Air Canada Cargo has marked the one-year anniversary of the successful implementation of Lödige Industries’ Cargo Professional air cargo management software at its terminal at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The upgraded system played an essential part in the ongoing operation of the company’s cargo operations as well as aiding in future automation and modernization.
On 30th September 2025 at midnight, Lödige Industries’ technology replaced the terminal’s old control system. Operations resumed an hour later under the new system, supported by 24/7 maintenance services and remote monitoring by Lödige Industries’ Customer Care Center (CCC).
This required very close coordination between Lödige Industries’ engineering, software, production and onsite teams. This included managing the migration to the new system as well as providing technical support and operational stability around the launch and beyond.
The project consisted of two components, the low level programmable logic controller (PLC) layer and the high level unit load device (ULD) management system. Cargo Professional is designed to bring these processes together on a single data platform, minimizing manual data entry, reducing errors and providing operators with better visibility of terminal activities.
The improved controls environment was also designed with future growth in mind, providing the ability to expand and automate further as cargo volumes and operating requirements change.
In the first ten full months of operation after the transition the system moved more than 250 000 tons of cargo. One year after it was commissioned, Air Canada Cargo’s daily operations at Toronto Pearson, one of Canada’s leading air cargo hubs, are ongoing at the upgraded facility.
“From its first year of operation, we saw the value of combining software, controls, engineering and service in one integrated approach,” said Jonathan Hardy, Managing Director at Lödige Industries North America.
“Live operation in the first year demonstrates what can be achieved when software, controls, engineering and service are considered as one integrated system,” said Hardy. “It was an important milestone to deliver the transition without disruption to the ongoing cargo operations.“A year of reliable operation at this scale demonstrates the strength of the digital foundation we have built together and lays a strong foundation for the next stages of modernization.
Now with the new control system in place, Air Canada Cargo has entered the next phase of its terminal modernization program.
Upgrades planned include a new Elevating Transfer Vehicle (ETV) and Mobile Transfer Device (MTD). The terminal is also preparing for the future implementation of an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) in some of its sections.
With automation proliferation the planned developments are expected to improve ULD handling, increase material flow and provide the terminal with greater operational flexibility.
Lödige Industries, headquartered in Paderborn, Germany, is a global supplier of air cargo terminal solutions and automated parking systems. The company also offers logistics systems for warehouses and industrial sites, as well as lift and material handling solutions.
