The new terminal increases WFS’s footprint at Madrid’s airport to 17,000 square metres, provide support for its airline customers and provide expansion opportunities.
It was formally opened in a ribbon cutting ceremony by John Batten, CEO Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia (EMEAA) at WFS, and Humberto Castro, Managing Director of WFS in Spain and Italy.
Batten said: “It is a proud day for WFS to be opening another state-of-the-art cargo handling facility in the EMEAA region. New cargo terminals provide us with the opportunity to embrace our sustainability and digitalisation programmes from day one of the operation. This facility demonstrates our long-term commitment to Madrid and our current and future customers serving this growing airport.”
WFS has signed a 30-year lease on the building, which sits on a 12,500 square-metre site with 6,500 square metres of warehouse connected to the tarmac.
The facility has 17 landside truck/van docks and two BUP dedicated docks with by-pass ability, direct access from the main airport road, two build-up pallet lanes and docks and four airside truck docks with 20 feet ULD handling capabilities.
It has a secured refrigerated cargo acceptance area, 2-8C and 15-25C temperature-controlled cool rooms for pharma and perishable shipments supported by GDP certification, a material handling system connecting the landside and airside docks, four integrated lowerable workstations with scales and three loose cargo scales, dedicated areas for special cargoes, optimised security systems and modern office accommodation.
The facility is powered by 100% renewable energy providing the LED lighting supply, warehouse climatisation and electric battery chargers for cars and warehouse GSE.
Indoor Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) will be introduced in the second half of this year.
The facility uses Cargospot mobile technology, the CargoKiosk digital system to automate and expedite truck processing times, and a Warehouse Monitoring System to meet customer KPIs and ensure consistent levels of efficiency.
Castro said: “Madrid is strategically important to WFS as a premier European hub for Central and South America cargo volumes, as well as its easy connections for goods moving across the EU and to the Middle and Far East markets. It is also one of the preferred e-commerce destinations in Europe, which is an area of major growth today.”
