Cargolux Signs a Five-Year Agreement with Unitpool
Zurich, 18th January 2010 Cargolux, Europe's largest scheduled all-cargo airline currently operating fourteen 747-400F freighters, has concluded a five-year agreement with ULD supply and management provider, Unitpool.
The five-year contract, which will start mid-January 2010, includes the sale of the Cargolux ULD fleet to Unitpool, provision of service including 24/7 ULD management across the airline's worldwide network, repairs and maintenance, and supply of ULD to secure replacement and growth. Unitpool has been working closely with Cargolux since the end of October 2009 refining processes, visiting the various stations across the network, and bringing on board new staff to ensure all is set for a seamless transfer of operations in January.
Cargolux is by many industry observers seen as the gold standard for cargo airlines with a long built reputation for quality and service, so we are extremely proud of this new agreement, said Unitpool Chairman and industry specialist, Dr. Ludwig Bertsch. Securing Cargolux as a customer, which followed a very detailed due diligence process which took nearly a year to finalise, is a real endorsement of the quality of the team and processes we have instilled at Unitpool. Asset Pooling by nature is a scale business, and adding Cargolux not only increases our ULD fleet to over 33'000 ULDs, creating scale and network synergies for our customers, but adds new stations to our system and pushes us to bring forward enhancements to our Tracker IT-system.
A spokesperson from Cargolux said Cargolux observes that pooling of ULDs will deliver very tangible service and financial benefits. For us, the overriding benefits driving the decision behind the new cooperation are: less hassle with rotation management; stations no longer concerned with minimum stocks while pooling effects making positioning of ULD simpler; access to new ULD management IT system with better real-time information; lowering of long term operating cost; and freeing up cash bound in an asset.
David Harman, CEO of Unitpool believes the addition of Cargolux will push Unitpool's service standards to higher levels. Cargolux is well known for its flexibility and focus on customer satisfaction, and it will be our pleasure to rise to the challenge of supporting Cargolux in continuing to be the carrier that does not have no, can't do in it's vocabulary.
Unitpool will continue the close working relationship Cargolux has established with DoKaSch of Germany for ULD repair and maintenance.
About Cargolux
Cargolux, based in Luxembourg, is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a modern fleet of 14 B747-400 freighters on a worldwide network, covering 90 destinations, 60 of which are served on scheduled all-cargo flights. The company has more than 85 offices in over 50 countries and also offers an extensive trucking network to more than 80 destinations in Europe and the US as well as charter and aircraft maintenance services. Cargolux employs more than 1400 staff worldwide.
For more information on Cargolux visit www.cargolux.com
About Unitpool
Unitpool is a Swiss-based asset management company that specializes in supplying and managing a fleet of 33'000 Unit Load Devices (ULD), across more than 270 airports, for a group of 25 member airlines. Unitpool remains the only independent company to offer airlines a fully managed ULD pooling solution. The company has access to the capital, a global network of suppliers (for repairs and maintenance, logistics and procurement) and with a team of professional staff and a tailor-made ULD management system, the expertise to manage this mission critical activity for its member airlines. Unitpool currently employs 65 staff, most of which are based in the company's 24/7, Bangkok Operations Centre, and in the field managing the ULD pools at critical stations around the globe. Unitpool was acquired by Aviation Services Holdings in October 2007, a company owned by private investors represented by the Afinum Group (www.afinum.de) and a group of influential aviation investors.
For more information on Unitpool visit www.unitpool.com
The five-year contract, which will start mid-January 2010, includes the sale of the Cargolux ULD fleet to Unitpool, provision of service including 24/7 ULD management across the airline's worldwide network, repairs and maintenance, and supply of ULD to secure replacement and growth. Unitpool has been working closely with Cargolux since the end of October 2009 refining processes, visiting the various stations across the network, and bringing on board new staff to ensure all is set for a seamless transfer of operations in January.
Cargolux is by many industry observers seen as the gold standard for cargo airlines with a long built reputation for quality and service, so we are extremely proud of this new agreement, said Unitpool Chairman and industry specialist, Dr. Ludwig Bertsch. Securing Cargolux as a customer, which followed a very detailed due diligence process which took nearly a year to finalise, is a real endorsement of the quality of the team and processes we have instilled at Unitpool. Asset Pooling by nature is a scale business, and adding Cargolux not only increases our ULD fleet to over 33'000 ULDs, creating scale and network synergies for our customers, but adds new stations to our system and pushes us to bring forward enhancements to our Tracker IT-system.
A spokesperson from Cargolux said Cargolux observes that pooling of ULDs will deliver very tangible service and financial benefits. For us, the overriding benefits driving the decision behind the new cooperation are: less hassle with rotation management; stations no longer concerned with minimum stocks while pooling effects making positioning of ULD simpler; access to new ULD management IT system with better real-time information; lowering of long term operating cost; and freeing up cash bound in an asset.
David Harman, CEO of Unitpool believes the addition of Cargolux will push Unitpool's service standards to higher levels. Cargolux is well known for its flexibility and focus on customer satisfaction, and it will be our pleasure to rise to the challenge of supporting Cargolux in continuing to be the carrier that does not have no, can't do in it's vocabulary.
Unitpool will continue the close working relationship Cargolux has established with DoKaSch of Germany for ULD repair and maintenance.
About Cargolux
Cargolux, based in Luxembourg, is Europe's largest all-cargo airline, operating a modern fleet of 14 B747-400 freighters on a worldwide network, covering 90 destinations, 60 of which are served on scheduled all-cargo flights. The company has more than 85 offices in over 50 countries and also offers an extensive trucking network to more than 80 destinations in Europe and the US as well as charter and aircraft maintenance services. Cargolux employs more than 1400 staff worldwide.
For more information on Cargolux visit www.cargolux.com
About Unitpool
Unitpool is a Swiss-based asset management company that specializes in supplying and managing a fleet of 33'000 Unit Load Devices (ULD), across more than 270 airports, for a group of 25 member airlines. Unitpool remains the only independent company to offer airlines a fully managed ULD pooling solution. The company has access to the capital, a global network of suppliers (for repairs and maintenance, logistics and procurement) and with a team of professional staff and a tailor-made ULD management system, the expertise to manage this mission critical activity for its member airlines. Unitpool currently employs 65 staff, most of which are based in the company's 24/7, Bangkok Operations Centre, and in the field managing the ULD pools at critical stations around the globe. Unitpool was acquired by Aviation Services Holdings in October 2007, a company owned by private investors represented by the Afinum Group (www.afinum.de) and a group of influential aviation investors.
For more information on Unitpool visit www.unitpool.com