ECS Group acquires Americas GSA and Central American foothold
ECS Group’s strategic aim of achieving full coverage across the Americas just took a large step forward its acquisition of Americas GSA. It now numbers 16 countries in its Americas set-up and with Americas GSA, has gained significant presence across Central America. The new countries in ECS Group’s network are Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panamá, complementing its existing network of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and USA. The acquisition agreement, signed on 29OCT23, brings Americas GSA’s staff of 42 in its 13 branch locations together with ECS Group's existing workforce of more than 80 local experts across Latin America. The established GSA has long-standing contracts with renowned airlines such as LATAM Airlines, MAS, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss, Korean Air, and Ethiopian Airlines, and thus increases the group's airline portfolio to more than 40 airlines.
Pablo Canales, Managing Partner – CEO of Americas GSA, explained: “Our vision is to become one of the largest air cargo GSAs in Latin America, not just in terms of network, but specifically as the GSA of choice for comprehensive international solutions delivered with local finesse. This partnership with ECS Group brings together a highly professional air cargo organization with a strong global vision, and an established team with in-depth knowledge of the Latin-American market and close relationships with the largest customers in the region. Within this new alliance, Americas GSA will be able to offer even higher quality service, more opportunities tailored to the specific needs of our partners, airlines, and customers, and enjoy a firm technological and financial foundation on which to continue growing.”
Adrien Thominet, Executive Chairman of ECS Group, commented: “Americas GSA not only greatly augments our coverage in Central America, significantly adding to our strong network of committed, local air cargo experts operating across the continent, but since it shares a very similar corporate culture and likewise places great value on professional expertise, it offers a highly promising basis for solid organic growth. [Our] aim is to offer the ultimate in GSSA services across every country in The Americas: from Canada to Chile […] We see significant synergies in terms of business, digital initiatives, and service offerings, and look forward to positive developments in our newest region, as we head into the new year. ECS Group warmly welcomes Americas GSA!”

CargoTech sees a year of synergies ahead
For the group of digital experts which grew from four to five members in 2023, and now includes Cargo Digital Factory, Wiremind Cargo, CargoAi, Rotate, and CharterSync, 2023 was a year of coordination and joint communication/presence at events. Cédric Millet, President of CargoTech applauded the many successes its members had in 2023: “Success happens with change. CargoTech is a one-stop-shop offering the best possible digital solutions for every air cargo business process. The aim of our products and services is to increase efficiency, improve revenues, or decrease costs, and generally to accelerate the digital transformation within the cargo industry. For that, we bring together cargo business and technology experts so that our digital solutions are created by air cargo knowledgeable people for the airfreight industry. Our drive for innovation is endless, and looking back at 2023, CargoTech had many successes and proved the relevance of its model.” Among those are CargoAi's CargoWALLET for easy online booking payments, Wiremind Cargo’s Revenue Optimization suite (CargoStack Optimiser) with launch customer Qatar Airways Cargo, and Rotate's Live Capacity product and co-development projects with Etihad Cargo and Cathay Cargo, for example.
Despite the difficult market situation in the air cargo industry this year, companies have been looking for digital support: “Customers have been increasingly interested in our solutions, as the desire to make better commercial decisions is relevant in every market circumstance,” claimed Ryan Keyrouse, Managing Director of Rotate, and this was similarly confirmed by Nathanaël de Tarade, CEO of Wiremind Cargo: “we got an increasing number of inquiries about our products, and our customers are more and more knowledgeable on what they want, what can be achieved, and are helping to push the boundaries of what can be done.” 2024 will see solutions making use of large language models to bring greater process efficiencies and automation, and a focus on greater transparency and visibility. “CargoTech fosters collaboration between its member companies on 3 levels: commercial, technical, and strategic. We […] want to do more on the technical side […] to optimally leverage the benefits from our CargoTech ecosystem," Cedric Millet stated, summarizing: “2023 was the year of the coordination. 2024 will be the year for the synergies: commercial, technical, products. And of course, it will be another year of innovation, but that goes without saying.”

US’s main bioscience hub launches Rotate-developed data dashboard
The Puerto Rico Life Sciences Community announced the launch of a data dashboard on its new website, offering its 40+ member companies from across the pharma air cargo supply chain access to data that can assist in ensuring more efficient operations. San Juan, Puerto Rico, is home to the largest aggregation of bioscience manufacturers in the U.S. It is the U.S.’ number one bioscience manufacturing hub by export volume, and The Puerto Rico Life Sciences Air Cargo Community, launched in April 2023, is an endeavor to bring key industry players together to improve quality within the industry. Its members including pharmaceutical and medical manufacturers, forwarders, airports, airlines, customs, hauliers, and representatives of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DEDC). The latter backs the initiative which is free to join for Puerto Rico-based companies involved in the Life Sciences and/or airfreight industries. All members will be meeting for the fourth time on 28FEB24, to discuss and implement quality initiatives to ensure that Puerto Rico has the highest quality airfreight hub in the Americas. The Community also act as a voice of the industry with legislators. Alongside initiatives such as a training program to support companies in achieving IATA CEIV Pharma certification, and an online directory based on a survey of warehousing facilities and trucking services, quality measures will be further developed thanks to a new dashboard. This specially customized dashboard was developed by air cargo data and software expert, Rotate. It combines and aggregates a range of data sources, to give a complete overview of the Puerto Rico (PR) air cargo market with regard to international air cargo imports and exports, air trade demand between PR and the U.S., and air cargo and mail traffic by airline.
Community Board member David Olan, Transportation Lead, Puerto Rico Operations, Johnson & Johnson, passed judgement: “The dashboard is an eye opener – data is an invaluable tool. The Community must work together to solve challenges, consolidate flights, and find direct flights – this dashboard will enable us to do just that. We will use this tool to manage risk, present information to our corporate offices, and drive quality in our Puerto Rico Life Sciences Hub.”

Stephanie Pope is Boeing’s new Chief Operating Officer
New year, new look. On 01JAN24, Stephanie Pope will take on a newly created position as The Boeing Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer, Dave Calhoun. Pope has 29 years of Boeing experience amassed in a number of senior leadership positions at both corporate and levels for Boeing Defense, Space and Security. She is also a member of Boeing’s Executive Council, and the executive sponsor of Boeing Women Inspiring Leadership, Boeing’s business resource group committed to increasing gender diversity awareness and promoting diverse representation amongst women.
Her responsibilities as COO include overseeing the performance of Boeing's three business units focused on driving supply chain, quality, manufacturing and engineering excellence and stability across the company, to improve its operational and financial strength. Her direct reports include the business unit Chief Executive Officers, the Boeing Chief Engineer and the President of Boeing Global. Senior corporate functional leaders will continue to report to Calhoun.
Boeing President and Chief Executive Officer, Dave Calhoun, stated: “Stephanie brings tremendous operational, financial and customer experience to this role, as well as a proven record of performance across our commercial, defense and services business units. Next year will be a significant transitional year in our performance as we continue to restore our operational and financial strength; and Stephanie will help drive the stability and predictability necessary to ensure we deliver on our customer, employee, regulatory, investor and other stakeholder commitments.”
Stephanie Pope said: “I am honored to step into this new role and look forward to working closely with Dave, our Executive Council, and all of our Boeing teammates. Together, we will continue to improve operating performance and remain committed to delivering for our customers, while ensuring the highest levels of safety, quality, and transparency in all that we do.”
Her previous position since APR22, as CEO of Boeing Global Services, which she helped to establish in 2017, will be filled by Boeing’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Chris Raymond, who will also assume his new duties on 01JAN24, reporting to Pope. She commented: “Chris brings more than 30 years of Boeing expertise in nearly every aspect of our operations, and has strong employee, customer, and supplier connections across our commercial and government markets. I’m confident he will continue the strong operational performance with our services team and remain focused on delivering on our customer commitments.”