AIR CARG O WEEK


CARGO TECHNOLOGY


ACL AIRSHOP: OPTIMISE UTILISATION OF ITS ASS


“In recent years, ACL Airshop has made significant progress in recycling both the aluminium parts of our ULDs and the plastic waste used in our nets and straps”


I


t is often asserted that insurance is very expensive, until you need it. Likewise, should airline managers or bean-counters ever question the cost of utilising ULDs (Unit Load Devices), think of the cost of not having them. The annual spending by airlines and other ULD owners on


equipment to move clients’ airfreight around the globe can be about $300 million. These costs can vary per airline depending on how they manage and handle their ULDs. As this is not the core business of an airline, a separate department or outsourcing can be a solution to reduce these significant costs. Not being able to carry cargo due to a shortage of ULDs also has an obvious big impact on an airline and its bottom line causing loss of revenue. These are the opinions of Jos Jacobson, COO of E Hemisphere and managing director of global at US- based ULD lessor ACL Airshop. At a time when ULDs must comply with growing international and


national regulations, which can vary and be complex to navigate, are regulatory issues impacting design and manufacture? International sales director Jasper van Gelder says: “This is more


a question for ULD manufacturers who must comply with various international and local regulations and certifications. ACL Airshop purchases its ULDs from leading OEMs, as we are not involved in the design and manufacture of ULDs. Of course, all ULDs owned by ACL Airshop meet international and local standards.”


Safe disposal matters Disposing of old or damaged ULDs can have environmental implications, especially if they are made of non-recyclable materials. What is ACL Airshop doing to build in ‘greener’ materials? van Gelden says: “In recent years, ACL Airshop has made significant


progress in recycling both the aluminium parts of our ULDs and the plastic waste used in our nets and straps. Some composite materials remain a challenge to find the right way to recycle and/or dispose of, especially due to the difficulty in separating the different parts. Secondly, we only invest in ULDs that are well recyclable and still lightweight. “Since we do not produce ULDs, we focus on more efficient logistics and optimize the global transportation of our ULDs in a cost-efficient


4


way. This process is continuous, and our operational teams are constantly working on reducing transportation costs. Additionally, our well-designed and user-friendly ULD control system also supports the optimisation of our assets worldwide and ensures that we have the right product at the right place at the right time.” The company launched an app designed to play a vital role in the


daily operations of stakeholders in the airfreight supply chain. How successful would ACL Airshop’s technology and IT systems director Harold Eifing judge the FindMyULD app to have been? Eifing says: “The FindMyULD app plays an important role in the


daily operations of our customers, ACL Airshop staff, and 3P stations. We have different use cases for the app, such as ULD management, MRO support, and inventory and leasing insights. This helps our customers be more efficient and make informed decisions based on the information displayed in the app. As part of our IT roadmap, we will continue to invest in the FindMyULD app and add more functions


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14