DHL Express begins work on $292M facility at Cincinnati airport
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DHL Express has broken ground on a massive aviation maintenance facility and expanded aircraft apron at its global hub at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
The logistics provider said the $292 million project will allow for more efficient aircraft repairs and accommodate more aircraft, with 300 jobs being added as a result.
DHL said the aviation maintenance hangar will be built on an additional 50 acres of land being leased by the company and can house two Boeing-777s side by side. The expanded aircraft apron will feature eight new aircraft gates and three new maintenance gates.
“Over the last several years, we have been enhancing our network capabilities with newer and more fuel-efficient aircraft, and this new facility complements those efforts with additional space for more aircraft to be maintained at the same time,” DHL Express Executive Vice President of Global Aviation Rob Hyslop said in a news release. “This translates into faster turnaround times, making the fleet more efficient to handle a growing volume of shipments.”
Plans for the project were first announced in 2023, and DHL said the cost has increased from the original estimate of $192 million due to a jump in local market costs for labor and materials.
The expansion is part of a joint venture between DHL Express and service partner Kalitta Air. The partners will work together to oversee aircraft maintenance activity at the facility.
The new facility is expected to be complete by January 2026.