Cargo companies at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) founded an association to promote FRA as a global air cargo hub.
Air Cargo Community Frankfurt will represent the interests of air cargo companies and function as the single voice of this industry.
The association has 15 member companies from the freight forwarding and logistics industry. Members want to create a new framework for closer cooperation at FRA. Their common objective is to develop Frankfurt Airport as Europe’s most advanced air cargo hub by 2020.
At its membership meeting on May 22, the association elected a six-member board from among its four member groups – airlines, handling agents, freight forwarders and other service providers.
The airlines are represented on the board by Michael Hoppe (Board of Airline Representatives in Germany), the handling agents by Patrik Tschirch (LUG aircargo handling), the freight forwarders by Markus Kampa (Cool Chain Group DE), and the other service providers by Andreas Heil (Kewill). Fraport AG’s Anke Giesen and Lufthansa Cargo’s Karl-Rudolf Rupprecht are also board members. Giesen will serve as deputy chairwoman and Rupprecht as chairman.
“The strength of our association lies in the fact that we encompass the entire air cargo industry in our ranks, making us a powerful advocate for the industry,” Rupprecht said. “A decisive factor for the constructive cooperation of the members is that we are combining our expertise and ensuring its targeted use for the benefit of all members.”
Board members serve a two-year term. Under the association’s bylaws, board decisions must be unanimous.
Roland Weil is executive director and Siegfried Burghardt is his deputy.
“We intend to assert ourselves against the competition and to expand our position as Europe’s leading cargo airport,” Deputy Chairwoman Giesen said. “We hope that the involvement of all process participants will lead to a targeted development of infrastructure and processes – and also result in profitable forms of cooperation.”
Air Cargo Community Frankfurt emerged from the CargoCity Frankfurt Task Force founded about two years ago. Initially, the association will focus on optimizing processes and infrastructure at FRA and on product developments, such as temperature-controlled shipments.
Other Air Cargo Community Frankfurt members include Agility Logistics, Air Canada Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, and Perishables Center Frankfurt.