Tuesday 21 October 2014

Aurora Air International to return after 20 year absence

Cargo airline Aurora Air International has re-entered the airfreight market business after a 20 year hiatus. Having had its operations deactivated in 1995, the opportunity has risen for the company to re-enter the air cargo market.

The airline company has established its new headquarters at MidAmerica St Louis Airport and expects its first flights to take off during the second quarter of 2015.

The airline is due to operate a fleet of Boeing DC-10 for its Latin American and Asian routes. It is to specialise in the perishables and pharmaceuticals trade.

The decision to base the company at MidAmerica is a result of Aurora Air Cargo recognising the airport and its operations as a "key step" in plans to open up Latin American and Asian trade routes which will offer "unique support for perishable suppliers from the mid-West US."

Aurora president, Carlos Smith, has said: "As airplanes start to operate out of MidAmerica a new and secure chain will be available for mid-West product shippers to and from Asia and Latin America with less handling and ground movement than is available today." Smith continued: "Asia and Latin American shippers will enjoy this route as their goods, especially perishables, are not double and triple handled in the USA en route."

Wednesday 8 October 2014

UPS invests in cross-border e-commerce shipping company i-parcel

UPS is due to enhance its involvement in cross-border e-commerce to help its online retailers gain better access to transatlantic consumers. American company i-parcel specialise in helping provide localised versions of retail websites selling goods in local currencies, as well as being able to ship  to foreign consumers.

i-parcels is a company that was founded around nine years ago, offering its customers the power to shop using British and American e-commerce websites with ease and as if they were shopping in their own country. Once items are sold to consumers overseas, the company then ships to one of its i-parcel hubs in Los Angeles, Indianapolis, New Jersey in the USA, or Surrey within the UK. i-parcel then helps in assisting the transportation of the goods overseas via commercial airlines using local courier services.

Alan Gershenhorn, UPS Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, has said: "UPS continues to look ahead to the expanding worldwide demands in the ever-growing global e-commerce market. UPS continues to invest in capabilities that enable its e-commerce merchants to meet the growing global demand." Speaking of UPS's involvement with i-parcel, Gershenhorn also added: "i-parcel has been an international bridge linking US and UK merchants to global e-commerce consumers throughout the world and our team is excited to join with UPS to further globalise e-commerce."