SAO PAULO, Brazil , Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — (Bovespa: TAMM4 and NYSE: TAM) Today, August 25 , TAM Cargo, the freight unit of TAM Linhas Aereas, inaugurates its largest freight terminal to date, in Manaus, Amazonas, which has an operational area of 2,160 square meters (three times the size of the former Manaus facility) and 540 square meters of administrative/commercial area.
With more than 80 tons per day of storage capacity, the new terminal's infrastructure will provide greater comfort for customers, with individualized service and total access for the handicapped. In addition, the spaciousness of the terminal will make it easier to maneuver and park large vehicles, while allowing for freight shipments to be dispatched faster.
The new facilities also have exclusive areas for different types of freight, and cold storage for perishables constantly monitored by security cameras. A tax office on site of the State Treasury Secretariat (SEFAZ) ensures faster delivery of payment receipts.
"Manaus is strategic for TAM Cargo, as a result of steadily increasing production at its Duty Free Zone, and the increase in international flights at the airport. The new terminal can handle nearly 35 percent more freight than its predecessor, in addition to allowing for expansion in coming years, depending on market demand," says Paulo Castillo Branco, vice president for Planning and Alliances.
The new freight terminal in Manaus will make it possible for new partnerships to develop with air and ground transportation companies that will extend the range of services and allow for greater sales efforts to increase customer loyalty, expand agreements with corporate clients and acquire new clients.
In 2007, Manaus was second in TAM Cargo billing in Brazil. Eduardo Gomes Airport operates 24 TAM flights a day (12 departures and 12 arrivals), four of them international (Miami and Caracas). It is the third largest airport in Brazil in terms of traffic and freight billing, right behind Guarulhos and Viracopos (Campinas) airports in Sao Paulo. The new TAM Cargo terminal will only offer domestic freight operations. International freight operations will be handled exclusively by the Infraero terminal due to customs processing reasons.
