
The new Liege Airport – Cargolad – is an advertisement that goods are not a later idea, but the main gravity. This is not a way to circumvent the brand. It is a widespread commitment to transforming perception, infrastructure and implementing AirFeright in Europe and abroad.
“Cargolad is our new commercial brand for all our shipping activities,” says Torsten Weeds, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Liège Airport. “I once said in an interview, we are Disney Land of Archo. It is clear that the brand Disneyland was difficult for us to get it. So we turned into Cargolad. Cargolad for us, is the place where goods are located in a house.”
The first air freight philosophy at Leg Airport is going deeply. While many airports give priority to passengers, Liege has identified its identity for being “the airport in Europe where there is an outdoor house.” This house comes with more than just a metaphorical charm-it is a platform designed for this purpose, with operations around the clock throughout the week, and dedicating specialized with medicines and ventilation materials, and even a five-star hotel for horse.
“We give it completely,” explains Weers. “We give goods a home. This is the idea – to explain the importance of air cargo at Liege Airport and the entire air freight community.”
Their central location in the heart of Europe is not a coincidence either. “We are really in this famous triangle, with 80 percent of European air cargo imports and exports pass,” says Wifers. “We have complete elasticity -24/7-perfect infrastructure. Of course, we have this unique approach of air charging only.”
Digital transformation is the essence of the charging strategy in Liege. The airport builds a digital twin from the infrastructure to increase efficiency, reduce treatment time, and simplify critical logistical processes.
“We develop a digital twin from our airport infrastructure to accelerate operations, to improve the quality of the handling – and all this is for our customers: air freight and charge companies.”
Multimedia
But Liege airport does not stop at the planes. To be really indispensable in the global supply chain, it has become a multimedia center – railway, roads and even access to internal waterways to enhance their connection and attractiveness to logistical services companies.
“We have now developed certain applications where we can track all the flows that pass through Liège Airport,” says WeFers. “So the idea is now the creation of a customs area around Liège airport fully backed by digital twins, so that customs also have a full view of all flows.”
This actual vision is going along with infrastructure investments. Liège captured a stake in the railway operator on the site, allowing the airport to influence directly and integrate the shipping trains from China. And shipping the road? This is too much to play.
“We bought a stake in the train platform operator, to get a commercial impact there … to make it more attractive to logistical services companies – not only for air charging, but also to use Liège as a platform for shipping the train,” explains. “We want to transfer more truck charging sizes via our airport platform.”
There is even a waterway connection that many do not realize. “Liège is the third largest inner port in Europe, and it is directly linked to the main sea port in Europe, Antwerp,” says WeFers. “Also something that many people do not know.
Society moves it, focuses on goods
For Liège Airport, cooperation is very important as infrastructure. With the realization that the effective supply chain is only strong as its weakest link, WEFERS and its LGG Connect, a non-profit charging community that combines all major-renewable players, transactions, and truck transport companies.
“Since then, we have had a very powerful informal community,” explains Weers. “Two years ago, we decided to make the official nature of the shipping community … all the founding community members have a stake, as well as the seat of the board of directors.”
the goal? Equality, transparency and empowerment. “We create working groups on similar development, and on the development of infrastructure, on how to offer quality. And through society’s approach – everything has an equal position, everyone has an equal voice.”
This cooperative framework extends to Liège’s work in expanding and enhancing the capabilities of commodity processing. From e -commerce to pharmaceutical products, damage, and even car parts, the airport continuously upgrades and unifies its approach.
“We are the pioneer in the market in e -commerce. However, of course, we want to get a greater market share,” says Waves. “So again, we made a lot of effort through digital tools to accelerate operations and improve the quality of handling.”
“Recently, we also launched a drug community,” he continued. “The airport, handling agents, airlines and airlines sit together. The clear goal is to have standard operations, standard Slas, and also to work on infrastructure jointly.”
The Horse Inn – The Transit Facility for Overlooking and Luxury Animals in Liège is one of the most convenient but globally popular aspects of its work. “The horses I mentioned – this is a place, but for us, a very important place. Last year, we dealt with more than 12,000 hp. This we want to develop.”
Green ambition meets efficiency
Sustainability is woven into the Liège development strategy, as we confirm. With the aim of carbon neutrality by 2030, the airport takes a wide -angle approach to reduce its environmental impact on all activities.
“With our own activities, we want to be zero carbon in 2030,” we confirm. “We are part of some programs and certificates – for example, the Tiaaca Bluesky program – where we have already reached a specific certificate.”
Real estate, too, rethinks. “We are developing our real estate – excessive buildings, warehouses and even our kindergarten for our airport community. We are clearly looking for green buildings.”
On the apron, the shift is already. He says: “We are working closely with our handling agent to change the GSE fleet to full,” he says. “We encourage our treatments, and even support them with a load infrastructure. There is a clear goal – at the end of the contract, to complete the entire GSE fleet at the entire Liège Electric Airport.”
One of the most influential movements, however, is in sustainable fuel. Liège is among the first airports in Europe to offer SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), as SAF flights already operate. “We already had the first trips that were run with Saf fuel,” confirming WeFERS. “It’s just the beginning.”