06/10/2021
In Brucargo, Brussels Airport’s logistics zone, the new logistics warehouse for the Hongyuan Group has been inaugurated. Hongyuan Group is a Chinese cross-border trade integrated service provider and has chosen Brussels Airport as the strategic location for their new European Headquarters. This long-term lease will not only expand the Hongyuan network but also strengthens Brussels Airport’s connectivity to Asia. The collaboration as strategic partners has been sealed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Hongyuan Group, a logistics service provider based in Beijing, has been operating at Brussels Airport since October 2020, chartering flights with multiple airlines. Hongyuan and Brussels Airport have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as strategic partners to further develop Brussels Airport as Hongyuan’s main gateway for general cargo and to develop e-commerce flows between China and Europe on the one hand and between Europe, Americas and Africa on the other hand.
Hongyuan has seen a rapid growth in its air cargo operations in Europe, and with the successful development of the "Air Silk Road" between China and Belgium, it became necessary to expand their infrastructure and find a new strategic location, which it found at Brussels Airport. Hongyuan is the first Chinese logistic player deploying a European logistical footprint at Brussels Airport to take their logistical services to a higher level. Hongyuan and Brussels Airport have concluded a long-term lease agreement for a warehouse that will serve as their European headquarters and will enable them to expand their operations in Europe.
“After the successful start-up of their operations at Brussels Airport in the past year, we are pleased to welcome Hongyuan Group in their new warehouse at our airport and to anchor our partnership with this Memorandum of Understanding. Being part of the Hongyuan network strengthens/from our role as the gateway to Europe for their Chinese and European clients. We are looking forward to a fruitful and long-term collaboration.”, says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport.
“We chose Brussels Airport as our new European headquarters as it is truly the strategic gateway to Europe. Now we can increase our operations, together with our partners at Brussels Airport. We have the ambition to become a key partner in the world of logistics around Brussels Airport. In the future, we want to gradually open additional international freight routes such as Europe, America and Southeast Asia and increase export business to China.", said Cling Guo, Director of Hongyuan Group Europe.
The 8,000 m² warehouse, owned by Brussels Airport, has first line access and is fully renewed to accommodate general cargo flows offering high end services for Hongyuan’s customers in China and Europe. There is an integrated IT-platform to enable on the spot traceability. Hongyuan can now intensify its activities and in 2022 it will also have its own airline. This upscaling of its operations at Brussels Airport also creates additional jobs, Hongyuan already has 40 employees working at Brussels Airport and in the short term there will be up to 60 additional vacancies (direct and indirect).