Alongside DHL's existing food preparation facility at the Heathrow Flight Assembly Centre, the new hub will provide procurement and sourcing services, menu development, food assembly and final mile delivery to aircraft, as well as an integrated specialist-recycling centre, enabling airlines to achieve a "zero waste to landfill" catering service.

Sharing the facility and its resources means airlines will benefit from the highest standards of service delivery, but with reduced costs. The investment coincides with news that DHL has secured additional airline catering contracts totaling £40m per annum, from airlines seeking to differentiate their passenger experience.

Further efficiencies will be achieved through DHL's bespoke IT solution and advanced fleet telematics, providing enhanced traceability and ensuring optimum use of the hub's fleet, with the entire operation managed by DHL's Control Tower.

Paul Richardson, managing director of specialist services at DHL Supply Chain explained: "This investment builds on our successful flight assembly operation for British Airways, which sees over 80,000 flights serviced and 14 million meals prepared per year. We believe the time is right to leverage our infrastructure and expertise to offer other airlines the opportunity to improve cost control, while reducing the environmental impact of their supply chains."

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