Amsterdam, Netherlands, January 31, 2022 – dnata, one of the world’s leading providers of air and travel services, announced a major investment of over €200 million in a fully automated cargo hub, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, at Amsterdam Airport – Schiphol (AMS).
As one of the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will significantly improve cargo capacity in the Netherlands and create direct new jobs with dnata. It will allow dnata and its customers to significantly expand their operations and business, boosting the local economy and commerce.
Located at Schiphol Southeast, the 61,000 m² will include an increased warehousing space of 19,000 m² and will be able to handle more than 850,000 tons of cargo per year. It will conform to the highest industry standards ensuring efficient and safe handling of all types of goods including perishables, pharmaceuticals, dangerous goods, mail, live animals, engines aircraft and vehicles. The facility is expected to be operational in 2024.
dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will be developed by Schiphol Commercial Real Estate and equipped by Lödige Industries with state-of-the-art technologies. The project is the largest commercial real estate development ever by Schiphol Real Estate at AMS. In addition, the project will obtain an excellent BREEAM certification for the sustainability and the ecological design of the installation.
This announcement underscores dnata’s commitment to providing world-class security and services using the latest technologies, in all market conditions. Over the past few years, dnata has continued to make strategic investments in its operations to further enhance its service offering. This included the opening of new state-of-the-art cargo facilities in Manchester (UK), Karachi and Lahore (Pakistan), as well as additional cargo capacity and infrastructure in Brussels (Belgium), Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). ) . In addition, next March, dnata will open the second phase of the dnata City East project at London Heathrow (UK).
dnata currently provides passenger, ground handling and cargo services to 29 airlines at AMS. dnata The Dutch customer-focused team consists of 1,000 aviation professionals, who assist more than 1.5 million passengers, ensure the smooth operation of some 8,000 flights and handle 580,000 tonnes of cargo per year.
David Barker, dnata’s senior divisional vice president for airport operations, said, “We are delighted to announce a massive, long-term investment in our cargo operations. dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will be a game changer in the regional freight industry, delivering benefits for our partners, their customers and the local economy.
“Our new cargo facility will allow us to meet the growing demand for our efficient and reliable services, providing best-in-class solutions to our customers. Plus, it will help us continue to consistently deliver on our two core promises of quality and safety. We thank the teams at Schiphol Airport for their support and look forward to continuing our successful partnership to strengthen Amsterdam’s position as a leading cargo hub on the continent.
“We continue to invest in advanced infrastructure, equipment and technology with a clear focus on sustainability to further improve our offering and offset our carbon footprint across our global network.”
Jan Willem Weissink, Managing Director of Schiphol Commercial, said: “Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the best connected airport in Europe, with the most direct flight destinations. The cargo operation is critically important to our airport network, which has become even more evident during the COVID pandemic. Together with dnata and other partners, Schiphol is working on a very successful, efficient and sustainable freight operation. We are delighted to have started the construction of dnata Cargo City Amsterdam for one of our most important partners in the cargo operation at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
dnata Cargo City Amsterdam will be equipped with two separate Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), using Lödige’s latest technology, for import and export with twelve stacker cranes. In total, up to 2,500 pallets will be stored here. In addition, separate storage for the ULDs will be serviced by four Elevating Transport Vehicles (ETVs).
dnata will also use seven smart Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to enable flexible and scalable ULD transportation within the terminal. These AGVs, which represent a recent product innovation from Lödige Industries, will be applied here for the first time on a large scale. Another feature will be the implementation of smart gantries, which automatically record the volume and weight of all incoming shipments by scanning them in 3D, thus considerably speeding up handling and improving the quality of service.
All elements will be integrated into a comprehensive high-performance warehouse management system to enable dnata to further develop its operations and services at Schiphol. The high level of automation will not only save dnata space and time, but will also increase security and free up staff for higher value tasks.
As one of the world’s leading airline service providers, dnata provides quality and reliable ground handling, cargo, catering and retail services at more than 120 airports in 14 countries.
