March-April 2023 - 13

AIRPORT PROFILE
Rockford Set to Expand Future
Operations
The Chicago Rockford International Airport has
been taking the steps to set itself up for future
growth in cargo and passenger operations.
THE CHICAGO Rockford International Airport [RFD] has
undergone extensive projects to improve future airport
operations both on the cargo and passenger side.
These operations include expanding
cargo facility warehouses by
240,000 square feet and a $27 million
project to add on to the existing terminal
and modernize the space.
Expanding Cargo
Operations
Chicago Rockford International
Airport has a long history in air cargo.
Starting in 1994 with UPS and then in
2016 with Amazon setting up operations.
More recently, over the last four
years the airport has begun to expand
international cargo operations.
Part of this major expansion project
included a $50 million investment
by the airport authority that included
three cargo warehouses totaling
240,000 square feet and parking positions
for six 747 aircraft. The third and
most recent facility went into lease at
the end of January and will go into
operation with Menzies Aviation in
June 2023.
Chicago Rockford International
Airport Executive Director Mike
Dunn said the decision to expand
cargo operations was a no-brainer.
" We really looked at the airport as
an opportunity for economic development
for the region. Cargo was a
front of, not just the cargo market
in Rockford and Chicago, but really
the cargo market for the entire US. I
mean, air cargo, air freight, we're not
just talking about Chicago as being
the destination, we're really talking
about the entire Midwest. Anything
within roughly a 12-hour truck drive
is our market. "
According to Oakley, all three of
primary function in that economic
development, " Dunn said. " ... It
became very clear to us that the need
was with the cargo industry. "
Dunn said the most notable economic
impact has been the number
of jobs this project has brought to
the region.
" From a community standpoint,
I believe that if you talk to most
people in this area and the community
leaders in this region, they would
all agree that the Rockford Airport
is now the largest economic engine
in the area in terms of hiring, " Dunn
said. " We've gone from 10 years ago
to maybe a couple thousand people
working here on the airport campus
to over 8,000 people working here on
the airport campus. This has certainly
brought a lot of jobs. "
Chicago Rockford International
Airport Deputy Director of Operations
and Planning Zack Oakley said the
airport has the capacity to continue
growing its international cargo market.
" We have 240,000 square feet of
warehouse that is now up operating
with the parking positions just outside
the facility to be able to process the
cargo quickly, " Oakley said. " And
it just gives us that room to stay in
the latest cargo facility buildings were
built specifically for tenants Maersk,
Emery Air and Menzies.
Tailored for Cargo
Oakley said RFD must be different
than large passenger hub airports
because it has to be highly efficient.
" We have to be able to really focus
on the needs of the cargo operator,
which are completely different than
the needs of a passenger operation, "
Oakley said. " So it's really focusing
on the speed from the time the aircraft
touches ground down in Rockford,
till it gets parked, to the time that
freight is moving through the facility. "
Oakley said one of the biggest challenges
in air freight is the processing
or dwell time that freight sits in a
warehouse and the time that trucks
are sitting waiting to pick them up.
" One of the things that we're trying
to solve, and we've been working on,
is the digitization of that process to
make sure that there's communication
from the airline to the shipper or to
the trucking company, that we don't
see dwell time from the time the aircraft
touches down to the time the
cargo is processed and moving off the
airport. We're talking hours not days, "
Oakley said.
MARCH/APRIL 2023 \ AVIATIONPROS.COM / 13
http://www.AVIATIONPROS.COM

March-April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March-April 2023

Inside the Fence
Industry Update
Chicago Rockford to Expand Future Operations
The Intelligent Apron Becomes Reality
MKE Gate Management Goes Digital
How Technology Can Help Airports Maintain Safe Operations in Harsh Weather Conditions
Small Airports See Big Gains from Multitasking Equipment
More Airports Turn to Autonomous Cleaning Robots to Maintain Cleanliness
How Are Your Passenger Boarding Bridges Doing?
Denver Makes Room for Growth
How Technology is Changing Airport Operations
Airport Guru
Legal Matters
Passive Optical LAN Technology is Paving the Way for Airport Modernization and Sustainability
March-April 2023 - 1
March-April 2023 - 2
March-April 2023 - 3
March-April 2023 - 4
March-April 2023 - 5
March-April 2023 - Inside the Fence
March-April 2023 - 7
March-April 2023 - Industry Update
March-April 2023 - 9
March-April 2023 - 10
March-April 2023 - 11
March-April 2023 - Chicago Rockford to Expand Future Operations
March-April 2023 - 13
March-April 2023 - 14
March-April 2023 - 15
March-April 2023 - The Intelligent Apron Becomes Reality
March-April 2023 - 17
March-April 2023 - MKE Gate Management Goes Digital
March-April 2023 - 19
March-April 2023 - How Technology Can Help Airports Maintain Safe Operations in Harsh Weather Conditions
March-April 2023 - 21
March-April 2023 - Small Airports See Big Gains from Multitasking Equipment
March-April 2023 - 23
March-April 2023 - More Airports Turn to Autonomous Cleaning Robots to Maintain Cleanliness
March-April 2023 - 25
March-April 2023 - 26
March-April 2023 - 27
March-April 2023 - How Are Your Passenger Boarding Bridges Doing?
March-April 2023 - 29
March-April 2023 - Denver Makes Room for Growth
March-April 2023 - 31
March-April 2023 - 32
March-April 2023 - How Technology is Changing Airport Operations
March-April 2023 - 34
March-April 2023 - 35
March-April 2023 - Airport Guru
March-April 2023 - 37
March-April 2023 - Legal Matters
March-April 2023 - 39
March-April 2023 - Passive Optical LAN Technology is Paving the Way for Airport Modernization and Sustainability
March-April 2023 - 41
March-April 2023 - 42
March-April 2023 - 43
March-April 2023 - 44
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