Unilode Aviation Solutions has been awarded a contract to manage the unit load device fleet of Saudia and its freight arm Saudia Cargo, effective from April 1, 2017.

According to Unilode, a regional ULD management office will be established at the carrier’s hubs in Jeddah and Riyadh. A repair shop will also be operated in Jeddah for the maintenance and repair of ULDs and galley carts.

“We are pleased to announce such a major ULD management agreement, which is a great sign of our business continuity and growth following the change of ownership of our company and our rebranding from CHEP Aerospace Solutions to Unilode Aviation Solutions,” said Ludwig Bertsch, president and CEO of Unilode [right in photo]. “Middle Eastern carriers are the world’s fastest-growing airlines and we are committed to support our customers’ growth plans which may include the purchase of additional assets and opening of new stations in our ULD management and repair network. We are confident that our flexible and customer-centric way of doing business will live up to the expectations of Saudia and Saudia Cargo and that our partnership will bring significant benefits to all parties.”

The new long-term agreement was as a result of a tender launched by Saudia and Saudia Cargo.

“Saudia Cargo is a major player in the global air cargo market and we count on Unilode’s commitment to help us meet and exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Nabil Khojah, CEO of Saudia Cargo. “For our service delivery it is essential that we have the ULDs ready in an airworthy condition when and where we need them, and given Unilode’s fleet now counts over 120,000 ULDs, and they will provide us with additional services such as ULD accessories management, this will ensure the correct ULD availability during our partnership with Unilode.”