SAHCO deepens operations with N1 billion new ground handling equipment

Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc yesterday enhanced its operations with the acquisition of state-of-the-art ground handling equipment worth of N1 billion.

With this development, the company, which recently enlisted on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), has further cemented its position as the leading ground handling company in West and Central African Regions.

Speaking at the commissioning, held at the Engineering and Maintenance Workshop, Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, the Managing Director of SAHCO, Basil Agboarumi, said besides the machines being unveiled, other equipment are at Onne Port in Port Harcourt awaiting final clearance.

Some of the equipment are Ground Power Units (GPU), Load Banks, Tow bars, Tyre Removal Machines and 10 new engines for ground operations.
Agboarumi said SAHCO was already changing the face of aviation Ground Handling services in Nigeria with its latest acquisition, stressing that the company would consistently offer its clients the best of services anywhere in the country.He added that with the regularly upgrade and investment on equipment, SAHCO would be a force to reckon with in global aviation industry.

“As a ground handling company, we want to ensure that we do ground handling to the highest industry standards. We understand that we need to deploy equipment that will make our clients happy and we also know that we have to partner with our clients. SAHCO is moving towards making the right impacts in the industry. We always want to operate safe and efficient ground handling operations for our clients,” he said.

Assistant General Manager, Maintenance and Engineering, Toyin Oriowo, said that the equipment acquired were some of the major machines in the global aviation industry.

Oriowo hinted that the equipment came with safety devices that prevent damages to the machines or aircraft, stressing that the GPU had a capacity of 140KVA, while a major aircraft highest capacity was 90KVA.

“What we are commissioning today is the latest technology in town with lots of safety devices to prevent damages to either the equipment or the aircraft,” he said.He noted that the tow bars could handle Airbus A320, Boeing 737, A330, A340-200/300, A350, B767, B777, B787 and IL96. Others are DC10/MD 11, L10 11, A340-500/600 and B747. According to him, the equipment, which were manufactured in France came with training for its technical personnel.

SAHCO is an aviation ground handling company that is involved in Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo services and Warehousing, Aviation security services, Ground Support Maintenance services, Crew Bus and Executive Lounge Services and other related Ground Handling Services while ensuring that Ground Handling assignments is carried out in an efficient, speedy and safe manner by deploying appropriate tools.