PACTL Keeps Growing

According to PACTL, it was the best result ever for the first seven months of any year in the 17-year history of the service provider. In total, from 1 January to 31 July, exactly 919,461 tons of air freight were processed through the agent’s large terminal at Pudong International.

Growing imports, declining exports
Import volumes outgrew exports, increasing by 2.9 percent, while shipments leaving Pudong went up 1.4 percent in the specific period. This is another proof of the lasting slowdown in growth in Chinese exports of industrial and consumer goods.
PACTL’s outgoing VP, Lutz Grzegorz indirectly confirms this economic trend in China by stating: “Despite challenging market conditions, we succeeded in beating last year’s record results within the first seven months of 2016.” Lutz went on to say: “First of all, this is due to the fact that international imports and domestic exports are increasing again. Secondly, we managed to grow our business with both existing and new customers by continuously maintaining and improving our excellent service and quality standards and by investing in infrastructure.” The latter refers mainly to the spending in a new IATA CEIV certified Cool Center to properly handle temperature sensitive products. The facility opened its doors last April.

Additional airline customers
From the handler’s view, a pleasing development is the growing number of clients. With Iberia and Aeroflot joining PACTL in June and July, the company inked contracts with five new customers in the first seven months of this year. By processing 49.6 percent of the entire air freight handled at Shanghai Pudong International, PACTL further increased its market share.
Currently, PACTL employs more than 2,200 people and serves 56 airlines. Last year the Sino-German joint venture handled nearly 1.6 million tons of cargo.
Lutz Grzegorz’s responsibilities at PACTL end 31 August. Lufthansa Cargo manager Christian Haug who will take over responsibility on 1 September will succeed him.  

Heiner Siegmund