dnata recently reported on its new cargo handling facility currently under construction at Zürich Airport, due to go live in 2027, adding 50% more cargo capacity to the company’s Swiss operations. (In addition to Zürich Airport [ZRH], dnata is also active at Geneva Airport [GVA], serving over 30 airlines with ground handling and cargo services, and employing 1,100 staff. Over 60,000 tons of cargo passed through the two airports last year.) The 9,500 m² warehouse is being built in response to growing customer demand. dnata signed the lease agreement with the airport authority and will be the sole occupant of the warehouse facility, labeled: ‘Rächtenwisen’. It will be equipped with 20 truck docks, separate import, export, and dangerous goods handling areas, and offer temperature-controlled areas for sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and other perishable items.
As befitting a company with a sustainability strategy, dnata is concentrating on minimizing global carbon emissions and landfill waste (The target is 50% by 2030), so solar PV panels will be installed on the roof of the landside building. Likewise, it has already significantly invested in ‘green’ ground support equipment (GSE) in Switzerland. The fleet includes five new hybrid de-icing trucks, bringing dnata’s Swiss fleet up to 35% electric. In just 6 years from now, the electric portion of the fleet should have increased to 80%. Another aspect of sustainability are intelligent and smooth operations. Hence, dnata recently rolled out its advanced ‘OneCargo’ across system its cargo operations in Switzerland. “OneCargo automates key business and operational functions, including safety and quality monitoring, reporting and ULD management, with an integrated, cloud-based platform. AI-driven tools and analytics provide enhanced visibility on sales and business performance, allowing customers to match real-time demand with available capacity for maximum profitability. In addition, OneCargo eliminates all redundancies and manual check sheets, substantially improving operational efficiency,” the release explains.
Wily Ruf, Managing Director, dnata Switzerland, said: “We are delighted to have secured this new facility in partnership with Zürich Airport. Our cargo business continues to grow, and this warehouse will ensure that we go beyond the demands of our customers, providing them with our best-in-class ground and cargo handling services. We will continue to invest in people, infrastructure, and equipment to take our business to the next level in Switzerland.”
