Lufthansa Cargo and Hermes Transport Logistics are intensifying their cooperation. Since early August, the crane-emblemed cargo carrier has been handling the logistics of all incoming shipments arriving at Leipzig Airport for the wholly owned subsidiary of the Otto group. Aside from handling all imports, Lufthansa Cargo is responsible for arranging and loading truck transports to the Hermes bases at Haldensleben und Altenkunstadt. In future, the freight will be flown direct to Leipzig/Halle by Boeing 777 freighters in the fleet of Lufthansa Cargo's AeroLogic joint venture or be trucked by road from Frankfurt to the Hermes bases.

"Our extreme flexibility and deployment of low-emission Boeing 777 freighters make a convincing case," said Lufthansa Cargo Vice President Handling Germany, Dr. Mohammad Ali Seiraffi. Our network, customized to our customers' requirements, guarantees the fastest connections, high cost-efficiency and a host of synergy effects." Eckhardt Fechtner, General Manager Hermes Transport Logistics, added: "Shorter transit time for shipments and the environmental benefits resulting, among others, from fewer road service transports within Germany are major competitive gains for Hermes Transport Logistics. We are delighted to cooperate with Lufthansa Cargo at our most important distribution centre in Germany."

Hermes Transport Logistics imports more than 14,000 tons of airfreight to Germany annually, principally from the Far East. The shipments consist largely of textiles.