Delta Cargo unveils largest cooler facility at JFK

Delta Cargo unveiled a 16,000-square-foot facility with dedicated temperature-controlled chambers for pharmaceuticals and perishables Thursday at John F. Kennedy International Airport — making it the largest cooler at the airport. [caption id="attachment_57134934" align="alignright" width="300"] (Photo/Yael Katzwer)[/caption] Delta executives said the $15 million facility features temperature monitoring, enhanced control and oversight and will boost pharmaceutical throughput at JFK. “Our plan is that we will run an incremental $20 million worth of freight revenue,” Delta Cargo Vice President Rob Walpole told Air Cargo Next . “And so, if you [multiply] that by approximately 10 — it is a very rough marker — then that’s about the value [of the pharmaceuticals that will pass through JFK].” Delta Cargo does not operate freighters out of JFK; all cargo is transported in the belly of passenger flights. Focus on pharma, perishables “We’re focused here on servicing the pharmaceutical sector, servicing other health care cold chain requirements and perishables — whether that be seafood, other protein products, fresh produce,” Walpole said. [caption id="attachment_57134928" align="alignright" width="300"] (Photo/Yael Katzwer)[/caption] For pharmaceuticals, the facility is equipped with two temperature zones that total 6,500 square feet; there are four temperature-control options for pharma, ranging from 2 C to 25 C. For fresh cargo, such as food and flowers, there are also two temperature zones — 3,250 square feet dedicated to seafood and 3,250 square feet dedicated to perishables; temperature-control options range from 0 C to 25 C. Each of the four zones can be cooled to accommodate other types of cargo. “The perishable business is very seasonal,” Walpole said. “And so, there’s times where you would need to maybe take another compartment for perishables or flowers or seafood or whatever. So, if you take more capacity from maybe a farmer cube for a period of time, then you obviously need to change the conditions, and we have the flexibility to do so.” [caption id="attachment_57134927" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Photo/Yael Katzwer)[/caption] The facility is in the process of becoming CEIV-certified and, rather than hire new employees, Delta Cargo is re-training existing employees, according to Walpole. Arriving shipments will either already be palletized or will be palletized in the facility. “We deploy an enterprise-wide operating system that is configured to be able to handle our pharmaceutical products,” he said. “So we won’t build a new technology solution to support this. We don’t need to.” Investment in New York market “Delta for a number of years has clearly communicated its aim to be the No. 1 carrier in this market,” Walpole said. “And we’ve spent over $7 billion in the New York-area airports in the last 10 years or 12 years, since 2010. [caption id="attachment_57134930" align="alignright" width="286"] Delta Cargo Vice President Rob Walpole (Photo/Yael Katzwer)[/caption] “The $15 million investment here is a small splash in that $7 billion, of course, but it is an important market,” he continued. The key aspect of the facility “is the network connectivity and ability to ship via the JFK market to a number of different markets in the world,” Walpole said. Delta operates 35 daily flights to Europe from JFK, which is also a hub connecting Delta to the Latin American market, he said. “We also have our partners co-located with us in this facility,” he said, mentioning Air France-KLM , Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines . The new facility is part of a larger investment from Delta Airlines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the region. The facility “will serve as a valuable asset that allows us to continue serving customers, and we know well the importance of building and maintaining a strong supply chain,” John Arancio , Port Authority deputy general manager, said at the event. “This facility is yet another shining example of this growing investment portfolio [and] joins a list of other assets such as new Terminal C at LaGuardia [LGA] and an expanded terminal for JFK.” Sustainable initiatives [caption id="attachment_57134935" align="alignright" width="225"] (Photo/Yael Katzwer)[/caption] The facility has 180 solar panels, according to Matt Sparks , Delta’s senior vice president for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) , South and cargo operations. “We could power five residential homes with the solar panels that are that are located on this facility,” Sparks said, adding that Delta is investing in sustainable aviation fuel and other measures. “In addition to the solar panels, not just in this facility but all across our network, we’re making a transition from diesel-powered equipment to electric equipment.” Last year, Delta Cargo shifted to using biodegradable plastic, as well, according to Walpole.

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