The Re:fresh awards have been strengthened this week with the addition of the British Airways World Cargo Importer of the Year Award.

"The handling and transportation of perishable goods by air is a significant part of British Airways World Cargo's business, accounting for over 20 per cent of handled tonnes," said the company's global products manager Andrew Southey. "Our perishable product, Constant Fresh, is tailored to the specific needs of this important sector.

The proper handling of fresh produce is becoming ever more critical with the trend towards shelf-ready products, and British Airways has invested heavily to meet the need of its customers in a number of key areas."

The carrier has built a £15 million Perishable Handling Centre (PHC) to provide value-added services - the only on-airport packhouse in the world. It has also designed and built a £250,000 dedicated through-lane at the airport to facilitate fast pullback of imported goods onto refrigerated vehicles for transport to the PHC. And is making on-going investment to upgrade handling equipment and increase capacity to 140,000 tonnes a year.

"British Airways World Cargo offers the most comprehensive and specialised perishable handling service at Heathrow which has been developed through listening to our customers and their needs," said Southey. "By working closely with our partners, we play a crucial role in the management of the supply chain. We provide a prime link in the consolidation and distribution of shelf ready products into the UK for importers and major retailers. Our sponsorship of the Importer of the Year Award is further endorsement of our commitment to this important sector."

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