As part of a multi-year development plan, Lufthansa Cargo and their partner in Detroit, Avflight, have moved into a temporary warehouse in the apron area of Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Avflight will be building a new state-of-the-art cargo warehouse soon.
On Tuesday (August 29, 2023), Lufthansa Cargo announced that along with their partner in Detroit, Avflight, they have moved cargo operations at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) into a temporary warehouse in the apron area. The new on-airfield facility will streamline operations for handling international air cargo with shorter distances for loading and unloading aircraft. During the three-year planning phase for the project, Lufthansa Cargo selected Avflight as a suitable local partner, who will also start construction on a new state-of-the-art cargo facility soon. With over 500 tons of cargo handled annually on seven weekly passenger flights, multiple truck connections to Chicago (ORD), and ad-hoc services offered, Detroit is an important location for Lufthansa Cargo.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Lufthansa Cargo’s Head of Sales and Handling Michigan and Head of Sales Midwest, Henry Julicher, said,
“In Detroit, there is a great demand for secure and professional transport solutions, for example, urgently needed components in the automotive sector. There is a lot of weekly freight traffic here between Michigan and the world, including destinations in Germany, Europe, South Africa and Thailand. The expansion of our warehouse capacity in this direct apron accessible location helps us improve the handling processes for faster and more direct service, and also enables Lufthansa Cargo to offer additional premium products and services to our customers. Our dedicated ground handling agent, Avflight, is providing us with significant support in these endeavors. As a Michigan-based company with valuable market knowledge and enthusiasm to expand its service offering in the cargo segment, we are positive about what we have achieved so far and look forward to further cooperation.”
Also commenting on the transformation of operations in Detroit, Lufthansa Cargo’s Vice President and Head of Region Americas, Stephanie Abeler, said,
“Together with Avflight, we are creating an ideal basis with a future-oriented cargo location in Detroit to further position ourselves in the market as a reliable and professional partner for our cargo customers and thus actively implement the 'enabling global business' idea from Michigan by investing in a modern infrastructure as well as cost- and time-efficient handling processes.”
The warehouse relocation project will be completed in two phases. The first phase was completed this month and involved the relocation of Lufthansa Cargo’s operations into a former aircraft hangar which was converted into a temporary warehouse. Now located in the apron area, the more direct location will allow for shorter handling times and opportunities to meet the stringent requirements of special cargo such as animals, dangerous goods, or high-value shipments more comprehensively. During the second phase, Lufthansa Cargo will support Avflight in designing a new state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the existing structure. Lufthansa Cargo plans on moving into the new Avflight-operated facility upon completion, which is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.
Source: Lufthansa Cargo