Lufthansa Cargo has broken ground for the expansion of its Cool Center at Frankfurt Airport.

According to the carrier, the 3,500-square-metre extension along with further infrastructural improvements to the existing facility will be completed by late summer 2017.

“We’ve gained a great deal of experience in the worldwide transport of sensitive medications,” said Sören Stark, board member for operations [second from left in photo]. “CEIV certification from IATA has recently highlighted this. The excellent collaboration with numerous shippers from the pharmaceutical and chemical industries has prompted demand for our service to grow consistently. We’re delighted to be able to offer our customers even more capacity and flexibility in our Cool Center as early as late summer.”

Lufthansa Cargo took the decision to expand its Cool Center in December 2016, after having been awarded the International Air Transport Association’s Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics certification in September 2016.

The Cool Center, which opened in December 2011, currently offers four chiller rooms at different temperature ranges and a deep-freeze room, and is Europe’s largest hub for temperature-sensitive freight, according to Lufthansa Cargo.