BMW Group breaks ground on new facility in Texas, CEVA and BP Zhuhai expand relationship, Worldwide Flight Services wins North American contracts, and IAG Cargo opens climate-controlled stations in Latin America.
The BMW Group has broken ground on the future site of the company’s new Vehicle Distribution Center at the Port of Galveston. The new facility will include over 44,000 square feet of processing space in two buildings on approximately 20 acres of land, serving 45 BMW and MINI dealers throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.
Expected to open in early 2016, the Galveston Vehicle Distribution Center will be owned and operated by WWL Vehicle Services Americas and managed on-site by the BMW Group. A workforce of 40 BMW Group and WWL Vehicle Services Americas employees will perform vehicle inspection, repairs, accessory installation, vehicle programming and vehicle maintenance and storage.
Once operational, the BMW Group expects the site to import and process approximately 32,500 vehicles annually.
CEVA Logistics and BP Zhuhai Chemical Company Limited (BPZ), the leader in China’s purified terephthalic acid industry, have expanded their relationship and renewed their contract. CEVA has been managing and operating BPZ’s 10,000-square-meter warehouse facility since 2002, providing approximately 200 staff with knowledge of the specialized and highly regulated chemical industry.
In recent years, CEVA has rolled out site safety campaigns and set up an Emergency Response Unit to provide the site with emergency response, fire facilities inspection and chemical waste disposal services. CEVA was awarded a 10-year Safety Award by BP Zhuhai in 2013 in recognition of the company’s commitment to the highest levels of health and safety requirements for the facility.
American Airlines has awarded a new ground handling contract to Worldwide Flight Services in North America. Beginning in May, the contract will cover passenger and ramp handling at Saint Thomas Island and passenger handling at Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Also commencing in May, WFS will begin new contracts with Aer Lingus at Washington Dulles International Airport for the provision of cargo handling, passenger and ramp services. WFS started work in March on a new passenger and cargo handling contract with Philippine Airlines at New York JFK airport.
Since mid-2014, new customers for WFS’ cargo handling services in North America have included Air China in Washington, Asiana Airlines in Los Angeles, Leisure Cargo in Montreal, Norwegian Air in Orlando, Qatar Airways in Miami, New York JFK and Dallas Fort Worth, Sun Country Airlines in Miami and Las Vegas, and Westjet in Honolulu. A further four contracts have been gained at New York JFK for Etihad Airways, Air India, Centurion Air Cargo and Qantas.
The company has been awarded new ground handling contracts over the same period by Air China in Washington Dulles, Allegiant Air at a new station in Asheville and in Pittsburg, Azerbaijan Airlines in New York JFK, La Compagnie in Newark, Delta Air Lines at Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Etihad Airways in Dallas, and Porter Airlines at Burlington International Airport.
IAG Cargo has opened two new climate-controlled stations in Latin America, bringing the total number of its gateways in the region to 15 and making it one of the largest regional networks for transporting pharmaceuticals, the cargo airline said. The openings took place at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport and Mariscal Sucre International Airport, both in Ecuador.