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Airport operators throughout the world are facing increased pressure to develop their cargo handling facilities to coincide with the phenomenal growth of the airfreight industry. In particular, the Middle East has attracted worldwide attention after investing billions of dollars in airport development projects, with countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia battling to serve the region as a superhub for airfreight operations.

This market revolution has proved lucrative for Siemens Airports, which has gained a solid 30 years worth of experience in implementing development projects for airfreight terminals around the world. Indeed, the German powerhouse has secured business from every single player in the top 20 list of international airports, minus one. "It's the one that got away," laughs Gunter Menden, president, airport logistics, Siemens. "However, we've definitely secured an enviable market position. The explosive growth in cargo tonnage has forced the aviation industry to look for suppliers who offer the best solutions in all areas of airport operations. This is where Siemens Airports distinguishes itself from the rest."

Siemens Airports offers a diverse portfolio of services, with cargo playing an important role, alongside varying solutions for passenger and baggage handling, communication systems, airport security and operational infrastructure.

"We have developed our expertise in providing air cargo solutions over the past three decades, generating a range of innovative and reliable solutions for customers throughout the world. This starts with feasibility studies and continues with the engineering and implementation of complex logistics projects, which fulfil all international regulations and standards," Menden explains with a sense of pride.

The growth of the Middle East's aviation and logistics industries has created a desirable market for Siemens Airports. However, its presence in the region precedes the current boom - the company actually cemented its Middle Eastern commitment back in October 1999 following the launch of Siemens LLC UAE, which covers countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Yemen. This proved a fruitful move, with sales of all consolidated Siemens companies in the region amounting to approximately US$1.75 billion in the 2006 fiscal year.

Amongst the biggest regional client for Siemens Airports is Dubai International Airport, which contracted the company to build the automated cargo handling system for its highly publicised Mega Cargo Terminal project.

On entering Dubai Cargo Village, the Mega Terminal's position and stature grabs immediate attention. Towering high, the shiny modern exterior is stationed directly next to the airport's runways. A convenient slot with Hall B to its east and existing cargo terminal operations to its west, the terminal will make a comfortable nest for Emirates SkyCargo to continue its prominent role in the UAE and global airfreight market.

The second phase of the project is scheduled for completion before the end of this year. Once finished, the Cargo Mega Terminal will have the capacity to handle 1.2 million tonnes of freight annually. The facility promises to gel manual and automated processes via the involvement of Siemens. Signing a contract with the Department of Civil Aviation in December 2003, a degree of patience has been required from the German-based company in fulfilling its contract duties caused by construction delays at the site.

The cargo handling system deployed by Siemens throughout the first phase has received an unprecedented positive response since coming into operation. Aiming to install immediate connectivity throughout the facility, solutions have nevertheless evolved alongside the growth of the facility's requirements. "We have every aspect of cargo handling covered at the Mega Cargo Terminal. The freight is offloaded from the planes and transported to the storage hub," Menden explains.

"The terminal then configures and arranges cargo according to its destination, be it abroad or with a local warehouse operator. There are cranes for oversized goods, IT systems controlling and monitoring what is coming in and out, and more importantly optimising efficiency and space," he confirms.

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