With the growth of e-commerce, the demand for air freight is also increasing was the main message of this year’s BUD Air Cargo Day. Held for the seventh time, the Air Cargo Day has become the most important event in the Hungarian air cargo industry.
The BUD Air Cargo Day was held on 8 October 2024 at the Bálna Conference Centre when more than 250 professionals gathered in the Hungarian capital to discuss future trends, challenges and innovation opportunities in the logistics sector. HGL Group was represented by Paul Szeman, owner and CEO of the group, and Csaba Németh, Managing Director, who participated in the event which was organised by Budapest Airport.
ACE was a strategic partner at the meeting. ACE is an exclusive, premium networking event that brings together experts and industry leaders from the international air cargo logistics and freight forwarding sector.
The Importance And Future Of Air Freight
The conference was opened by Francois Berisot, CEO of Budapest Airport, followed by presentations by a number of renowned experts. Among them were Steven Polmans, President of TIACA, Marcell Németh, Senior Manager of KPMG, and Dennis Li, CEO of Cainiao Network. The presentations and panel discussions during the event made it clear that, while the air freight market has seen a recent slowdown, it still has huge potential for growth.
Opening speech by Francois Berisot (Photo: LinkedIn page of BUD Air Cargo Day)
According to József Kossuth, cargo director at Budapest Airport, speed, reliability and connectivity remain the key values of air transport, and the boom in e-commerce has become one of the main drivers for air freight, especially thanks to the growth of Asian markets. József Kossuth pointed out that the development of e-commerce continues to generate strong demand and offsets the loss of some weaker sectors.
During the event, a number of presentations addressed the importance of digital solutions, such as the digitalisation of cargo. Sustainability was also a frequent theme, with SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) and improvements in loading factors all key to the future.
Panel discussion on air freight. (Photo: LinkedIn page of BUD Air Cargo Day)
The Role Of HGL Group In Air Freight
HGL Group is also an important player in the Hungarian air freight market. The logistics company is a prominent partner of Budapest Airport and is involved in a number of international projects that contribute to the growth of freight traffic in Hungary.
Commenting on the theme of BUD Air Cargo Day, Paul Szeman, owner and CEO of HGL, said
„We are proud to contribute to the success of the sector. The Hungarian airport’s outstanding results are backed by professional air freight forwarders who, together with Budapest Aiport, work every day to deliver their products quickly and safely to destinations around the world. And the biggest winners of this professional cooperation are the customers themselves.”
Csaba Németh, Managing Director (left) and Paul Szeman, Owner and CEO (right) representing HGL Group at BUD Air Cargo Day. (Photo: HGL Group)
Growing E-commerce
E-commerce was one of the key themes of the event, as it continues to be one of the most important drivers of goods transported by air. “Budapest Airport and the HGL Group are continuously improving their infrastructure to keep pace with the growing demand for e-commerce shipments.” – said Csaba Németh. HGL’s Managing Director who added:
“Our company is pioneering the expansion of customs clearance, enabling new customs areas to be connected to the handling of e-commerce goods. This is particularly important during peak periods at the end of the year, such as Black Friday and the weeks before Christmas, when delivery systems are under severe pressure.”
The experts gathered at BUD Air Cargo Day agreed that air cargo will remain one of the most important sectors in the world of logistics for a long time to come.