Page 22 - STAT Trade Times Novemmber 2024 Magazine for Website

regionalreport

Maastricht Aachen Airport is an eastern air gateway

for the Benelux region. In the spirit of Benelux, we are
working on closer digital and customs integration with

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Dean Boljuncic
Maastricht Aachen Airport

Ram Menon, Group Chief Commercial challenger airports like Liege presents both
Officer, Wallenborn Transports, noted that competition and opportunities for Luxem-
Luxembourg is also strategically located, bourg to adapt and maintain its relevance.
along with other Benelux countries, al- Wallenborn Transports has a strong
lowing for quick access to major cities like focus on niche products with high risk and
Amsterdam, London, Paris, and Frankfurt high reward, such as high-value cargo.
within a truck transit time of around 8 Wallenborn specialises in transporting
hours which makes Luxembourg a key high-value cargo, such as fashion goods,
hub for cargo transportation in the region. perfumes, and other luxury items from
Wallenborn Transports had a fleet of Italy into Luxembourg.
about 1500 trucks and trailers, with a core “We have designed their trailers to be
fleet based in Luxembourg and Belgium. Our proximity to essentially "vaults on wheels" to handle
The top commodities handled by Wallen- these valuable shipments,” as he puts
born include high-value cargo, pharmaceu- Rotterdam and other ports it. Wallenborn has also built up a sig-
ticals, aircraft engines, and e-commerce. nificant business in the aerospace sector,
He pointed out that Luxembourg's and hubs allows us to transporting large and valuable aircraft
airport is a major cargo hub that handles a support wider Western engines,” he added.
significant volume of imports and exports As Benelux continues to expand its
for the Benelux region as well as the all- Europe operations while logistics capabilities and deepen coop-
cargo carrier Cargolux which utilises the eration within its air cargo community, it
airport for its hub-and-spoke network, with we play our role in solidifies its place as a key pillar of Europe’s
cargo coming in and out of Luxembourg facilitating import/export supply chain. Focused on innovation
to be distributed throughout the region and sustainability, the region's air cargo
and beyond. trade for the Netherlands infrastructure supports critical industries
“In addition to Cargolux, the home and positions Benelux as a driving force in
carrier, Luxembourg's airport has attracted region. global logistics.
a variety of other airlines, including Qatar Luc Scheidel Looking ahead, Benelux’s logistics infra-
Airways, China Airlines, and China South- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol structure, buoyed by a close-knit air cargo
ern, further strengthening its position as community, will continue to play a critical
a cargo hub. Luxembourg has developed role in global trade flows and innovation.
expertise in handling high-value cargo, With a shared commitment to sustainability
such as pharmaceuticals, fashion goods, and economic resilience, the Benelux region
and aircraft engines, which are important is poised to not only retain but amplify its
industries for the Benelux region,” he said. status as Europe’s gateway to the world—
He also noted that Luxembourg faces ensuring that it remains a key player in shap-
some challenges as a legacy airport, such ing the future of global logistics. 
as limited expansion
capabilities. According to
him, the emergence of

20 | NOVEMBER 2024 www.stattimes.com Amsterdam Airport Schiphol