Joint shareholding of Swissport and Düsseldorf Airport in Flughafen Düsseldorf Cargo GmbH agreed

March 21, 2023

Relying on cooperation (from left to right): Patrick Kohlmann, Managing Director Swissport Germany & Austria, Henning Dieter, CEO Germany & Austria of Swissport Cargo Services Deutschland, Lars Redeligx, Chairman of the Management Board of Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH, and Pradeep Pinakatt, Managing Director and Labour Director of Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH.

Swissport will become the majority shareholder of Flughafen Düsseldorf Cargo GmbH. Under the new name Swissport DUS Cargo Services, the company will combine Swissport’s global network and modern technology with the strong catchment area and specific competencies of Düsseldorf Airport at an attractive location.

Subject to approval by the cartel authorities, Swissport Deutschland GmbH and Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH will in future jointly participate in the airfreight service provider, which will operate under the name Swissport DUS Cargo Services. The corresponding agreement was signed on 17 March 2023. Swissport will hold 74.9 per cent of the shares in Swissport DUS Cargo Services GmbH and Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH 25.1 per cent.

The merger is intended to bundle the experience, know-how and logistics network of two cargo players: In addition to its decades of local expertise and its comprehensive customer portfolio in a strong catchment area with a high proportion of export-oriented companies, Flughafen Düsseldorf Cargo GmbH has specific competencies in Düsseldorf, for example in the field of pharmaceutical logistics. Swissport, in turn, is the world’s largest ground handling service provider with a high share of air freight business, providing global services with established processes and new technology, possessing a broad network in aviation and maintaining diverse customer relationships worldwide. Swissport intends to bring in the existing business of its previous Düsseldorf location and plans to move to Düsseldorf Airport with around 30 employees. This means that in future around 130 employees will be working for the customers of Swissport DUS Cargo Services.

“Swissport DUS Cargo Services is an important step and the basis for the expansion of our customer and service portfolio in the cargo sector. We are convinced that the demand for international airfreight will increase again in the future. With our involvement in the well-established service provider at Düsseldorf Airport, we aim to contribute to this growth and at the same time help to make air cargo processes more sustainable and efficient and to secure local jobs. The merger brings together the best of both worlds – local meets global expertise,” says Patrick Kohlmann, Managing Director Swissport Germany & Austria.

“The merger is a win-win for Düsseldorf as a business location and for the airport,” explains Lars Redeligx, CEO of Flughafen Düsseldorf GmbH. “With Swissport, we are gaining one of the world’s leading air cargo handlers as a partner. This opens up completely new perspectives for our highly qualified and committed cargo team. At the same time, in addition to our excellent European network, the long-haul services from Düsseldorf are also growing – for example, currently with new connections from Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Delta Air Lines. We look forward to further expanding the air cargo business in Düsseldorf on this basis with Swissport.”

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