Panalpina with direct tarmac access at Amsterdam Schiphol airport

Panalpina has moved its offices and warehouse to a brand new location at Amsterdam Schiphol airport featuring over 12,000 square metres of space, making it the first ever logistics provider to have direct access to the tarmac. Using “Vrachtgebouw Nr. 18” (VR 18) will enable Panalpina to speed up its ground handling activities and improve the security of the supply chain, thus generating added value for customers.

CEO Monika Ribar was pleased to welcome customers, partners, employees and representatives of the press to this event, marking a major milestone both for Panalpina and Schiphol Airport. Prior to the official inauguration by J.A. Nijhuis, CEO of Schiphol Airport, she underlined the importance of the project as it allows Panalpina to add direct value to customers. “The realization of VR 18 is clear proof of Panalpina’s innovative spirit and forward-looking strategy”, she announced. “Once again, Panalpina has taken a pioneering role in the airfreight segment. By moving into this building we are the first and only freight forwarding company in Schiphol with direct access to the tarmac. This gives us a considerable competitive advantage. Our experience gained in locations such as Luxembourg and Huntsville/AL can be used to the full benefit of our customers. Thanks to the new facility and concept, we will be able to eliminate interfaces and carry out all handling activities under our own control, resulting in leaner processes and higher security. Both factors will strengthen our airfreight network on a global scale and thus improve service quality for our customers.”

Close cooperation
Charles van der Steene, Panalpina Managing Director of the Benelux area, was equally pleased and highlighted the close cooperation between the parties involved to make this happen. “I am proud to see that the development of the new site has brought various Schiphol parties together to discuss ideas and processes – resulting in a huge, brand new site and a concept which will benefit customers of Panalpina and Schiphol as well.” Enno Osinga, Schiphol Senior Vice President Cargo, explained that, for Schiphol, the opening of this building marks a very important step in the implementation of its airport cargo strategy. “It fits into the new cargo process design that has been developed by the airport, customs and the cargo industry collectively,” he said.

State-of-the-art technology
The new complex, situated in Schiphol South East adjacent to the tarmac, consists of 10,000m2 of warehouse space and 2,016m2 of office space. It is TAPA-A certified and GDP compliant (GDP = Good Distribution Practice). Unlike other providers, Panalpina is having the entire supply chain under its own control which will allow transit times to be reduced considerably while at the same time improving cargo security. The warehouse and territory are equipped with closed-circuit television and all Panalpina staff working on the premises have undergone HSE and security training.

The Panalpina Group
The Panalpina Group is one of the world's leading suppliers of forwarding and logistics services, specializing in end-to-end supply chain management solutions and intercontinental air freight and ocean freight shipments. Thanks to its in-depth industry know-how and state-of-the-art IT systems, Panalpina provides globally integrated door-to-door forwarding services tailored to its customers' individual needs. The Panalpina Group operates a close-knit network with some 500 branches in over 80 countries. In a further 80 countries, it cooperates closely with partner companies. Panalpina employs about 14,000 people worldwide.