Technology-sector demand and rising air freight volumes drive strong quarterly performance
Kuehne+Nagel has reported a net turnover growth of 40 percent within its air logistics division for Q3 this year. This comes in at 22 percent higher than the average across the logistics entity.- Volume growth was 7 percent higher than Q2, coming in at 10 percent as opposed to Q2’s 3 percent.
- Growth drivers have been stated as logistics solutions supporting cloud infrastructure and semiconductor customers, following the wider market trend of increase volumes generated by the construction of data infrastructure globally.
Kuehne+Nagel reported robust growth in its Air Logistics division in the third quarter of 2026, with net turnover increasing 38% year on year to CHF 2.4 billion, supported by stronger freight volumes and rising demand from semiconductor and cloud infrastructure customers.
The Swiss logistics group’s air freight performance outpaced its overall business, where net turnover rose 22% to CHF 7.4 billion. Air Logistics also recorded a substantial improvement in profitability, with earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) climbing 84% to CHF 169 million.
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Air freight volumes accelerated during the quarter, growing by approximately 10% compared with the same period a year earlier, up from 3% growth in the second quarter. The division handled around 619,000 tonnes of air freight between July and September, reflecting stronger demand for capacity and specialised logistics services.
Technology and data infrastructure fuel demand
Kuehne+Nagel identified demand from cloud infrastructure and semiconductor customers as key drivers of its air freight growth. Global investment in data centres and digital infrastructure, supported by the expansion of artificial intelligence applications, is generating additional demand for the transportation of high-value technology components and related equipment.
The results underline the growing importance of technology supply chains to air cargo demand, particularly where customers require time-sensitive transport, specialised handling and dependable international logistics networks.
Stefan Paul, chief executive officer of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, said the group’s third-quarter performance reflected the resilience of its operations and its strategy of profitable growth. He also highlighted the company’s announced long-term partnership with Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is intended to help the group pursue future growth opportunities.
Healthcare logistics capacity expands
Alongside its technology-related business, Kuehne+Nagel continued to develop its healthcare logistics capabilities, with further investment in temperature-controlled transport solutions.
In September 2026, the company opened a new 3,505-square-metre healthcare logistics centre at Frankfurt Airport. The facility expands its capacity to handle temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments, a sector in which product integrity, controlled conditions and reliable delivery are essential.
The investment reflects the continued need for specialised air cargo infrastructure as pharmaceutical supply chains become more complex and demand for temperature-controlled logistics grows.
Kuehne+Nagel’s third-quarter results point to a strong contribution from air freight to the group’s wider financial performance. With demand from technology customers increasing and investment continuing in specialised healthcare logistics, the division is positioning itself to serve both fast-growing digital infrastructure supply chains and high-value, temperature-sensitive cargo markets.
