Online shopping in the run up to Christmas 1999 paid dividends for Air Cargo Equipment (Stand D344).
Its customers, including Emery Worldwide and DHL, took a leap of faith in summer 1999 and calculated that the rapid growth of e-commerce would see many people buying online. Once bought of course items have to be shipped, which means extra business for the carriers.
Research suggests that internet shopping in late 1999 increased by 20-25% over the same period in 1998. Air Cargo Equipment, which manufactures containers saw orders increase around 30% as the carriers prepared to meet the extra demand.
Representative
The big increases in carrier volume have been internally in North America and between North America and Asia. A lot of computers are being shipped into Asia, says Chris Lorenson, Air Cargo Equipment's representative at the show. Dell and Compaq are shifting units, he says.
"From what we see and hear our customers don't feel they've seen the peak in internet-purchase related carriage. In fact we're probably just experiencing the tip of the iceberg," he says.
Source: Flight Daily News
