Freight forwarders and trucking businesses are invited to use Heathrow Airport’s brand-new load consolidation app. Launched as part of Heathrow CargoCloud, the app will allow cargo operators to consolidate loads coming through Heathrow.
The aim is to improve efficiency for cargo coming in and out of the airport, but also to reduce the number of vehicles and trucks on the roads around the airport. This reduction in trucks in the surrounding areas will reduce emissions and improve the local environment.
Information sharing
Freight companies that subscribe to Heathrow CargoCloud will be able to share information about any space they may have on their vehicles. Similarly, if they need to transport a load they can enquire about spare room on other vehicles.
The app will then match them with suitable companies, leaving them to contact each other offline to organise the load swaps.
Cleaner and more efficient
Of course, efficiency is part of the drive to develop apps like this, but operating a cleaner operation is also key for Heathrow Airport. Nick Platts is head of cargo at Heathrow. He says: “Operating a cleaner, leaner and more efficient freight operation is an essential part of delivering on our ambition to be the best airport in Europe for cargo. CargoCloud offers benefits to the whole industry.”
The app is designed to work for everyone involved. Heathrow’s cargo partners can reduce their costs, help the cargo operation at the airport become more efficient and spare the local area excess traffic. Less congestion means better air quality for those who live in and around Heathrow Airport, something that the airport have referenced as a priority a number of times in the past.
It’s also part of Heathrow Airport’s continuing drive to maintain and improve its reputation as a top airport for cargo transportation.
Future proofing cross company processes
Heathrow worked with data sharing experts Nallian to develop and produce the app. While the data from the app is being used to reduce traffic congestion and emissions, in the future it could be used to synchronise other processes.
Ignazio Coraci comments: “These kinds of data sharing apps can be scaled up, eventually allowing groups of independent companies to work together to reach levels of efficiency previously only available to huge, integrated businesses. While that’s something for the future, for now the app is helping Heathrow Airport’s cargo operation work faster, better and more efficiently.”
One user of the app is DHL Global Forwarding. CEO BELUX Luc Jacobs says, in support of the new app: “As a driver of innovation in our industry, we fully support initiatives that allow us to do our job a little bit better every day. We are big supporters of cloud based community systems because when done well, they have the potential to enable substantial efficiencies and eliminate waste in the supply chain at the same time.”