AgustaWestland, one of the world’s largest helicopter companies, has appointed XPO Logistics to coordinate the handling, storage and transportation of eight Lynx Mk21A helicopters from Brazil to the UK.
Part of Italy’s Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland has its main facilities in Italy, the UK, the USA and Poland, and operates globally through a number of subsidiaries, joint ventures and collaborative programmes with major aerospace and defence companies. AgustaWestland has over 12,850 employees worldwide and revenues of €4.37 billion.
AgustaWestland in the UK has a longstanding relationship with XPO Logistics to provide a flexible, cost effective logistics operation for the transportation of helicopter parts. In an extension of this relationship, XPO Logistics global forwarding teams will be responsible for transporting the eight Lynx helicopters to the UK for a phased upgrade programme.
The Brazilian Navy has tasked AgustaWestland with replacing engines, navigation systems, display consoles and mission avionics on the maritime helicopters. The programme will take place at the company’s manufacturing and maintenance facility in Yeovil, Somerset.
Upon completion of each upgrade, XPO Logistics will be responsible for returning the refurbished helicopters back to Brazil by air and sea freight solutions, using its expertise with over-dimensional cargoes to facilitate safe transportation. This will involve specialist handling equipment and bespoke protection throughout the journey.
In Brazil, the global forwarding business of XPO Logistics operates from locations in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and has a wealth of experience in Brazilian logistics, including complex customs regulations and naval procedures for export and import.
“XPO Logistics manages regular inbound and outbound movements of spare parts for us in Brazil, and has shipped helicopters to the UK on two previous occasions,” said Jim Joyce, Customer Service & Support at AgustaWestland. “Their supply chain expertise provides us with a trusted end-to-end solution and the extremely high levels of service that are critical in the aviation sector.”