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Our Bureau

To add new-generation freighter aircraft in June

Bangalore , March 22

Setting up its next aviation hub in Ahmedabad in June and adding 45 facilities across the country with a Rs 25-crore investment during the current calendar year are some of the decisions that are expected to help Blue Dart increase its market share in the air express courier business.

The company has three aviation hubs in the southern region — in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad — and one each in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

With the booming economy set to grow by more than eight per cent in the coming years, Blue Dart is bracing itself up to consolidate its leadership position of 39 per cent market share, said Mr Malcolm Monteiro, Managing Director.

Super-hub facility

Briefing newspersons here on Wednesday about the company's new super-hub facility near Whitefield here, Mr Monteiro said Blue Dart would also be adding two new-generation freighter aircraft in June to meet the increasing demand for its services. It operates a fleet of five Boeing 737-200 aircraft, with a capacity utilisation of 89 per cent.

"This is the reason why we have decided to add two higher capacity Boeing 737s to our fleet," he said. Blue Dart, which has an overall 6-lakh sq ft of integrated air and ground warehousing capacity, would add an aggregate of 1,21,645 sq ft facility area in India by next year.

Revenues up

The company posted a revenue of Rs 536 crore in January-December 2005, a growth of 24 per cent. The current year's numbers are expected to be "pretty much the same," Mr Monteiro said.

South India, witnessing a fast economic growth, contributed 35 per cent of its total revenue. Of this, Bangalore accounted for 13-14 per cent and occupied second spot after Chennai.

Blue Dart handled about 42,000 tonnes from the South between January and December, almost equivalent to the total exports and imports out of Bangalore airport last year, he said.

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