On 25JUN24, the specialists in organizing and operating ultra urgent shipments will inaugurate a courier terminal at Shanghai Pudong Airport. This will enable in and outgoing courier and express air freight consignments to be handled with the utmost speed. The direct apron access of the tmCT facility, as it is called, means that the length of the entire process can be cut by two thirds, says Constance Wu, Managing Director of time:matters (Shanghai) International Freight Forwarding Ltd. In this specialty segment, this is a quantum leap in time.
Shanghai was chosen as the location for the courier terminal for two basic reasons. Firstly, time:matters has been active there with an own station for 5 years. Hence, it knows the local business and regulatory conditions extremely well. Secondly, the Chinese and East Asian market is becoming increasingly important for the subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo. Local customers are served from there, whether through consulting activities, support in shipment bookings, the preparation of air waybills or local invoicing activities. “Our global customers, in particular, benefit from the Shanghai entity. Our network connects important Chinese marketplaces with the major economic centers in Europe and the USA,” says time:matters spokesperson, Katja Sonday.
time:matters asks for patience
When asked whether further comparable terminals are planned in China or the Far East in general, she replied: “We are looking at various options as part of our growth strategy. However, it would be too early to name specific projects or timelines at this stage. We ask for your patience.”
The tmCT has been designed to optimize both the monitoring and the handling speed for time-critical and sensitive goods. In doing so, time:matters is building on its many years of expertise gained at the Courier Terminals in Frankfurt and Munich, for example, since 2004 and 2019, respectively. “For time-critical, sensitive and high-value goods, speed and security are essential and the new terminal in Shanghai will “significantly improve” handling of imports and exports,” stated Constance Wu, managing director of time:matters in Shanghai.
Business areas for the subsidiary of LH Cargo include automotive, aviation and aerospace, high-tech and semiconductors plus medical technology.
New service: active monitoring of shipments
For the first time at the tmCT in Shanghai, time:matters offers the possibility to physically monitor shipments on the apron until loading or departure, using direct apron access. This guarantees maximum control over all shipments as well as a customized service, high reliability combined with the utmost flexibility for its customers. A hub monitoring system also enables real-time monitoring and informs the business partners proactively in the event of irregularities. A designated dock for receiving shipments, an X-ray system, and a dedicated counter for export and import documents further improve the quality of service, a press release emphasizes.
Sharply reduced handling times
To enhance the flexibility and speed of shipments and ensure optimal delivery and onward transportation, time:matters relies on fast truck access, its own delivery and pick-up ramp, and its own truck delivery to the consignee. Depending on the utilization of the waiting areas, this option saves additional hours in the drop-off and pick-up areas. Handling times will be reduced from approximately four hours for exports and six hours for imports to 120 minutes and 150 minutes, respectively. The terminal is open 24/7, 365 days a year. In contrast to Frankfurt, Paris-Orly, Zurich, Berlin or Warsaw, to name but a few major European hubs, night flight bans do not exist in Shanghai Pudong.