TAM opens Sao Paulo cargo terminal

TAM Cargo has formally opened its new airfreight terminal at Brazil’s Guarulhos Airport (GRU) in Sao Paulo, a facility able to handle 1,000 tonnes of cargo per day. 
The project is part of a R$38m ($11.6m) investment targeted to improve operations for domestic cargo service in Brazil.
GRU Airport Cargo handled 508,000 tonnes in 2014 and retained a 33 per cent share of the local market.
The new terminal is the largest in Brazil owned by TAM’s parent company, LATAM Airlines Group, with a total footprint of 15,000 sq m.
The new structure and services offered are “significantly more advanced than the older terminal” that covered 9,800 sq m, said TAM.
Using a smart identification system, the new terminal allows for automated cargo handling.
It also has a 32,000 cu ft cold storage room with 75 rack positions used to store perishables such as seafood and pharma products.
TAM Cargo general manager Luis Quintiliano said: "The new terminal is part of TAM Cargo’s plans to invest R$94m ($29m) in technology, safety, and infrastructure by 2016.
 “We are making every effort to improve our services and offer the best product, based on the profile and needs of our customers."
In 2014, imports and exports through GRU Airport Cargo increased by three per cent, while the overall import and export market dropped by a similar amount.
During the course of the year, the airport handled over 255,000 tonnes of international cargo, an increase of 2.8 per cent compared with 248,000 tonnes in 2013.
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