K+N partners with Panatlantic to expand reach into Latin perishables market

Yesterday, Swiss forwarder Kuehne + Nagel (K+N) said it is partnering with Quito-based logistics services company Panatlantic Logistics S.A. in a move that will further expand the company’s South American cool chain network and underpin its global expansion strategy.

At present, K+N manages the transportation of perishables for clients operating out of Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Chile, exporting 120,000 tonnes of perishables by air in the South and Central American region each year. In its endeavor with Panatlantic, the companies’ combined portfolios will drive a volume of 32,000 tonnes of perishables ex-Ecuador per year as air cargo.

While a recent report from the World ACD indicated demand for air cargo is flattening internationally, Latin America led the pack with a growth in demand of 11.4 percent in May – the largest increase of any region for the third consecutive month, according to IATA.

K+N’s president of the South and Central American regions, Ingo Goldhammer, said the move will not just cater to international traffic to and from South America, but will also “strengthen its position in the regional airfreight markets.”