Upgraded warehouse opens at Ortia

After a year of renovation and disruptions to staff and clients, Lufthansa Cargo has officially opened the doors of its brandnew upgraded warehouse facilities at OR Tambo International Airport. Speaking at the ribboncutting ceremony recently, Lufthansa Cargo member of the board Karl-Heinz Koepfle, who flew in from Germany especially for the event, said the new facility was proof of the company’s commitment not just to South Africa but to the entire African market. According to Jonathan Clark, Lufthansa Cargo general manager, Southern and Western Africa, the decision to upgrade and renovate the warehouse facilities was a long time in the running. “On arrival in South Africa five years ago I found sub-standard facilities with no modern equipment, and it was very important to find a solution.” The warehouse now has heightened security measures, which include a CCTV system that can be monitored offsite, an X-ray inspection system, a walk-through metal detector, a roller-bed system, a cold room as well as a racking storage system. Increasing the warehouse space from 3500 m2 by an additional 1500 m2 also allows for larger shipments to be handled. “We can now accommodate 40% growth in our business,” said Clark. “We can offer a better and more effective service to our clients using the latest technology and the best equipment. Having doubled our tonnage in recent years this was extremely necessary.” He said despite their business being down, they knew that the new warehouse facilities would increase their customer base in future as it was not just state-of-the-art but also possible to deliver on any of its clients’ needs.