting further expansion.
Highlights for the cargo handling business include contract wins with Qatar Cargo in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand and most recently with United Airlines Cargo in Sydney and Melbourne. At the beginning of May Menzies started up operations on behalf of Avianca at Miami, a contract that will see around 250,000 tonnes of cargo being handled annually.
These wins have been bolstered by Menzies’ expansion into new markets through joint ventures and acquisitions. At Baghdad International Airport, MASIL, Menzies’ joint venture with Iraqi Airways, commenced cargo operations in April, and in Pakistan Menzies’ acquisition of Royal Airport Services has seen Menzies start up in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Multan since the beginning of the year.
Alongside growing its network, Menzies has also made significant progress in upgrading its cargo handling facilities around the world. Most notably, Menzies opened its state-of the art, 11,200 sq m facility in Budapest in 2020, where a team of Menzies professionals handle over 50,000 tonnes of cargo per annum. AMI recently moved to new premises in Los Angeles, more than doubling its warehouse space.
Robert Fordree, executive vice president, cargo at Menzies Aviation said: “Breaking through the 50 station milestone is a major achievement for Menzies. The growth from 36 to 53 stations in our cargo handling network alongside the continued success of AMI clearly represents our determination to deliver on our strategy of pursuing cargo services growth, as we look to balance our services portfolio.
“Despite a challenging year, our cargo team has grown key customer relationships, remaining nimble at all times in the face of unpredictability.
“It is also fantastic to see the successful start-up of cargo operations in new markets for Menzies, such as Iraq and Pakistan. AMI’s footprint is expanding from 23 to 26 airports and its growth is a core part of our strategy. Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding our cargo network further and enhancing our facilities worldwide with our Cargo Executive team now fully in place.”
