Company Update
January 26 2004 - 2:38AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:6059U
Planestation Group PLC
26 January 2004
Stock Exchange Announcement
26 January 2004
MAJOR NEW CARGO FACILITIES AT LONDON MANSTON AIRPORT
PlaneStation is to create a major new airport cargo handling facility for food
from outside the European Union at London Manston Airport at a cost of #2.5m.
The Border Inspection Post (BIP) will be 3,200 square metres and will be one of
the largest facilities of this kind at an airport in the UK. Included in the
development is 1,600 square metres of additional warehouse space.
The BIP should be operational in the summer of this year with design and
construction intended to be undertaken by Kent-based firms.
The BIP will provide full temperature controlled facilities for the control of
imported food and enable the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
to carry out quality checks prior to its introduction into the food chain.
PlaneStation Chief Executive Oliver Iny said "the building of the BIP should
open up significant new cargo markets for London Manston. This is an essential
move for the next stage of the commercial development of freight business at
London Manston. We have already had considerable success with our cargo
operations and the opening of the BIP will make the airport even more attractive
to UK and overseas freight operators."
The BIP is part of a major on-going programme of investment at the airport which
has also recently seen the introduction of CCTV cameras, the upgrading of
fencing, and the introduction of new automatic landing (ILS) facilities.
Oliver Iny added: "The Directors believe that Industry interest in Manston is
high and aircraft operators are considering the development of aircraft
maintenance facilities. We are now actively pursuing these proposals following
the obtaining of planning permission for two new hangars, capable of taking wide
bodied jets."
The creation of the BIP facilities at Manston will significantly enhance
PlaneStation's ability to exploit the demand across Europe for imported
perishable produce. PlaneStation believes that this will complement the BIP at
its Black Forest Airport at Lahr, which it expects to be operational this
spring.
Attention is now being turned towards the introduction of new passenger traffic
to Manston. PlaneStation's strategy is to maximise the potential for new traffic
between Orlando Melbourne Florida, and PlaneStation's airports at Manston and
elsewhere in Europe. Also, it aims to attract scheduled passenger traffic to
operate from Manston to capture the sizeable market that would be available to
the airport. PlaneStation wishes to build on the success of the charter flights
from Manston to Verona, Dubrovnik and Malta which are to start in Summer 2004.
Further Enquiries:
Isabel Crossley St Brides Media 020 7242 4477
Geoff Lansbury PlaneStation Group plc 020 7495 8686
This information is provided by RNS
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