dnata expands into Italy’s cargo market with new facility

dnata is moving deeper into Italy’s cargo market with a major investment at Milan’s Malpensa Airport. The company will build a new€25 million cargo facility through its local arm, Airport Handling, marking one of its biggest steps in the country so far.

Clive Sauvé-Hopkins, CEO, dnata Airport Operations, added: “Europe remains a cornerstone of our global expansion strategy, and this project allows us to build future-ready cargo capacity in a high-potential market. We will continue to invest in advanced infrastructure and technologies to deliver best-in-class services across our operations.”

The project follows a competitive bid run by the SEA Group, which operates Milan’s airports. Once complete, the development is expected to create around 200 new jobs and give a strong boost to the region’s logistics sector at a time when demand for cargo capacity continues to rise.

The new building will sit inside Malpensa’s Cargo City and cover 10,000 sqm. It will be able to handle 100,000 tonnes of cargo a year, including perishables, medicines, dangerous goods, engines and vehicles. The facility is designed to run on energy-efficient systems such as solar power and LED lighting, and will support low-emission equipment on the ground. Airport Handling aims to open the site in September 2027. The expansion will also push the company closer to becoming a full-service ground handler in Milan, adding cargo operations to the ramp and passenger services it already provides for more than 60 airlines.