ACL Airshop expands global presence, invests heavily in technological innovation

March 8, 2019: ACL Airshop, a worldwide provider of ULD, cargo control and air freight products and services for the aviation industry, is steadily marching forward with strategic developments and technological innovations.

ACL Airshop is expanding its geographical footprint keeping pace with growing industry trends, and investing for growth in each of its lines of business. The company's mantra is “Grow the Network,” developing scale and efficiency as its worldwide services system expands.

The company is accelerating investments in ULD Control logistics programs, Bluetooth track and trace on ULDs, upgraded internal IT assets and ERP systems, new operations centers are being developed in multiple gateway cities (Amsterdam, Hong Kong, and New York), and a state of the art ultramodern new LEAN and GREEN factory that is soon opening in South Carolina USA.

Having doubled each of its operational dimensions in the past 36 months, ACL Airshop’s ULD fleet has grown from under 25,000 units to over 50,000. Its airport services capabilities have expanded the global footprint from 25 locations to over 50. The supply chain has been expanded and now taps manufacturing resources in South Carolina USA, Germany, China, and Taiwan.

ACL Airshop and its very large institutional investors have more than doubled the annual average capital outlays each year, as well. The company is propelling on a new trajectory, a transformation designed to create the largest and best company of its kind in the industry.

Steve Townes, Chairman & CEO of ACL Airshop and founder of Ranger Aerospace, said, “Certainly, we are indeed investing aggressively, but it's not just about money. We are improving every aspect of the service delivery, global scale, technical efficiencies, and people factors in ACL Airshop. We have become a technology-driven ULD logistics solutions enterprise with deep skills and long history in the air cargo sector. It's a wall-to-wall comprehensive worldwide game-plan, and we are executing it with precision and speed.” ACL Airshop customers consistently say the company is very nimble, very fast. That, of itself, is a major competitive advantage. In fact, with a single message to sales@aclairshop.com the company's entire network of 24/7 experts are immediately alerted, and action happens promptly for the customer. The company gauges its service effectiveness in minutes or hours, not days or weeks.

People are a centerpiece consideration in ACL Airshop. The company has launched a “People First” human resources project all around the fast-growing network to improve communications, career development, on-boarding, training, incentive programs, reporting rhythms, and customer service. “As we grow, we need to attract, motivate, grow, and retain the best team in the industry. We already have terrific teams and leaders in place today who have risen to the fast challenge of doubling, and now we are looking to add a few more eagles to the nest,” said Townes.

One of the unique aspects of the company's offerings is short-term rentals and leasing solutions for airlines' cargo products requirements. That is where ACL Airshop has made its strongest reputation for Custom ULD Solutions. ACL Airshop has been perfecting this business model for over 3 decades, and is uniquely able to manage the fast-paced rapidly shifting requirements. Driven by the chaotic inputs and scheduling shifts that ripple through the cargo ecosystem, and further stimulated by E-Commerce, ACL Airshop's customers know that there will always be a reliable source of spare ULD rentals from ACL Airshop when they are needed in a peak demand period. ACL Airshop also engages long-term contracts with some carriers who want the entrepreneurial nimbleness and speed of service, but with program-based discounts for larger, longer-term logistics arrangements. Some customers are very attracted to the strong combination of ACL Airshop's ULD Control with the CORE Insight Bluetooth technologies. That predictably yields new efficiencies and cost savings for the carriers, and better service to the carriers' shippers themselves.

Over the past 35 years, ACL Airshop has become a leading worldwide one-stop shop for leasing, sales, repairs, logistics control of Unit Load Devices, and cargo control manufacturing. Today the company operates around the world on six continents, at over half of the world's Top 100 air cargo hub airports. The company has also begun rolling out innovative Bluetooth tracking technology for its air cargo and airlines customers, an industry first. ACL Airshop is actually underway with several major airlines with the actual implementation of Bluetooth tracking systems, and has also begun installing the Bluetooth Low Energy tags directly at its manufacturing suppliers. As more Bluetooth tags and readers proliferate around the fleets and airports, a giant “Internet of Things” is emerging. One of the largest airlines in the world is quickly installing large numbers of CORE Bluetooth devices across its entire network of stations—hundreds of locations, thousands of tags.

Another speed aspect of ACL Airshop's technology arc manifests with its key suppliers, such as PalNet in Germany. ACL Airshop and PalNet have enjoyed a significant strategic manufacturing alliance for many years. The two firms are now producing directly from the PalNet factory a pre-installed CORE Insight Bluetooth tag for ACL Airshop customers. Airlines are utilizing the combination of CORE Insight Bluetooth real-time track & trace technology alongside ACL Airshop's proprietary “ULD Control” logistics management program. This is happening now for two major airlines clients of ACL Airshop, and will also be a new technology upgrade for ACL Airshop's own huge and growing fleet of ULDs.

Klaus Demtröder, PalNet CEO, said, “Our two companies have been partnered for many years, this is a logical next step as we work together on technology innovations. We are assisting ACL Airshop and other companies with their own Bluetooth installations, with a common denominator being PalNet's engineering and manufacturing expertise.” PalNet GmbH Air Cargo Products was founded in 2001 and is renowned for reliability, long-term knowledge, excellent after-sales service, and competent partnership in all matters connected with international airfreight operations.

Jos Jacobsen, Managing Director—Europe and Chief Technology Officer of ACL Airshop, said, “As one of the largest annual buyers of PalNet ULDs, we are proud to be working alongside the PalNet team, actually fielding right now these product innovations to some airlines' ULD fleets in Eurasia and Latin America, with more to come as we keep advancing.”