Luton Airport and GXO Logistics have announced the launch of the airport’s new consolidation centre this week, which will streamline the delivery and processing of thousands of retail goods delivered to the airport each year.
The facility, which is managed and operated by GXO, will consolidate hundreds of thousands of airside deliveries of goods from multiple suppliers to over 50 shops and restaurants across the airport terminal.
The consolidated deliveries will be made using lower carbon HVO-powered vehicles and are expected to reduce vehicle movements and emissions across the airport campus.
The new centre, which will create around 30 new jobs, is housed in one of three previously empty hangars, formerly owned by Monarch Airlines and acquired by LLA in February 2024.
The development is part of a major £11.5m refurbishment programme that will see the two remaining vacant hangars repurposed to accommodate an easyJet apprenticeship training campus for aspiring engineers, and aircraft engineering and maintenance facilities.
Once complete, the refurbishment programme is expected to create a total of around 150 new jobs.
Martin Cooper, GXO UK and Ireland managing director for technology and consumer goods, commented: “This new consolidation centre is a great addition to London Luton Airport’s operation and a project we’re delighted to be part of.
“Consolidation centres like this simplify and streamline the supply chain for everyone involved - from suppliers through to the shops and restaurants serving LLA’s passengers.
“For almost two decades, we’ve operated in complex logistics environments, including airport consolidation - and we’re looking forward to bringing that experience to LLA, streamlining its delivery process and making it more efficient, automated and secure.”
Alberto Martin, Luton Airport chief executive, added: “The facility provides the airport with an even more efficient, resilient and scalable platform to receive and consolidate thousands of goods, from soap to sauces, on behalf of the growing number of shops and restaurants that our passengers can now enjoy across the terminal.”
