In just ten years, the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. (ACCF) has trebled its member numbers – even doubling it during the past three years – and it has now finally hit triple-figures with no less than leading end-to-end air cargo IT provider: CHAMP Cargosystems GmbH. Luxembourg-based CHAMP is an established industry name when it comes to integrated air cargo IT solutions and distribution services such as Cargospot and Traxon. It operates from six locations worldwide – one of which is Europe’s second-busiest cargo airport, Frankfurt.
CHAMP is ACCF’s 100th member and a milestone achievement as Patrik Tschirch, Chairman of the Board of ACCF and Managing Director of LUG aircargo handling GmbH, confirms: “The 100th member marks a significant moment in our association’s history. It shows that our work is widely appreciated and that an increasing number of companies and professionals are keen to actively engage in the future of air freight in Frankfurt. With the inclusion of the 100th member, we are setting a strong signal and underscoring the dynamic and collaborative spirit at FRA.”
Ed Dorr, VP eCargo Portfolio, GDS Community Integration Services at CHAMP Cargosystems GmbH, announces: “We are proud to be welcomed as the community’s 100th member company. At CHAMP, we are committed to actively engaging at this key location and contributing our extensive expertise to process and digitalization initiatives. Together with the community, we aim to sustainably shape the future of the air freight industry and drive innovations.”
A growing collaborative spirit
Felix Toepsch, Executive Director of ACCF, underlines: “The inclusion of new members is crucial for our work, as they add valuable expertise and new perspectives to the association. With CHAMP Cargosystems GmbH, we are welcoming a global player in the air freight industry and experts, particularly for our digitalization initiatives and process optimization.” With CHAMP on board, the ACCF now counts nine active IT providers among its members, operating in various product segments. All members join ACCF voluntarily and out of their own conviction and thus choose where, how, and how often they collaborate.
He points out: “As the air cargo and logistics industry is very diverse, our topics are equally broad. Typically, members participate in the offerings that are relevant to them, but not in all activities.” ACCF currently offers more than five competence teams, each with varying levels of activity, depending on the members’ input. In addition, there are opportunities to participate in projects or ad-hoc initiatives. At least four major events are organized each year, to provide a networking platform and encourage knowledge transfer. Recently, the ACCF held its first Pharma Day. Next on the agenda is the Air Cargo Conference in SEP25.
ACCF – bringing FRA together
ACCF, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, has reaped the fruits of its labor in recent years as industry stakeholders increasingly recognize its value as “a central player for exchange, collaboration, and advocacy in the air freight and logistics sector at Frankfurt Airport”. So, what are the rules and regulations of the community? CargoForwarder Global wanted to know. Toepsch details: “As an association, we actively promote the development of air cargo and logistics at the FRA location. It is important to note that we are not a service provider. Rather, we enable our members to collaborate neutrally, provide inputs, coordinate and organize, and offer troubleshooting. The actual expertise and needs come from our members. We aim to encourage our members, through their involvement in the association, to move from competition to cooperation. That means: If FRA were a cake, we would make the cake bigger for everyone. However, the pieces of the cake must be divided among the members in open competition.”
“To ensure this process is reliable and neutral, we have implemented a comprehensive compliance framework and guidelines. We continuously promote understanding of a shared vision and encourage our members to look beyond the boundaries of their own companies,” he concludes.
Why now, CHAMP?
CHAMP has been present in FRA since 1990 and the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt started out in 2014. Why did the IT provider wait until now to become a member?
Felix Teopsch suggests that the past few years have seen development, volatility and change – all of which speak for strength in numbers and the need for a well-functioning community: “From ACCF perspective: Air cargo has gained significant importance at the FRA location over the past 5 years. At the same time, we have made the association more professional and effective since 2023. Through visible initiatives and successful projects, the association has also become more prominent, which has led to substantial membership growth. An increase in members is a clear endorsement of our work and the resulting added value for our members.
In addition, our business environment is becoming increasingly complex, whether due to growing competition or geopolitical influences. Collaboration is more important today than ever before.”
CHAMP’s Spokesperson concurs and says the time is now right for it to step in. It feels that, by leveraging its global customer base, it can support FRA in seamless digital connectivity on an international level: “When the Air Cargo Community Frankfurt e.V. was first established, the focus of the initial community and members was on specific local actors and core functions of the airport. As a global IT provider serving multinational customers, CHAMP has followed the community’s developments with keen interest. Given the growing strategic importance of digital and cross-border processes in recent years, we believe CHAMP is now ideally positioned to contribute more actively and share our expertise with the community.”
What happens now?
“CHAMP is committed to actively engaging in various working groups and discussions. A notable area of future focus is the subject of IATA’s ONE Record standards. Niclas Scheiber, who serves as the IATA Chair for the ONE Record Data Model Group, represents CHAMP in this initiative and is enthusiastic about contributing to the FRA Community’s progress in this domain,” CHAMP’s Spokesperson tells CargoForwarder Global.
Toepsch sees many opportunities for digital improvement: “The potential for digitalization in air cargo remains significant. For example, CHAMP can support us in the HubPerformance competency team and contribute its extensive process expertise to our operational excellence and standardization initiatives.”
