- Air Canada Cargo has marked one year since the beginning of its terminal modernisation programme at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
- It has reported this ‘stable digital foundation’ is beginning to deliver more efficient cargo handling and the next stages of automation at the terminal.
- In the systems first ten months since the transition, it handled 250,000 tonnes of cargo.
Air Canada Cargo has completed the first year of operations with an upgraded terminal control system at Toronto Pearson International Airport, marking a milestone in the carrier’s ongoing cargo-terminal modernization programme.
The system, based on Lödige Industries’ Cargo Professional air cargo management software, went live on September 30, 2025. According to Lödige Industries, the new digital control environment has provided a stable foundation for day-to-day cargo operations while supporting further automation plans at the Toronto facility.
The transition took place at midnight, when Air Canada Cargo’s legacy control system was switched to the new Lödige Industries technology. Operations resumed approximately one hour later using Cargo Professional.
The implementation was supported by 24/7 maintenance services and remote monitoring through Lödige Industries’ Customer Care Center. Engineering, software, production and on-site teams worked together to manage the transition and provide technical support during the commissioning and subsequent operation.
Integrated control and ULD management
The upgrade covered both the low-level programmable logic controller (PLC) layer and the higher-level Unit Load Device (ULD) management system.
By integrating these processes on a single data platform, Cargo Professional is designed to reduce manual data entry, help prevent errors and provide operators with greater visibility across terminal operations.
Lödige Industries said the integrated control environment is also intended to provide the flexibility required for future terminal expansion and automation.
The operational scale recorded since the system went live highlights the importance of maintaining a stable control platform. During the first 10 full months following the transition, the system supported the handling of more than 250,000 tonnes of cargo.
Jonathan Hardy, Managing Director at Lödige Industries USA, said the first year demonstrated the benefits of treating software, controls, engineering and service as an integrated system.
He said completing the transition without disrupting ongoing cargo operations represented an important milestone, while the first year of reliable operation provided a foundation for the next stages of terminal modernization.
Next phase of terminal modernization
With the upgraded control environment now established, Air Canada Cargo is preparing for the next stage of development at Toronto Pearson.
Planned enhancements include the installation of a new Elevating Transfer Vehicle (ETV) and Mobile Transfer Device (MTD). Selected areas of the terminal are also being prepared for a future Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS).
The planned technologies are intended to improve ULD handling, material flow and operational flexibility while providing additional automation capability within the cargo terminal.
The control-system upgrade forms part of Air Canada Cargo’s broader investment in its Toronto Pearson hub. The carrier has previously described Toronto as a key component of its cargo network and has invested in areas including temperature-controlled handling and other infrastructure improvements.
The first year of the Cargo Professional system therefore represents not only a technology upgrade but also a foundation for further automation at one of Air Canada Cargo’s principal cargo facilities.
