New Zealand Team Scores Early Goal in South Africa

New Zealand Team Scores Early Goal in South Africa

International baggage handling and security screening systems designer and manufacturer, Glidepath, has scored an early opening goal in South Africa ahead of the football World Cup with the commissioning of a USD12.5 million project at the brand new King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

The new Durban airport terminal, which was officially opened on 1 May, is part of a vast infrastructure project which includes a new air cargo terminal, connecting motorways, a power station, waterworks and hotels, due to be completed in time for the expected influx of visitors attending the FIFA World Cup.

Glidepath, which has an established record of success in southern Africa, beat off a field of global heavyweights to win the multimillion dollar job to design, manufacture and install an inline, checked baggage screening system that can handle more than 3,000 bags an hour and 7.5 million passengers a year. It has also secured a five year contract to operate and maintain the Durban system.

“This was a complex design and build project and took 30 months to complete from contract award to final testing and commissioning. It represents a major milestone and is a validation for all Glidepath staff whose dedicated hard work and long hours ensured that the system could ‘go live’ flawlessly, which is no mean feat,” said Managing Director, Sir Kenneth Stevens. “We delivered the sophisticated system with its custom designed security innovations, well within deadline. This enabled us to conduct exhaustive testing and train Glidepath operations and maintenance staff as well as airport and airline staff to ensure the airport is ready and able to handle any number of scenarios and unexpected events. “

Glidepath, which has manufacturing plants for its proprietary systems and software in Auckland and Dallas, has successfully completed over 550 airport baggage handling systems worldwide, including in Johannesburg, the original Durban airport, Kruger, Harare and Botswana.

“We’re a global company,” says Sir Kenneth. “We have made our size, scope and specialist skills in the small to medium airport sector work to our advantage so that we are flexible, nimble, fresh thinkers that can compete against far bigger, but not necessarily better, companies. We can tailor innovative solutions to individual customer needs and offer a cost effective, integrated quality job from initial concepts through to commissioning and after service.

“What sets us apart is that we understand air travel. We put the customer and our relationships first but also consider the travellers’ experience and demand for safety,” he said. “We also go where the work is and are investing in making sure we have the people on the ground and accessible in our diverse geographic markets to build and manage enduring relationships.”

The company has recently expanded its presence in India with the opening of a new Mumbai office and taken on additional sales and engineering staff to support projects in Indore and Cochin.

Glidepath has also made inroads in China with the establishment of a [Shanghai] base and appointment of key personnel to manage a growing workload which has included installation of a Powerwalk moving walkway for the Saudi Arabian pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.

It recently completed a baggage system installation for the Saudis at Madden Selah Airport and is working on an in-line screening system at Yanbu Airport. The company has also completed an airport baggage system in Chile and has work-in progress in Peru with a contract to upgrade equipment at seven airports.

System Specifications for King Shaka International Airport in Durban
The baggage handling system is comprised of more than 2400 metres of multilevel conveyors that transfer baggage from 72 check-in desks on the terminal’s first floor, down to the main screening area which is suspended on a mezzanine platform, then down to the flight make-up area on the ground floor.
There are four inline EDS screening machines, four vertical sortation machines and 32 diverters to process, screen and sort baggage to the appropriate flight make-up points. Any suspect bags are diverted to an inline CT machine for further processing. Many redundant features have been designed and built into the system so in the unlikely event of a breakdown, multiple conveyors can be reversed, bypassing the problem area.

ENDS

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