Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a SATS company, is taking a 20-year lease on a new air cargo terminal in the CargoPort area of Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS), which serves the world’s leading vaccine-producing region, due to open in summer 2026.
On the 5.2-hectare Aéroport de Lyon DC1 site, and covering an area of 25,313m², the new WFS air cargo building is located directly adjacent to the runway and will offer 19,133m² of warehouse space and 2,441m² of canopy, 4,400m² of temperature-controlled capacity, Good Distribution Practice (GDP) compliant, which will be dedicated for pharmaceutical shipments and perishables requiring +2/25°C storage. Apart from its proximity to the runway, which will facilitate cargo movements, the building will also provide three blocks of office accommodation, of which two will be dedicated for customers.
The development project is being undertaken for WFS in partnership with Groupe em2c, Prologis and Lyon Airport authority. Once opened, the new cargo terminal will contribute to supporting the development of the Rhônes-Alpes economic region for exporters, importers, and local industrial companies.
The facility is expected to generate more than 300 jobs in France, both directly and indirectly through associated services.
“Aéroport de Lyon DC1 will become our second largest hub in France after Paris CDG for our French operations. Its strategic location and design will allow us to streamline cargo processing, especially for pharma shipments in the world’s leading vaccine-producing region. The new terminal will shorten turnaround times and increase our capacity in one of France’s most important logistics corridors, while reducing our carbon footprint with a modern building that has earned a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ classification, which measures the sustainability of buildings,” said Laurent Bernard, Vice-President of WFS France.
He added that the upcoming WFS multi-purpose cargo terminal at LYS will be integrated as part of the combined SATS and WFS global network, which operates over 215 stations in 27 countries. These cover trade routes responsible for more than 50% of global air cargo volume.
“The ADL DC1 platform, the result of close cooperation between Prologis, Groupe em2c, WFS, and Aéroports de Lyon, confirms the development of the freight zone at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, Cargoport, and marks a new step in regional economic growth. This project perfectly illustrates VINCI Airports’ strategy for developing cargo activities and reaffirms the key role played by Aéroports de Lyon in the regional logistics chain. The creation of a pharma center, operated by WFS, addresses the growing needs of healthcare product transportation, directly linked to the excellence of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region—the world’s leading vaccine-producing region, which has also been home to the World Health Organization (WHO) since last April. This partnership demonstrates our ability to bring together industry stakeholders around high-performing infrastructure that supports the attractiveness and competitiveness of the region,” said Cédric Fechter, Chairman of the Management Board, Aéroports de Lyon.
Located near the 22 buildings already operated by Prologis in the Lyon region, the new WFS cargo terminal has been designed to support both optimized flows of goods, and to meet SATS/WFS’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) group priorities. To facilitate efficient handling of import and export shipments, the building includes 36 dock doors, including five specially configured for aircraft pallets.
Environmental performance is also a central focus during construction and when the terminal opens. Aéroport de Lyon DC1 is aiming to achieve BREEAM sustainability building programme certification, reflecting the project’s goal to create a facility with a low environmental footprint. As part of this commitment, the DC1 terminal will feature a photovoltaic roof installation, LED lighting, and electric vehicle charging stations on-site. Energy produced on-site will power WFS’ operations, with any surplus fed back into the local grid.
The new site will serve as a strategic anchor for WFS operations in France, allowing the consolidation of activities previously spread across multiple sites into a single high-capacity terminal suited and equipped for all airfreight requirements.
Vincent Sadé, Vice President and Head of Capital Deployment France at Prologis, commented: “The Lyon market is a highly strategic area for our Group. We are developing a facility designed to create lasting, tangible value for the entire region – by supporting job creation, boosting local investment, and incorporating high standards of environmental performance and energy efficiency. In collaboration with trusted partners, we are delivering a key infrastructure project built to sustainably support the region’s long-term growth.
“This project illustrates what is possible when strategic consulting and support, technical execution, supply chain expertise, and local partnerships are aligned. This collaborative approach has now resulted in a solution tailored to the specific requirements of airfreight, regulatory complexity, and sustainable real estate,” added Yvan Patet, President of em2c Group.
