DUS Cargo Logistics, the main cargo handler at D'sseldorf airport, has just completed the fourth and last AN 124 flight of a project of Lufthansa Cargo Charter. The four shipments, a total of 420 tons of digging equipment for a diamond mine, were transported to Novosibirsk in Russia. The heaviest single piece weighed 84 tons and special heavy duty ramps were built to load the aircraft.
DUS Cargo Logistics, the major cargo handling agent at the airport, handles inbound cargo for most of the 53 airlines serving the airport and for thirty carriers on outbound. The ability to provide 24-hour service 365-days a year, sometimes at very short notice, is very much due to the personal commitment of Christa Soltau, Managing Director and her small dedicated team.
"Throughput in 2001, when we started, was around 58,000 tons, while 2005 is on course to top 90,000 tons. Shippers today want their cargo as quickly as possible and delays are no longer acceptable. Our philosophy is to get the job done no matter when it's needed. We are seeing a dramatic increase in business especially big freighters. These require a special handling approach. For example, on November 11 we had the AN124 with all the equipment for the Phil Collins concert on November 12 and 13. We took just 4 hours to unload the 96 ton shipment. We have handled a series of flights for S.A.T ' (Sea Air Transport) which has chosen D'sseldorf as the ideal base for its distribution in Germany. This October was our busiest month ever in our company's five-year history, with a throughput of 8752 tons, including the first flight here for Gemini Air Cargo.
"I believe that one of the main reasons for our ability to perform well is the dedication of our small team and the fact that out staff turnover is so small. Everyone feels part of our success and turning out at unsociable hours is never a problem."
