LS Airport Services, a company with a majority stake held by the State Treasury, has signed an agreement with DHL Express Poland for the construction of the most modern international air courier terminal in Poland. The estimated value of the investment is PLN 65 million.
The agreement concluded between LS Airport Services S.A., the largest service provider on the cargo market in Poland, and the global logistics company DHL, concerns the construction of an international air courier terminal along with all infrastructure. The total area of the facility will be nearly 7,000 sqm, and the cost of the investment is estimated at PLN 65 million. The planned cooperation will significantly influence the increase in the value of the State Treasury company’s assets and will result in the creation of the most modern operational unit among airports in Poland with the largest volume of international courier shipments. The agreement was concluded with the support of the Industrial Development Agency.
– The investment by LS Airport Services is proof that the State Treasury acts like a large and efficiently functioning capital group, seeking synergies between the companies it owns. The terminal under construction will be able to successfully compete with leading air cargo ports. The investment is a response to the demand of the aviation and logistics market in Poland and will increase the company’s asset value – says Rafał Baniak, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of State Treasury.
The international air courier terminal will be built in Warsaw, on Wirażowa Street, on land belonging to LS Airport Services, located in the immediate vicinity of the Fryderyk Chopin International Airport. The target capacity of the sorting equipment and the size of the transshipment area are twice as large as those of the second-largest DHL Express unit in the Central European Region. The new complex will strengthen the capital’s position in the air cargo market. In the future, it will be possible to expand its functionality to serve other countries, as is already the case at airports in Gdańsk and Katowice. The investment will have a positive impact on trade, facilitating the work of Polish importers and exporters.
– The agreement concluded by LS Airport Services is a step towards diversifying the services provided. Until now, the core of our operations was offering handling services, providing ground handling for airlines. Thanks to the new investment, we will expand our scope of operations to include the possibility of offering warehouse space, which will significantly translate into the company’s income. The construction of the air courier terminal will certainly attract further investors, which will allow for the use of the airport-adjacent areas we have at our disposal and will be an additional opportunity for further development – says Marcin Opaliński, President of the Management Board of LS Airport Services.
The implementation of the project is part of the program for the activation of airport-adjacent areas belonging to LS Airport Services. The success of the venture was influenced by factors such as: very good knowledge of the specifics of the aviation industry, the availability of an optimal location, the real estate owned by the company, and the financial and substantive support provided by the Industrial Development Agency.
The construction of a facility intended for handling international air services in Warsaw is part of the largest investment program carried out in recent years by DHL in Europe. As part of it, investments have been launched at Heathrow Airport in London, and transshipment hubs in Leipzig, Bratislava, Prague, and Istanbul, among others. The investment in Warsaw is another key stage in the implementation of the program and the largest DHL Express project in Central Europe to date. The largest in many aspects, both in terms of financial outlays and operational capabilities.
– From the perspective of DHL’s 24-year presence in Poland, the construction of the largest and most modern DHL Express facility to date is a key investment on a national and European scale. It is beneficial for the development of our company’s operations, but above all, it provides greater opportunities for the growth of trade for exporters and importers in the country. This investment will create new prospects for the development of international cooperation for our regular and future clients, enabling them to be present in over 220 markets – says Tomasz Buraś, President of the Management Board of DHL Express (Poland).