Airfreight Trends: Still Sluggish, with Cargo Growth in Some Sectors

1. Airfreight Trends: Still
Sluggish, with Cargo
Growth in Some Sectors

2. Airfreight Trends: Still Sluggish, with Cargo
Growth in Some Sectors
Craig Raucher has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the
transportation industry with companies such as Corporate Express Delivery
Systems and Total Freight Solutions Global. With the latter firm, Craig Raucher
oversaw a diverse range of services that included domestic and international
airfreight and bulk delivery.

3. Airfreight Trends: Still Sluggish, with Cargo
Growth in Some Sectors
The airfreight cargo industry has experience weakness in the past several
years, reflecting an overall decline in economic activity. Airfreight is relatively
expensive compared to land and marine shipments, and thus vulnerable
during times of economic downturn. With Germany a primary driver of
European express shipments, Leipzig/Halle Airport has witnessed growth in
certain niche areas such as large animals and oversized/heavy duty
equipment. On the other hand, faltering shipments from China continue to be
a major contributor to decreased worldwide airfreight cargo transport.

4. Airfreight Trends: Still Sluggish, with Cargo
Growth in Some Sectors
Japan has recovered slightly from a downturn related to the 2011 earthquake
and tsunami through a strategy of filling gaps in airfreight shipments with
transit cargo. One area of sustained growth in the airfreight industry is
pharmaceutical products. A key driver is supply chain and quality managers’
focus on the timely delivery of premium products, with minimal handling risks.
Auto industry shipments are also up significantly and reflect a return to
“business as usual,” following a bottoming-out of the industry in 2007.