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The new UPS hub is a key step in building Clark AeroDistrict, the 759-hectare airport city planned around Clark International Airport, according to airport operator Luzon International Premiere Airport Development Corporation
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The masterplan sets aside areas for cargo, freight services, aircraft maintenance and commercial developments
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Clark AeroDistrict is positioned as a gateway to the Luzon Economic Corridor, linking the airport to industrial estates and transport networks
Clark International Airport (CRK) operator Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation sees the newly expanded UPS hub as an early anchor for Clark AeroDistrict, its 759-hectare airport city within the Clark Freeport Zone. The development is meant to bring aviation, cargo, logistics and commerce together in one place.
“Clark International Airport has always been more than an airport. It is a gateway that connects people, businesses, and opportunities,” said LIPAD president and CEO Noel Manankil in a statement. “Developments such as the new UPS hub demonstrate the growing role of Clark AeroDistrict in supporting global trade and logistics.”
A masterplan built around cargo
Clark AeroDistrict was masterplanned by global infrastructure consulting firm AECOM. Anchored by CRK, it will have dedicated areas for cargo operations, freight services, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities, general aviation, and commercial and mixed-use developments. Space has also been set aside for future airport expansion.
LIPAD said the district’s location gives locators access to nearby industrial and manufacturing estates, business process outsourcing firms and established transport networks. CRK and Clark AeroDistrict also serve as a gateway to the Luzon Economic Corridor, improving the movement of goods and people across Luzon and drawing more private investment to the region.
The LIPAD consortium behind the project includes Changi Airports International, JG Summit Holdings, Filinvest Development Corporation and Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions (PAGSS). Together, they bring expertise in airport management, aviation, logistics, transport, property development, hospitality and ground services.
What the UPS hub adds
The UPS hub, which opened recently, is a US$80-million-plus investment covering 30,000 square meters, over 15 times larger than UPS’s previous Clark facility. It raises UPS’s average daily volume to 46,000 packages from 5,000, and peak processing capacity to 15,000 packages per hour from 1,250.
The hub also adds cold chain capability to Clark. It has three refrigeration and freezer units operating between -20°C and 25°C, dedicated re-icing facilities, and UPS Premier radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for priority handling of healthcare shipments.
UPS operates 170 weekly flight segments to and from Clark, connecting businesses to Asia Pacific, India, Europe and the United States in as little as one business day. The hub has created nearly 600 jobs, many filled by residents of Pampanga and nearby areas.
READ: UPS opens $80M Clark hub, its largest PH investment
UPS opened its first Clark hub in 2002 and will mark 25 years at the airport in 2027.
