Introducing New Premia, Our Climate-Controlled Facility at London Heathrow

IAG Cargo’s new home for handling premium freight has opened, and it brings 10,470m² of increased warehouse capacity, a dedicated Constant Climate Quality Centre for temperature-sensitive cargo, and much more. Here’s everything you need to know.  

What is IAG Cargo’s New Premia warehouse?

It’s our climate-controlled handling facility, which delivers the highest standards to keep your temperature-sensitive cargo safe and secure. The impressive 10,470m² space is located at our thriving London Heathrow Hub. Not only can it handle a surplus of 300 loose tonnes of cargo per day, but we’ve also delivered bespoke IT system upgrades and integrations, which optimise how freight is moved and allocated within the facility. This state-of-the-art technology makes us smarter and faster, so we can provide the best customer service. The facility has been GDP certified by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This new space adds to IAG Cargo’s already impressive capabilities for managing premium products at Heathrow, including our adjacent facilities for handling intact units and our Constant Climate Centre, elevating our ability to provide unparalleled customer solutions and service.

How does the New Premia facility work?

One of the first things customers are sure to notice inside the warehouse is its large, automated Material Handling System, which also includes storage locations and 162 positions for pallets and containers. The main part of the building contains four ‘Transfer Vehicles’ which service 20 new build-and-break workstations with main deck capability, meaning we can handle cargo more efficiently than ever before.

On arrival to the facility, our customers will be directed to one of 11 rapid-rise doors (we now have a total of 17) – allocated based on cargo type and onward destination. These doors feature cutting-edge air-curtain technology which creates a thermal barrier and regulates temperatures. From here, our team will receive the freight for ongoing processing within the facility, and once it’s built into aircraft units, it will be collected by one of four large Transfer Vehicles, before being handed off to our Elevating Transfer Vehicles for short-term storage. This allows cargo to be moved independently throughout the facility, into storage, and then transferred to aircraft for exports (imports follow the same process in reverse). Using our Material Handling System, we prepare export flights by individual units on the aircraft and send built-up units to store.

This allows us to seamlessly process cargo, which may have arrived for a flight early, reducing the activity needed in the final hours before flight closure, and further enhancing our operational performance. This means that every pallet, crate, and package is in exactly the right place at just the right time. We’ve worked closely with our tech partner, IBS, to deliver these system changes and upgrades, within our market-leading warehouse management system, iCargo.

What’s more, our new automated ‘task prioritisation’ feature for warehouse agents and team leaders brings an entirely new meaning to efficiency,  taking into consideration factors such as, build times, flight consolidation times, and transit times, ensuring we’re focusing on the right things, at the right time.

The Constant Climate Quality Centre at New Premia

One of New Premia’s highlights is its Constant Climate Quality Centre (CCQC) which includes two chambers providing optimal temperatures at 2 to 8°C and 15 to 25°C, as well as a freezer at -20°C. The centre is complete with 29 ULD storage cold cells.

How will New Premia benefit customers?

Thanks to New Premia, IAG Cargo has increased its capability and capacity to manage the growing customer demand for our services. With a total of 17 landside doors, the wait time for drivers to drop-off and collect cargo has been significantly reduced. The innovative system automatically assigns drivers to available doors through call-forward carpark screens, ensuring maximum efficiency. Our CCQC provides a dedicated facility to safeguard temperature-sensitive cargo, and our investment in tailored IT will improve our operational efficiency, as we commit to delivering the highest level of service for our customers.

Our new facility is staffed by a dedicated team of highly trained and skilled cargo handlers. They work hard to support our 24/7 operation, achieving the perfect balance between skilled individuals and cutting-edge automation.

New Premia means new possibilities. Book your premium freight with IAG Cargo here.