U-Freight Targets Aviation and Aerospace Logistics

Logistics Insight Asia - Industry News, 7/4/2008

U-Freight, the leading international freight forwarder, is seeking to build its presence in the market for the provision of supply chain management services to manufacturers, operators and vendors involved in the global aviation and aerospace industry.

The decision follows a two-year period during which the company’s hub in Singapore has developed a regional service centre and become recognised as a key service provider to the aviation and aerospace industry in Singapore.

T.H. Ong, Managing Director of U-Freight Singapore, points out that the valuable experience gained in Singapore leaves the company confident that it can now deliver the services required throughout U-Freight’s international network.

“Operators know only too well that stationary aircraft on the apron prove conclusively that time really is money in the airline industry. Whether it is a critical AOG (Aircraft on Ground) shipment that needs to move from Munich to Montreal, or from Brussels to Beijing, our network of offices and collection services means that we can offer cost-effective, reliable logistics solutions to the aviation and aerospace industry,” says Ong.

“We are aware that we are aiming to build our presence in a USD41billion global aircraft MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) sector at a time when it is experiencing significant changes. Increasingly, rather than using facilities in North America and Europe, aircraft operators are sending aircraft to highly skilled repair locations across Asia, which offer a lower cost base.

“U-Freight is strong and well established across Asia leaving us well placed to achieve timely delivery of equipment to help our customers’ get their aircraft ready for flight.”

There are four main categories of traffic that U-Freight will target: Aircraft parts moved for installation on an aircraft; parts shipped in for overhaul and then returned to the original location; parts moved to another location after repair and overhaul; and parts returned after loan to another operator.

Adds Ong: “Efficient communications and tracking systems are of fundamental importance to customers in the aviation and aerospace industries. In this regard, the real time global tracking, tracing and delivery confirmation services, already provided by U-Freight’s award-winning AFSA communications systems, will be of great benefit.”

U-Freight, www.ufreight.com