Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • AIPUT strengthens resilience of Heathrow pharmaceutical airfreight facility

Aerospace

AIPUT strengthens resilience of Heathrow pharmaceutical airfreight facility

Aberdeen Standard Investments’ AIPUT fund (Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust) has secured a lease extension to 2030 with Kuehne+Nagel for its Heathrow South Cargo Centre warehouse at Heathrow Airport, securing the site’s pivotal role as a nationally-important facility for the movement and storage of imported/exported pharmaceuticals and medical products, such as life science-related IT equipment.

Above: The Heathrow South Cargo Centre warehouse at Heathrow Airport.
Courtesy Aberdeen Standard Investments

Heathrow South Cargo Centre is one of a number of AIPUT’s locations working to boost the nation’s resilience in the fight against Covid-19.

Kuehne+Nagel - the world’s second largest airfreight forwarder - is an established customer of AIPUT, having operated out of the 208,000 sq ft Heathrow South Cargo Centre since 2014.  GlaxoSmithKline is the leading customer of the warehouse facility, which represents a significant share of the UK’s pharmaceutical imports and exports.  Kuehne+Nagel is joined at the Heathrow South Cargo centre by Do&Co Catering and GE Aviation.

Advertisement
Farsound RT 2

Heathrow Airport is the largest UK import hub for pharmaceuticals and medical products, handling up to 41% by value of the UK’s total pharmaceutical imports.  AIPUT has supported the business growth of Kuehne+Nagel’s specialist air-cargo divisions on a number of occasions in recent years.  The company also operates AIPUT’s Perishables Handling Centre at Hatton Cross, a 72,500 sq on-airport temperature-controlled warehouse facility specifically designed to process imported food airfreight from all over the world. 

Heathrow has been repurposed in recent weeks to focus mainly on importing essential airfreight products to feed and support the UK’s recovery. The gateway airport is currently handling up to 95 dedicated cargo flights each day - 14 times the number in normal times. Overall cargo volumes passing through the airport have been significantly lower than usual due to the dramatic reduction in belly-freight usually carried in long-haul passenger aircraft.

Nick Smith, Fund Manager for AIPUT said: “Kuehne+Nagel is one of a number of AIPUT customers and commercial partners at Heathrow that have responded magnificently in ramping up their business operations to help support the nation’s health - in particular our NHS - in the most challenging circumstances. It’s hugely inspiring to see businesses vital to the operations of our leading airports, stepping up to the mark and proving the importance of the UK’s aviation industry to our national wellbeing, as well as to the future economic recovery of UK plc.

“This new agreement with our valued partners Kuehne+Nagel, secures the future of this nationally-important air freight facility for years to come, making a major contribution towards ensuring that the UK’s vital access to global healthcare supplies is maintained.”

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation RT

AIPUT is supporting its customers across the portfolio and through their warehouse facilities to actively support the UK through the Covid-19 emergency:
Radius Park, Feltham, South Heathrow: Agility Logistics, one of the world’s top freight forwarding companies, has turned its 55,000 sq ft unit over to the storage of pharmaceuticals for the NHS
Central Park Estate, East Heathrow: Nippon Gases is using its 18,400sq ft facility to manufacture and distribute dry ice, normally used by the airlines, to NHS operations in South West London.
Swissport, one of AIPUT’s largest customers at Heathrow, is working with FedEx and Royal Mail flying imported high value ecommerce-related goods, perishable foods and produce into Stansted
World Duty Free, Gatwick: Delivery drivers are volunteering as drivers for the NHS, with the company donating sweets and chocolates to local care homes and hospitals 

AIPUT manages over 2.1m sq ft of high-quality cargo warehousing serving Heathrow Airport, making the fund one of the airport’s leading specialist real estate landlords.  Resolution to grant planning permission has recently been secured for two new warehouse buildings set to deliver a further 145,000 sq ft of airport-related warehousing serving Heathrow, divided between its dnata City East campus, South Heathrow, and Blackthorne Point site, west of Heathrow which will contribute to the economic and social recovery of both the local area and wider UK.


 

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation LB 1
EasyJet inaugurates new Birmingham base

Aerospace

EasyJet inaugurates new Birmingham base

18 March 2024

EasyJet has today inaugurated its newest UK base, at Birmingham Airport, the airline’s ninth UK base and first new base in the UK in more than a decade, creating 140 direct jobs for pilots and crew in the UK and in total supporting around 1,200 jobs.

Viasat

Aerospace Space

Viasat's IFC selected by Royal Jordanian Airlines

18 March 2024

Royal Jordanian Airlines and Viasat have announced that the airline will officially make high-speed Wi-Fi a priority to enhance its future passenger experience by selecting Viasat's in-flight connectivity (IFC) solution across multiple fleets.

CAE to provide Boeing 737MAX pilot training for Akasa Air

Aerospace

CAE to provide Boeing 737MAX pilot training for Akasa Air

18 March 2024

CAE today announced that it has signed a long-term agreement with Akasa Air, to provide Boeing 737MAX pilot training at CAE’s facilities in India.

UK Future of Flight Action Plan launched

Aerospace Security

UK Future of Flight Action Plan launched

18 March 2024

Flying taxis, crime-fighting drones and critical 999 care deliveries could all be a reality by 2030 thanks to the UK Government and industry’s joint Future of Flight Action Plan, announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) today.

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation RT
Flightdeck Films delivers careers videos for L3Harris and Menzies Aviation

Aerospace

Flightdeck Films delivers careers videos for L3Harris and Menzies Aviation

18 March 2024

Flightdeck Films has announced creative partnerships with L3Harris and Menzies Aviation to help them recruit and retain top talent using video.

BA overhauls airport ground equipment at Heathrow

Aerospace

BA overhauls airport ground equipment at Heathrow

18 March 2024

British Airways is embarking on a multimillion-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport, as part of its commitment to reducing emissions both in the air and on the ground.

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation RT