ROCKFORD — The Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is pleased to officially welcome Menzies Aviation, the world’s largest aviation services provider with operations in 60-plus countries, to its campus.
RFD along with Menzies Aviation announced in February the company would expand its U.S. cargo operations to Rockford. On June 1, a 10-year lease of Building 3 of the International Cargo Center began.
Officials at Menzies Aviation say the company has been fully operational since July to provide cargo and freighter handling services to chartered and scheduled flights. Menzies ground service equipment (GSE) has arrived and necessary IT has been connected.
Menzies Aviation is leading the way in sustainability efforts for its sector. Once all GSE orders arrive, more than 50 percent of motorized equipment will be electric, with the goal of all RFD operations becoming fully electric. Globally, Menzies has an electric-first approach to new motorized GSE and is aiming for 25 percent GSE to be electric by 2025 as part of a longer-term goal of being net-zero by 2045.
“We look forward to announcing our first customers and will actively recruit to meet our customers’ needs,” said Menzies Aviation general manager at RFD Saif Lambaz. “We will offer both global air cargo and freighter handling and we are currently speaking to scheduled freighter operators to highlight the operational savings that could be made at RFD.”
Over the past eight years, RFD has invested over $200 million in air cargo operations. The investment has helped build RFD as one of the largest economic engines in the Rockford region and Northern Illinois and grown RFD’s ability to handle large scale operations while remaining efficient and providing partners with the ability to move goods faster.
“Menzies Aviation is a globally recognized air cargo handler. Their occupancy at RFD is testament to our airport infrastructure and the efficiencies that can be achieved in air cargo outside of the large passenger hub airports,” said Mike Dunn, executive director of RFD. “We look forward to developing our partnership with Menzies Aviation and proudly welcome them to the RFD community.”
Menzies Aviation will create approximately 70 additional jobs on airport grounds, including cargo service agents, cargo clerical operations agents, ramp agents, load masters, in addition to leadership positions.
Over the past several years, the reliability of smaller, secondary airports, like RFD, has been highlighted because of ease of access, sustainable and lower-cost fuel operations, longevity of aircraft, lower overall costs, and a stable workforce. Menzies cited RFD’s size, location and “can do” attitude as selling points for its latest cargo location.
RFD is home to the second-largest UPS hub in North America, a major base of operations for Amazon Air, and serves numerous international airlines and freight forwarders including DB Schenker, Maersk, ABX Air, ATI, and Atlas Air. With the airport’s ongoing cargo expansion, Rockford has become a Midwest hub for e-commerce and international freight.
