LAX reefer unit doubles size of airport's cold chain capacity

LOS ANGELES World Airports (LAWA) and Mercury Air Group has opened a US$1.1 million, 1,152 square metre refrigeration unit doubling the size of the largest of its existing unit of 372 square metres at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

It's good for business, it's good for the environment, and it pushes Los Angeles closer towards a sustainable model of environmentally-conscious growth, said Los Angeles mayor Antonio R Villaraigosa at the official opening.

The volume of South American flowers, mostly from Bogota, Colombia and Quito, Ecuador, is expected to increase to meet the annual handling capacity of 8,500 tons at zero centigrade (32 degrees Fahrenheit).

Flowers will arrive by freighter in South American LAN Cargo aircraft, which is currently limited to delivering 25 - 50 per cent of potential because of the lack of cold chain capacity.

We have built a refrigeration unit the size of a small office building because we are bullish on the future of air cargo commerce in the region, said Mercury Air Group CEO Joseph Czyzyk.

While we are seeing short-term impacts given the worldwide economic downturn, I believe air cargo remains a strong business segment and our investment will improve LAX's position to handle large perishable volumes on the West Coast for years to come.

LAX handled 1.8 million tons of freight and mail, nearly 75 per cent of the air cargo volume in the five-county southern California region last year.

Source: Schednet