Joe Czyzyk, Mercury CEO, was jubilant:
“New volumes of flowers and other perishables will come from Bogotá, Colombia and Quito, Ecuador and elsewhere non-stop to LAX instead of entering the U.S. at Miami International Airport.

“This new shift in the flower supply chain will save considerable time, making flowers and other fresh shipments available to consumers on a faster, fresher and less-expensive basis.”
Mercury Air Cargo, the big third party cargo handler based at LAX, opened a new 12,700-square-foot refrigeration unit that sets a record as the largest cool chain facility of its kind at any airport on the U.S. West Coast.

LAX Mercury is the second-largest air cargo handler overall, based on 2007 tonnage.
Mercury operates out of three leaseholds at LAX, the largest being a 200,000-square-foot facility on Avion Boulevard where the new reefer lives.

Built to accommodate a projected 8,500 tons of perishables annually,among others, Mercury handles growing numbers of LAN Cargo air freighters from South America.

LAN Cargo is expected to grow frequencies and also size of freighters with B777Fs on order.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pictured (center) with Mr. Czyzyk (left) and Gina Marie Lindsey, Executive Director of Los Angeles World Airports (right) noted that the new reefer operation will “build both jobs and trade for Southern California”.

Gina Marie agreed calling the facility a new landmark for air shippers.
Geoffrey