Aéroports de Lyon, Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), Prologis and Groupe em2c have officially opened a new air cargo handling facility in the CargoPort zone of Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, marking a new stage in the development of the airport’s freight infrastructure.
Known as Aéroport de Lyon DC1, the facility was developed by Prologis, the global logistics real estate company and long-term investor, and will be operated by WFS, a SATS Group company and global provider of airport services.
Integrated directly into the airport’s existing CargoPort infrastructure, the new facility is designed to strengthen cargo handling capabilities while supporting the continued movement of air freight through Lyon-Saint Exupéry.
The inauguration brings together the airport operator, cargo handling company and logistics real estate partners behind a project that has now moved into its operational phase within the airport’s dedicated cargo area.
Fifteen months after construction began, Aéroport de Lyon DC1 is now operational. The facility has been designed to manage cargo flows between landside access points, handling areas and airside operations, providing dedicated spaces for different categories of freight before shipments move onto the airside.
Its configuration is intended to simplify cargo movements, reduce the number of handling steps and improve operational reliability, helping create faster and more seamless air freight processes.
Vincent Sadé, Vice President, Head of Capital Deployment, France, at Prologis, said the project reflects the company’s broader approach to developing infrastructure around customers’ operational requirements.
“Aéroport de Lyon DC1 reflects the evolution of our business: beyond the building itself, we design infrastructure that is directly integrated into our customers’ operations. Our role was to align the constraints of the airport environment, real estate requirements, and WFS’s operational needs to create a solution that is fit for purpose, high-performing, and built to last.”
WFS has been operating at Lyon Airport since 1971. With the opening of Aéroport de Lyon DC1, the company is consolidating its local activities in a single facility, allowing it to serve its 380 customers from one location while continuing to expand its cargo operations within CargoPort.
For WFS, the new site is also intended to provide additional capacity to respond to changing market requirements, particularly in specialized segments.
Laurent Bernard, Vice President, France, at WFS, described the facility as an important new phase for the company’s presence in Lyon.
“Aéroport de Lyon DC1 marks a new chapter for WFS in Lyon. Directly connected to the airfield, this new facility gives our teams an optimal working environment to support our growth. With this next-generation facility, we will be ideally positioned to respond to changes in the air cargo market, particularly in high-value segments such as pharmaceuticals, while improving operational efficiency and handling capacity.”
The project brings together the expertise of four partners, with responsibilities divided across development, construction, airport integration and operations.
Prologis led the development of Aéroport de Lyon DC1 and remains the facility’s long-term investor. Groupe em2c was responsible for the design, construction coordination and technical supervision of the project.
WFS will operate the facility and bring its Lyon-based activities together at the new site, while Aéroports de Lyon has overseen the integration of the building into CargoPort’s airport infrastructure and operating environment.
Environmental performance is also part of the project’s design, with the building targeting BREEAM Very Good certification.
Yvan Patet, President of Groupe em2c, said the project reflects a common vision among regional and international partners aimed at contributing to economic development in the region.
According to Patet, the facility demonstrates how advisory expertise, strategic support, technical capabilities and supply chain knowledge can be combined to create infrastructure adapted to the specific requirements of air cargo while incorporating sustainable real estate principles.
Aéroport de Lyon DC1 provides 25,313 square metres of usable floor space on a 52,000-square-metre site.
The facility includes 19,200 square metres of warehouse space divided across three air cargo handling units. Within that total, 4,400 square metres are dedicated to cold storage, supporting cargo requiring controlled temperatures.
The site also includes 3,700 square metres of office space spread across the first and second floors. These offices are arranged in two blocks located on the northern and southern sides of the building, alongside 700 square metres of operational office space specifically for WFS.
To support cargo handling activity, the facility has 36 loading doors, including five dedicated to aircraft pallet transfers.
With its direct connection to the airfield, consolidated WFS operations and dedicated temperature-controlled capacity, Aéroport de Lyon DC1 is positioned as an expanded cargo handling platform for Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport as air freight volumes and specialized cargo requirements continue to evolve.
