WFS increases handling capacity by 60% in Madrid

New terminal increases WFS’s total cargo facility footprint in Madrid to 17,000 square metres

WFS increases handling capacity by 60% in Madrid
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Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has increased cargo handling capacity by 60 percent at the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport with the official opening of its fifth cargo terminal.

The new facility, which secures WFS’s position as Madrid’s largest independent cargo handling provider, was formally opened by John Batten, Chief Executive Officer, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA), WFS and Humberto Castro, Managing Director, Spain & Italy, WFS, says an official release.

(From left): John Batten, Chief Executive Officer, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA), WFS and Humberto Castro, Managing Director, Spain & Italy, WFS

"The new terminal increases WFS’s total cargo facility footprint in Madrid to 17,000 square metres and will support the growing volumes of its client base of 65 airline customers. In the last 12 months, WFS has renewed cargo contracts in Madrid with customers including Air China, Air Europa, Etihad Airways, Pegasus, Turkish Airlines and World2Fly, and signed new agreements with CMA CGM and TAAG Angola Airlines."

Batten says: "“It is a proud day for WFS to be opening another state-of-the-art cargo handling facility in the EMEAA region. New cargo terminals provide us with the opportunity to embrace our sustainability and digitalisation programmes from day one of the operation. This facility demonstrates our long-term commitment to Madrid and our current and future customers serving this growing airport."

In support of its long-term commitment to the airport and its airline community, WFS has signed a 30-year lease on the new building opening, which sits on a 12,500 square metres site with 6,500 square metres of warehouse, connected to the airport tarmac, the release added.

The building provides WFS and its customers with:

*17 landside truck/van docks for efficient cargo collections and deliveries plus two BUP dedicated docks with by-pass ability

*Direct access from the airport main road to the facility

*Two build-up pallet lanes and docks

*Four airside truck docks with 20-feet ULD handling capabilities

*Secured refrigerated cargo acceptance area

*2-8°C and 15-25°C temperature-controlled cool rooms for pharma and perishable shipments, supported by WFS’s Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certification

*Material handling system connecting the landside and airside docks; and

*Dedicated areas for DGS, VUN, HUM, PIL and AVI special cargoes

Castro adds: “Madrid is strategically important to WFS as a premier European hub for Central and South America cargo volumes as well as its easy connections for goods moving across the EU and to the Middle and Far East markets. It is also one of the preferred e-commerce destinations in Europe, which is an area of major growth today. Our continued investment at the airport shows WFS’s intention to remain the leading provider of cargo and ground services in Madrid and to remain a key part of the airport’s continued success.”

WFS has previously opened facilities in Madrid in 2001, 2018, and 2019, the release added.

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