WFS Opens Fifth Cargo Terminal at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain

Dark/Light Mode (04/07/24)  Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a member of the SATS Group, has increased cargo handling capacity at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid by 60%, with the official opening of a fifth cargo terminal.

WFS has been a provider of cargo, ground handling and road feeder services for airlines in Madrid since 1998. The company previously expanded services at MAD by opening additional facilities in 2001, 2018 and 2019.

This latest terminal increases WFS’ total cargo facility footprint at Europe's second largest airport to 17,000 sqm.

In the last 12 months, WFS has not only renewed cargo contracts in Madrid with customers including Air China, Air Europa, Etihad Airways, Pegasus, Turkish Airlines and World2Fly, but has also signed new agreements with CMA CGM and TAAG Angola Airlines.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) in Madrid, Spain

“It is a proud day for WFS to be opening another state-of-the-art cargo handling facility in the EMEAA region. New cargo terminals provide us with the opportunity to embrace our sustainability and digitalisation programmes from day one of the operation,” said John Batten, CEO - EMEAA, WFS. “This facility demonstrates our long-term commitment to Madrid and our current and future customers serving this growing airport.”

In support of its long-term commitment to the airport, WFS has signed a 30-year lease on the new building opening, which sits on a 12,500 sqm site with 6,500 sqm of warehouse, connected to the airport tarmac. The building provides WFS and its customers with:

• 17 landside truck/van docks for cargo collections and deliveries, plus two BUP dedicated docks with by-pass ability;

• Direct access from the airport main road to the facility;

• Two build-up pallet lanes and docks;

• Four airside truck docks with 20-feet ULD handling capabilities;

• A secured refrigerated cargo acceptance area;

• 2-8°C and 15-25°C temperature-controlled cool rooms for pharma and perishable shipments, supported by WFS’ GDP (Good Distribution Practice) certification in Madrid;

• A material handling system connecting the landside and airside docks;

• Four integrated lowerable workstations with scales and 3 loose cargo scales;

• Dedicated areas for DGS, VUN, HUM, PIL and AVI special cargo;

• Security systems and technologies, including 24/7 CCTV monitoring; and

• Office accommodation.

This new building is located alongside the main freighter parking area and close to Terminals 4 and 4S, shortening cargo transport times.

The facility is powered by 100% renewable energy which provides the LED lighting supply, warehouse climatization, and electric battery chargers for cars and warehouse GSE. Indoor automated guided vehicles (AGV) will also be introduced in the second half of 2024.

The facility uses Cargospot mobile warehouse technology, the CargoKiosk digital system to automate and expedite truck processing times, and a Warehouse Workflow Monitoring System to meet customer KPIs and ensure consistent levels of efficiency.

“Madrid is strategically important to WFS as a premier European hub for Central and South America cargo volumes, as well as its easy connections for goods moving across the EU and to the Middle and Far East markets. It is also one of the preferred e-commerce destinations in Europe, which is an area of major growth today,” said Humberto Castro, Managing Director of WFS in Spain and Italy. “Our continued investment at the airport shows WFS’s intention to remain the leading provider of cargo and ground services in Madrid and to remain a key part of the airport’s continued success.”

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