DHL Global Forwarding future user of the new cargo facility at Frankfurt Airport – Investment represents a major expansion to the FRA logistics hub
Fraport, the owner, and operator of Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is building a new airfreight warehouse at FRA’s CargoCity South, thus filling another vacant lot at this important logistics center. The new facility will be used by DHL Global Forwarding, the air and sea freight subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Post DHL Group, one of the world’s largest courier companies. Construction starts in mid-2023.
The new warehouse will be located next to access gate Tor 31 at CargoCity South (CCS). The construction site covers an area of around 60,000 square meters. Once complete, the warehouse including office spaces will measure around 28,000 square meters. With this latest addition, Fraport’s real estate management continues its successful development of FRA’s CargoCity South as one of the world’s leading hubs for airfreight shipments.
Fraport will be responsible for the construction of the cargo warehouse and retain ownership of the facility, after the completion of the construction. Following the conclusion of a lease agreement, DHL Global Forwarding will use the new warehouse to further expand operations from Frankfurt Airport. The company intends to develop the FRA location into its European airfreight hub.
Jan Sieben, who heads Real Estate Development at Fraport AG, explained: “The overall design of the warehouse was developed based on our many years of experience in the construction of logistics and airfreight facilities at Frankfurt Airport. Together with the outdoor facilities, the finished layout will perfectly meet the needs of the present tenant. However, the building’s design plan and specification make it attractive to potential future tenants as well.”
The outdoor facilities too are designed to meet the specific needs of logistics companies at Frankfurt Airport. The warehouse will have 56 gates and truck docks, with plenty of space for driving and maneuvering, along with additional separate truck parking spaces. This planning is essential for ensuring smooth freight operations, while also relieving the general traffic situation at CCS. Parking spaces for DHL Global Forwarding employees will also be available right next to the building. The office areas, including break rooms, will encompass about 3,000 square meters of the total project space.
Alongside operational needs, the warehouse will also meet ambitious environmental requirements. Fraport intends to commission both a general planner and a general contractor for planning and construction.
“Frankfurt Airport has become a vital and highly successful logistics hub,” said Max Philipp Conrady, VP Cargo Development at Fraport AG. “We are delighted that DHL Global Forwarding – one of the world’s leading airfreight companies – is expanding its presence here at FRA. This high-profile partner will contribute to further strengthening Frankfurt Airport as an airfreight location, underscoring our position on the global air cargo market.”
Tobias Schmidt, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Europe, said: “Frankfurt Airport plays a key role in our international airfreight services. Thanks to Frankfurt’s central location in the heart of Europe, we have been connecting our customers from here to many destinations worldwide for about 20 years now. We are expanding our capacities at FRA in response to the increasing demand for freight shipments. And we are pleased to have Fraport as the right partner at our side.”
Thomas Mack, Global Head of Air Freight at DHL Global Forwarding, added: “This expansion at Frankfurt Airport will also allow us to grow our dedicated charter business. We are seeing rising demand particularly from Asia, and in e-commerce. Frankfurt provides the ideal preconditions for serving this demand. The new infrastructure will enable us to further enhance and streamline our process management, and thus provide even more efficient services”
Only a few remaining lots available at CargoCity South
Upon completion of the latest construction project, CCS will have only two more areas totaling around 90,000 square meters available for future development. Fraport’s real estate management division will gradually place these spaces on the market in due course.
