Zoo animals, vaccines and more

Sats powers Paris air cargo hub at Charles de Gaulle

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

Two lions and three golden monkeys passed through an air cargo facility at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris on their way to a zoo in central France earlier this year.

Besides live animals, the facility also handles other types of specialized cargo, such as pharmaceuticals and perishables like meat and milk. It is owned by Sats, the Singapore-listed air cargo handling services provider, and operated by its subsidiary Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), which it acquired in 2023.

Following the €1.3 billion (S$1.9 billion) acquisition, Sats became the world's largest air cargo handler. The combined Sats-WFS network operates over 215 stations across 27 countries, covering trade routes that account for more than half of global air cargo volume.

Mr Laurent Bernard, vice-president of WFS in France, said the country handled 1.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2024, with 70 per cent coming from Charles de Gaulle airport.

On June 3, WFS was named the Global Air Cargo Handling Agent of the Year for the first time - a prestigious industry award presented by weekly trade publication Air Cargo Week. The next day, the media toured the Paris cargo facility for the first time.

Mr Bernard said Sats' acquisition has helped WFS expand its network, giving it a long-term vision and ability to invest in its business.

Previously, WFS was "very Europe-centric", he said. The company also saw growth in the US, but it lacked a significant footprint in Asia. With the acquisition, its reach is now truly global, strengthening its position to negotiate better deals with clients.