SAHCOL’s expenditure on GSE hits N20bn in four years

Business is looking up at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL), a former subsidiary of Nigeria Airways Limited, as it has expended over N20 billion on Group Support Equipment (GSE) in the last four years.

SAHCOL serves as a major gateway to import and export in the Nigerian Aviation sector, ensuring that cargo, courier and mails are properly handled, managed and warehoused in its custom bonded warehouse, pending the due process of clearing.

It also provides customer friendly passenger handling services, including automated Check-in, Gate/Boarding, Baggage Tracking and Interline.

On Tuesday, more of the GSE arrived the company’s shed at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja as Olu Owolabi, its managing director says the company has made a big difference in ground handling business since it was handed over to Sifax Group in 2009.

At the commissioning of some of the ground handling equipment, Owolabi disclosed that SAHCOL has spent a lot of money on equipment that would make its service delivery to its numerous customers very effective and efficient, adding that the ultra modern warehouse being constructed by the organisation has attained 80 percent completion.

Owolabi had said that cargo warehouse when completed would be ‘the largest of such facility in West Africa’ with modern IT driven security and safety cover. He informed that the patronage of SAHCOL by airlines and other clients has improved tremendously, as the modern equipment has further boost the service delivery of the entity. He added that with the these equipment, there is no type of airplane SAHCOL cannot handle.

 Owolabi added that presently SAHCOL has one of the best equipment in the West Africa sub-region and that it is ready for the present and challenges ahead as far as ground handling is concerned. The essence of commissioning the multibillion equipment, he said it is to showcase what SAHCOL has in place for effective service delivery, just as he tells clients to expect a revolutionised ground handling services .

 He listed some of the equipment to include commanders’ 15i, 30i, 40i loader and 45i, which according to him are ultimate in ground handling company. The 15i loader is a single operated vehicle capable of lifting and carrying very high capacity cargo, adding that it is hydraulically powered and electronically controlled.

 The 15i, he said is capable of handling B757, 767, 777, 787, A340 and any other lower deck ,passenger and cargo aircraft. The 30i and 40i loaders, he said are not only hydraulically powered and electronically controlled, but that they also have the capacity of handling A380, 747 and all wide body aircraft and heavy cargo and container.

 He added that the vehicle said is equipped with stabilisers, side guides, emergency pumps for ease and safe handling of heavy cargo loads in aircraft.

Article accredited to: Businessday