LATAM Cargo Group opens new controlled-temperature cooler facility Brazil

New temperature-controlled cooler in Brazil will promote the export of perishables from South America

• The cooler signified an investment of USD 3.5 million and is located in Guarulhos (São Paulo, Brazil), the largest hub of the LATAM Group, with connections to more than 33 destinations in South America as well as 14 cities in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
  
• The cooler protects the freshness and natural properties of perishables connecting internationally by reducing their time of exposure to non-controlled temperature by more than 20%.
  
• Some of the products benefited include salmon, asparagus and mangoes.
  

LATAM Cargo Group recently opened in Guarulhos, Brazil, its perishable hub, a controlled-temperature cooler facility that will protect the quality and freshness of perishable products while en route to other destinations in South America, North America and Europe.

The company has gained international recognition for its expertise transporting fresh products, which account for 45% of all goods carried during a year. In this context, Guarulhos occupies a place of relevance because 85% of all cargo connecting here is perishable. This, together with the strategic decision to position Guarulhos as the Group’s main hub, explains the reasons behind the company’s decision to invest 3.5 million dollars.

The facility occupies an area of 1,637 square meters, of which 50% (825 sqm) are equipped with variable temperature cooling chambers that offer refrigeration ranges of 0 to 2 °C and 2 to 12 °C for storage and re-palletizing. The system also gives the option of raising the temperature of any of the chambers up to 22 °C. Thanks to the new perishable hub, the LATAM Group has increased its perishable storage capacity at Guarulhos by 33%.

“Our new cooler is a clear example of our commitment to be strategic partners for our customers. We know Latin America is a major producer and exporter of perishables, and that its economic development largely depends on the international recognition of the quality of its products. Faced with this reality, and as the leader in air transportation in the region, we took on the challenge of providing excellence in service and execution, and investing in leading-edge infrastructure to protect the freshness of the products carried, with the high standards our value proposal is well known for,” commented Andrés Bianchi, CEO of the LATAM Cargo Group.

Of all the salmon transported by our company, 19% connects at Guarulhos, primarily to the United States and China. Similarly, 14% of the asparagus produced in Peru transit GRU on their way to the United Kingdom and Germany, and 22% of Peruvian mangoes stop here while en route to Spain and France, among other countries. Other perishables connecting at this hub include cherries, trout, southern hake, and fresh flowers, all of them with specific storage temperatures.

“Our perishable hub will help us to reduce the time perishables are exposed to non-controlled temperatures by up to 20%, thanks to its capacity to offer variable temperature ranges and its strategic location closer to the loading areas. Our permanent commitment to offer more and better services that suit the needs of our customers, coupled with our strong and diverse network, makes us the best alternative to connect the goods produced in Latin America with the world,” said Claudio Torres, International Commercial Director – South America.

The perishable hub opened as part of the launching of FRESH, en enhanced version of the Perishable care option that provides more robust temperature control across the network. With FRESH, LATAM Group will offer controlled-temperature facilities across its network –perishable hub is one among several others–, an online storage temperature deviation monitoring system, reduced exposure time while on the tarmac, and a predictive model that identifies the best measures to ensure freshness, among other benefits.

“Our efforts are focused on determining the core needs of our customers, understanding the nature of the products we carry, and offering a solution of excellence to bring Latin American perishables to the main global consumer centers in all freshness, thus increasing their shelf life,” Mr. Torres added.