DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist within Deutsche Post DHL, has announced a new three-year contract to handle the transatlantic transport of spare parts and tools for the Lufthansa subsidiary Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services GmbH. Annual volume is estimated at 25,000 air freight shipments per year with a total weight of 550 tonnes, including shipments from Germany to the US as well as from Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico to Germany.

“Optimising supply chains has become one of the key objectives in many industries; in the aviation industry this also includes Maintenance, Repair und Overhaul (MRO) areas. With DHL Global Forwarding we have found a partner that has the necessary know-how and, with its global presence, the ability to tailor its solutions to meet our needs,” says Andreas Meisel, managing director of Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services (LTLS).

In addition to its air freight transport services, DHL will support LTLS with its freight control tower service. Supported with state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, the control tower monitors all transport flows, continuously optimises processes based on detailed shipment flow analysis, reduces costs and is closely coordinated with LTLS’s own material flow management.

“Our industry knowledge and longstanding experience in the Aerospace & Aviation industry allow us to provide highly efficient solutions and – thanks to the strong teamwork with Lufthansa Technik Logistik Services – we continue to expand and build on these solutions. Establishing common standards ensures process stability, transparency and savings,” says Thomas George, COO DHL Global Forwarding.

Along with delivery of spare parts to LTLS warehouses, DHL will organise time-critical shipments and handle transport of AOG (Aircraft on Ground) items and hazardous materials. The total value of the contract was not disclosed.