PrimeFlight Aviation Services has acquired the cargo handling operations of StratAir, an international freight forwarder that has decided to focus on its core business, expanding its footprint and business opportunities at three airports, the company announced on Monday.
The transaction comes less than two weeks after FreightWaves reported that StratAir’s parent company, Seattle-based freight transportation, energy and logistics provider Saltchuk Resources moved to ground the four Boeing 767 widebody freighters operated by subsidiary Northern Air Cargo as the airline retrenches in Hawaii and Alaska utilizing standard-size aircraft on local routes.
Sugarland, Texas-based PrimeFlight Aviation Services will absorb StratAir’s 120,000-square foot cargo warehouse and workforce at Miami International Airport, as well as ground handling operations in Richmond, Virginia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, into its cargo division.
PrimeFlight Aviation, owned by The Sterling Group and Capitol Meridian Partners, is an agent for passenger airlines at more than 200 locations, mostly in North America, providing baggage handling, fueling, deicing, and other services. It also provides cargo services in 10 domestic markets, including loading and unloading for Amazon Air in Houston, Kansas City, Missouri; St. Louis, Portland, Oregon; and Ontario, California. In Mexico, It processes cargo at a dozen locations for passenger airline Viva Aerobus.
In July, PrimeFlight Aviation acquired a Turkish refueling and aircraft maintenance company. Earlier this year, PrimeFlight acquired London-based Airbase GSE, which offers air container repair and logistics services, as well as cabin repair and maintenance, at Heathrow Airport and Frankfurt Airport in Germany. It also bought Airworld Handling, a cargo and mail handler with a border inspection post business at Heathrow.
“This acquisition is a key step forward in our mission to build a world-class, integrated cargo handling network,” Craig Smyth, president and CEO of PrimeFlight, said in a news release. The StratAir transaction follows PrimeFlight’s recent acquisition of AirWorld, a cargo and mail handler at London Heathrow Airport.
The addition of London and Miami facilities gives PrimeFlight cargo infrastructure at two large international air hubs.
“Together, these investments reflect our commitment to developing a scalable platform focused on high-volume cargo gateways and specialized product handling — supporting the industry’s growing demand for time-critical and e-commerce-driven logistics solutions,” Smyth added.
Saltchuk Aviation, the former owner of StratAir, supported its growth since acquiring the company in 2016. Northern Air Cargo operated a couple 767 freighters on a charter lease with StratAir. It also laid off 30 employees, in addition to winding down 767 operations.
PrimeFlight said StratAir’s operations will function under its current brand, but over time the business will transition to the PrimeFlight name. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The legacy StratAir will continue to conduct import/export business from its distribution center near Miami airport, Amanda Byers, a PrimeFlight vice president, confirmed.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
Northern Air Cargo abandons big freighter aircraft, cuts staff
