Barry Nassberg’s interview in Air Cargo Week 20 Oct 2018
To say 2018 has been a busy year so far for Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) would be something on an understatement, despite already having earned its place as the world’s biggest air cargo handler.
It also follows what the company described as ‘a banner year’ for volumes and growth in 2017. Even with WFS’ strategic commitment to fast track its growth in the ground handling market globally, cargo handling remains by far the biggest contributor to WFS’ €1.2 billion annual revenues. In 2017, across a network which spans operations at 198 airports in 22 countries, it handled over five million tonnes of cargo for some 270 airline customers – and demand for its services shows no sign of slowing down.
WFS Group COO Barry Nassberg says WFS continues to benefit from the growing realisation by airlines of the value of working with well-established global handlers, not only because of their reach but, more importantly, for the increased emphasis on train-ing, safety standards and security requirements they deliver.
Nassberg states: “Size is important in cargo handling because it drives global standards and the economies of scale our customers want. However, the biggest test is the level of safety, security and service you deliver and that’s why this is always our first priority. Our airline customers are experts in their field, they know the performance levels expected and they know what we have promised to deliver. There are no hiding places, just tremendous opportunities if you do it right.”
Just a snapshot of some of the company’s developments in 2018 to date adds credibility to this positivity. Airlines awarding WFS new contracts have included Emirates and Qatar Airways in France, THAI Cargo in the UK and Ireland, Cathay Pacific in Brussels and Copenhagen, American Airlines in Milan, Egyptair in Amsterdam and Brussels, and Turkish Airlines, Aer Lingus, DHL Air and Ethiopian Airlines in the US.
The main priority for WFS’s 22,800 employees is to meet the company’s promise to consistently deliver the highest lev-els of safety, security and service. It’s a commitment WFS is backing with sustained investment in training, technology and facility upgrades. The biggest investment is in security management systems, new screening technology and a centralised management control centre to lead all security screening and site monitoring activities. WFS is also in the process of integrating four network management systems into one, embracing new technologies designed to ultimately give customers access to an online dashboard of real-time reporting, the status of shipments, tracking of trucks and the ability to book truck docking slots. In key markets such as Frankfurt, WFS has also invested €5 mil-lion in new racking and build-up lanes to manage peak sea-son demand, while its Airport College continues to ramp up its training programmes for WFS personnel and third par-ties, having been recognised by IATA as one of the world’s top five aviation training providers. In January, it signed a 15-year lease on a new 346,000 sq ft state-of-the-art cargo terminal at New York JFK, which will handle more than 300,000 tonnes a year when in opens in Q4 2020. WFS’s ambition, however, stretches well beyond its current geographic footprint as it pays particular attention to growth opportunities in Asia, Africa and South America, no doubt encouraged by major customers in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific. New owners Cerberus Capital Management acquired WFS in June.WFS looks to match ‘banner’ 2017 this year To say 2018 has been a busy year so far for Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) would be something on an understatement, despite already having earned its place as the world’s biggest air cargo handler.
five aviation training providers. In January, it signed a 15-year lease on a new 346,000 sq ft state-of-the-art cargo terminal at New York JFK, which will handle more than 300,000 tonnes a year when in opens in Q4 2020. WFS’s ambition, however, stretches well beyond its current geographic footprint as it pays particular attention to growth opportunities in Asia, Africa and South America, no doubt encouraged by major customers in Europe, the US and Asia Pacific.
New owners Cerberus Capital Management acquired WFS in June.
