New figures have revealed that Teesside Airport’s cargo handling facility has seen its best week for business since it was officially launched just under one year ago.
The £2.5million state-of-the-art facility provides cutting-edge screening technology, as well as handling, freight forwarding, customs clearage and storage.
This week has seen 12 movements pass through its 21,000sq ft hangar, including automotive parts for two new customers. Antonov An-26 and ATR 72 planes were among the aircraft transporting the goods to the airport, and can carry up to 5.5tonnes and 9.2tonnes of cargo respectively.
It all saw Teesside handle a new record of 23tonnes of cargo in the past week alone.
Teesside’s cargo facility might be the new kid on the block, but it has gone from strength to strength since it opened for business in August last year. In January, it became the UK’s newest Border Control Point – meaning it can now handle flowers, fruit and vegetables.
The facility can offload, process and get cargo on the road in as little as 30 minutes following aircraft touchdown – giving it a growing, highly regarded reputation for taking on urgent or last-minute goods. The airport’s location at the heart of Northern England – and at the centre of Great Britain – also puts it in prime position for manufacturers and businesses not just in Teesside, but across the country.
The news came ahead of the biggest weekend for the airport since it was brought back into public control. The beginning of school summer breaks had the airport ready to receive the most holidaymakers in a single day since 2019.
They were taking advantage of Teesside’s raft of summer flights to hotspots such as Alicante, Antalya, Bourgas, Corfu, Faro and Majorca.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Teesside’s continuing to make a name for itself for holidaymakers, and it’s fast becoming the go-to cargo facility for our local businesses too.
“There are more than 70,000 companies within an hour of the airport, so this is just the beginning of what we could achieve – but we’ve come a long way in a short time.
“As we continue to develop our airport and invest in its land and assets, passengers are just one part of helping reach our potential. The great news that our cargo offering’s going from strength to strength, plus getting the first steel in the ground for our business park just days ago, shows that we’re doing all we can to keep Teesside flying for years to come.”
