SINGAPORE: November 15, 2016. Singapore Airlines Cargo has outsourced the maintenance and repair (M&R) of its ULDs to CHEP Aerospace Solutions.

The ULD management company will also provide the carrier with real-time data for asset storage, control, inventory and delivery in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas.

"Our new five-year agreement with Singapore Airlines Cargo increases our participation in the Asia Pacific region where we have a ULD management agreement in place with another major carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways," said CHEP president and CEO Ludwig Bertsch.

Earlier this month Brambles, the ULD logistics management company, announced it would complete the sale of CHEP to private fund manager EQT Infrastructure II for a net US$125 million by the end of November.

Brambles chairman Tom Gorman explained the setting up CHEP was part of a strategy to leverage the company's asset management and supply chain expertise in new industries. He said the reason to divest was the result of a continued focus "aimed at allocating capital more effectively and optimizing the strategic fit of businesses within our portfolio to ensure we address customer needs and deliver long-term value to shareholders".

Formed in 2011, CHEP provides ULD pooling, management and maintenance for the airline industry. The business owns approximately 100,000 ULDs and supports more than 90 airlines across a network of 48 global service centers and 420 airports.