Dnata to boost cargo handling capacity by 50% in Zurich

Dnata aims to boost its cargo handling capacity by 50% in Zurich with a new warehouse to be completed by 2027. [caption id="attachment_57143640" align="alignright" width="300"] Dnata has leased space to build a 9,500-square-meter warehouse in Zurich. Above is a rendering. (Courtesy/dnata)[/caption] The Dubai-based air and travel services provider has signed a lease agreement with Flughafen Zurich AG , the authority operating Zurich Airport (ZRH), and it will be the sole occupant of the 9,500-square-meter warehouse, according to a recent release from dnata. Construction on the warehouse has begun. “Our cargo business continues to grow, and ... we will continue to invest in people, infrastructure and equipment to take our business to the next level in Switzerland,” Willy Ruf , managing director of dnata Switzerland, said in the release. Dnata operates at two Swiss airports, ZRH and Geneva Airport (GVA), providing services to more than 30 airlines. Dangerous goods, cold chain capabilities The warehouse will include: 20 docking ramps for trucks; Separate areas for import and export handling; Dedicated areas for dangerous goods (DG) handling; and Temperature-controlled areas for pharmaceuticals and other perishables. “There will be a dedicated area for interim storage of dangerous goods , which will contain several DG container units for the correct separation of different DG categories,” a dnata spokesperson told Air Cargo Next . “This could be almost any form of hazardous goods, but mostly varnishes, solvents and fragrances.” The facility will have units that can keep perishables at either 2 degrees Celsius to 8 C or 8 C to 15 C, as well as a refrigeration unit, according to the spokesperson. “Our dedicated and separated pharmaceutical area will be temperature-controlled between 15 C and 25 C and contains additional cooling units for lower temperatures,” the spokesperson said. Dnata handled more than 1,000 tonnes of perishables and pharmaceuticals each month during the last year, according to the spokesperson. “With our new infrastructure, we will be able to handle much higher volumes and are therefore striving to implement a CEIV certification,” the spokesperson said. “We currently hold [Good Distribution Practices] certification.” Achieving CEIV, or Center of Excellence for Independent Validators, certification from IATA means a business is following best practices and IATA standards. IATA offers CEIV certification for pharmaceuticals, live animals and perishables. Embracing technology Dnata recently rolled out the cloud-based OneCargo cargo management platform across its operations in Switzerland. OneCargo automates business and operational functions such as safety and quality monitoring, reporting, and unit load device (ULD) management. AI-driven tools and analytics provide real-time visibility on demand, capacity, sales and business performance. OneCargo has eliminated manual check sheets. Beyond OneCargo, dnata has not yet decided on the level of automation at the new facility, according to the spokesperson. “It will be perfectly aligned with our processes from acceptance (automated weight and dimensions check) to storage (modern ULD and pallet stacking warehouse) to build-up/breakdown (modern workstations) to loading/unloading using modern [ground support equipment] technologies,” the spokesperson said. The facility will draw power from photovoltaic solar panels , which the airport will affix to the roof, according to the release. Dnata aims to reduce its carbon emissions and waste to landfill by 50% by 2030. Register here for Air Cargo Next ’s upcoming webinar, “Air Cargo and Pharma: Using Technology to Save Lives,” on Tuesday, June 18, at 11 a.m. ET.

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