Swissport has expanded in the UK with the acquisition of ASC, which provides ground handling and cargo services at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
The move sets the company up for continued growth in both ground and cargo handling at the airports by providing additional capability to Swissport’s operations.
Swissport said this will enhance its position as a “resilient and innovative partner to airlines and airports” and gives the company access to additional cargo capacity at two warehouses at London Heathrow.
Heathrow is the fifth largest airport worldwide by passenger volume and more than 60% of Britain’s airfreight goes through London’s airports.
Gatwick is the UK’s second busiest airport carrying 43 million passengers to over 200 destinations annually.
Swissport CEO Warwick Brady said: “The UK is one of our core markets worldwide. Strengthening our presence in the country is a key pillar of our growth strategy.
“Swissport has a clear M&A strategy to enhance our platform in markets where we can optimise growth, margin and resilience across the portfolio.
“We will continue to pursue our ambitious expansion agenda by combining strong organic growth and strategic M&A in critical geographic markets across our ground handling, cargo and hospitality businesses globally providing a world class service to our customers.”
Ignazio Coraci, chairman of the board of ASC, said: “This agreement will give our customers, employees and partners the opportunity to benefit from Swissport’s extensive global footprint with a broader range of services across its network.
“By combining our experienced teams with a proven track record of consistent high quality service delivery we will continue strengthening resilience and driving greater efficiency to our airline partners through our integrated and comprehensive service offering.”