The document summarizes a company visit to Cargolux, the largest cargo airline in Europe. The group toured a Boeing 747 cargo plane as it was loaded with high-value goods like cars and electronics. They then watched the plane quickly take off for the USA. The group also visited the large warehouse and maintenance facilities. Finally, the VP of Ground Services explained Cargolux's history and business model, making clear why it consistently outperforms competitors.

1. Event report
Company visit: Cargolux – the most flexible freight
transporter by air in the world
15 June 2012, at Cargolux in Luxembourg
Immediately following the security checks for airport visitors, our host Mr. Henrik Ambak - VP
Ground Services and Commercial IT - took us to the loading bay and inside a brand new 3 months old
Boeing 747/8 airplane. The pallets, full of high value goods like Ferraris, flowers and electronic
equipment, are loaded and fastened with incredible speed: no wonder bearing in mind that such
machine costs 15000 USD per hour.
Fifteen minutes later we watched in awe the airplane take off, quite silently, on its way to the USA.
We then visited the huge warehouse and materials handling workplace. Notice that the airplane
maintenance shopfloor is a brand new building on the opposite site of the runway.
During the last part of the visit, Mr. Ambak explained the history of the company, its shareholder
structure and business model. It became cristal clear to all of us why Cargolux is consistently out
performing its competitors.
Before returning home, some of the participants networked around a few drinks in the pittoresque
mini town of Hoste.
I can only feel sorrow for the alumni that missed this event.
By Rudi Lepomme (PUB 1977)