LAN CARGO, an affiliate of LATAM Airlines Group S.A. and part of South America’s largest airline group comprised of LAN Airlines and its affiliates and TAM Airlines, officially broke ground today on a new 98,242-square-foot state of the art maintenance hangar facility at Miami International Airport. The hangar will be LATAM Airlines Group’s first maintenance hangar in the United States. The project represents an investment of more than $15 million dollars and is estimated to create more than 300 new direct and indirect jobs in the first five years, further increasing LATAM Airline Group’s participation and commitment to economic growth in Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida.
“For LATAM Airlines Group, investing in a sustainable presence that benefits the economies and communities where our employees and customers live and work is a priority,” Cristian Ureta, CEO LAN CARGO, an affiliate of LATAM Airlines Group.
The new facility includes state of the art design, technology, and meets the highest standards of environmental compliance. The innovative roof design with the tail cupola will accommodate Boeing 777-300 and Airbus A350 size aircraft, and still meet the applicable structure height requirements.
“Miami-Dade County is the gateway to the Americas and we are proud to be strategically expanding our operation and presence at Miami International Airport,” said Fernando Poitevin, COO LAN CARGO, an affiliate of LATAM Airlines Group.
New Maintenance Hangar in Miami
The new LATAM Airlines Group maintenance hangar will be located in the cargo zone at Miami International Airport, on the lot where building 715 previously stood, prior to its demolition by Miami-Dade County. The facility will have a surface area of 66,500-square-feet, with 17,000-square-feet of warehouse and workshop space, as well as 14,500-square-feet of designated space for administrative offices, mechanical rooms, spare parts storage, and other related use.
The facility will significantly increase the maintenance capabilities to serve the cargo and passenger aircraft maintenance needs of LAN, TAM and its affiliates. Maintenance services such as daily checks, A-checks, engine changes, major repairs, and component changes shall be conducted on site and it will also serve as storage for aircraft spare parts, components and engines to support such maintenance services.
South Florida based companies Lemartec Engineering and Construction Corporation and architecture firm Perez & Perez Architects and Planners have been engaged for the design and construction of the project.
Local and State Support
Florida Governor Rick Scott said, “I congratulate LATAM Airlines Group on the expansion of its maintenance facility in Miami-Dade County. Because of our efforts to promote Florida’s economy in other countries, this expansion was made possible. There will be over 300 new jobs for Florida families because of LATAM Airlines Group’s expansion at Miami International Airport.”
This project would not have been possible without the close partnerships of economic development organizations and local, as well as state government support. They include, but are not limited to, Enterprise Florida, the Beacon Council, the Florida Department of Transportation, Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, CareerSource Florida, Inc. and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The State of Florida is home to more than 2,000 aerospace and aviation companies employing over 87,000 workers across the state. Florida has been the undisputed air traffic hub of the Western Hemisphere, a major hub for flight training and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations, and home to leading manufacturers of all types of aircraft and aircraft components. In addition, Miami International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and the 2012 airport rankings named Miami International Airport as the leading airport in the United States for international freight.
“Miami has enjoyed a strong business relationship with LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates for many years, so we’re thrilled they have chosen to build their very first U.S. maintenance hangar facility at our airport,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “This project is a major economic enhancement for MIA and Miami-Dade County as a whole, with $15 million in capital investment and hundreds of jobs generated.”
President and CEO of Enterprise Florida, Gray Swoope, said, “With Florida being the No. 2 state in the nation for aviation, companies like LAN CARGO benefit from the industry’s resources. This expansion adds to Florida’s extensive aviation industry and strengthens the state’s position as the Gateway to Latin America. Florida’s strong workforce, supportive infrastructure and favorable tax climate make it the best state for business. I look forward to LAN CARGO’s continued success throughout our state.”
LATAM Airlines Group in South Florida
LATAM Airlines Group affiliate LAN CARGO’s global headquarters is based in Miami, Florida, home to the leading airport in the United States and ninth in the world for international freight, making it a strategic location for the Company’s cargo operations to and from Latin America. LAN CARGO and its affiliates are projected to transport over 4,500 tons of cargo imports and 3,500 tons of cargo exports through Miami International Airport (MIA) per week, totaling an approximate projection of over 414,000 tons of cargo for 2014 alone. The Company employs a workforce of nearly 1,400 people in Miami-Dade County.
LAN CARGO and its cargo related companies – MAS AIR in Mexico, LAN CARGO Colombia, and TAM Cargo in Brazil – use freighter aircraft and passenger belly space to transport cargo, making them the largest group of air cargo operators in Latin America. With the leading cargo network in the region, the companies offer services to 134 destinations in 23 countries around the world.
An average of over 150 passenger and cargo flights from LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates take off from Miami each week. LATAM Airlines Group transports over 900,000 passengers per year from Miami to over 114 destinations in South America; in 2014, the Group projects to transport over one million passengers from Miami to South America.