SACO Airport Equipment

What SACO Airport Equipment does

SACO Airport Equipment, founded in 1951 in Mierlo, Netherlands, and operating as a division of SMA Group, designs and manufactures turnkey air cargo handling and storage systems for Unit Load Devices (ULDs). Its product portfolio spans the full operational stack: System Level 110 budget handling systems, the proprietary Slave Pallet system, Elevating Transfer Vehicles (ETVs) with up to four-level automated storage, manual and powered roller decks, truck and dolly docks, build-up/break-down workstations, scissor lifts, weighing stations, transfer vehicles, and the Buffer TEP automated transport system. All systems use PLC-based electrical controls and are designed for SCADA integration, enabling semi-automatic to fully automatic operation modes. The product set is built around a modular architecture of standard components that can be expanded, modified, or upgraded as cargo volume grows.

SACO serves a global enterprise customer base across six target markets: Express/E-Commerce, Airlines, Airports, Freight Forwarders, Ground Handlers, and Other Markets (including military and specialised sectors such as flower auctions). Named blue-chip customers include DHL (Leipzig and Barcelona hubs), Swissport (Chicago O'Hare), Worldwide Flight Services (Madrid), Havas (Istanbul), Maersk (Eindhoven), Air France Cargo (CDG), Air New Zealand (Auckland), Yusen Air & Sea Service (Schiphol), and the Belgian Military (A400M support). The company has delivered more than 500 projects across 50+ countries since founding.

Revenue is generated through a direct enterprise sales model with a quote-based, project-pricing approach and multi-year contracts. Two revenue streams are evident: (1) hardware sales of capital equipment and full turnkey system installations, and (2) recurring service, maintenance, and after-sales support (preventive/corrective maintenance, remote monitoring, spare parts, and training). GTM is sales-led and event-driven, anchored by a dedicated sales organisation (Director Sales & Projects, Major Accounts Manager, regional Sales Managers) and active participation in IATA World Cargo Symposium, TIACA Air Cargo Forum, Inter Airport Europe, and similar industry events. The company is privately held, with no disclosed financials.

Name

SACO Airport Equipment

Legal name

SACO Airport Equipment

Website

https://saco.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SACO Airport Equipment, founded 1951 in the Netherlands, manufactures turnkey air cargo handling systems — conveyors, ETVs, and the proprietary Slave Pallet — for airports, airlines, ground handlers, and freight forwarders across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Airport Ground Support Equipment

NAICS

Conveyor and Conveying Equipment Manufacturing (333922), Support Activities for Air Transportation (4881)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Industrial Trucks, Tractors, Trailors & Stackers (3537)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulk Cargo Handling Services (Conveying, Grab/Loader Ops, Bagging) (TLAHALAI)

Keywords

• Air cargo handling
• ULD storage systems
• Ground support equipment
• Cargo conveyor systems
• Automated cargo warehousing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mierlo

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Air Cargo Handling Systems and Equipment Sales: Design, manufacture, and supply of turnkey Cargo Handling Equipment and Systems including manual and powered conveyor decks, truck docks, workstations, scissor lifts, weighing stations, storage systems with (E)TVs, and Slave Pallet systems. Revenue generated from equipment sales and system installations for enterprise customers.
2. Service, Maintenance, and After-Sales Support: Comprehensive maintenance services including preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, remote monitoring and support, spare parts supply, and training. Service contracts tailored to customer operational requirements. Revenue generated through ongoing service agreements and spare parts sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

SACO Airport Equipment designs, manufactures, and supplies turnkey air cargo handling and storage systems for airports, airlines, ground handlers, freight forwarders, and e-commerce logistics operators. The portfolio spans manual and powered conveyor decks, truck and dolly docks, build-up/break-down workstations, scissor lifts, weighing stations, ULD storage, Elevating Transfer Vehicles (ETVs), and the proprietary Slave Pallet system. Solutions are custom-engineered, modular, and expandable, with lifecycle service and spare-parts support.

Product overview

SACO Airport Equipment offers a comprehensive portfolio of air cargo handling systems and equipment, ranging from manual to fully automated solutions. The core product line includes the System Level 110 (Budget Cargo Handling System) for manual ULD maneuvering, the Slave Pallet System for flexible cargo handling, and Elevating Transfer Vehicles (ETVs) for multi-level storage and transport operations. Supporting products include System Level 508 roller decks (manual and powered variants), Truck Docks, Dolly Docks, Build-up/Break-down Work Stations, Transfer Vehicles, Friction Powered Roller Decks, and ULD Storage systems. The turnkey solutions are built around a modular concept using standard components that can be expanded, modified, or upgraded as business needs grow. The company also offers the Buffer TEP System for automated ULD transport between different handling zones.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• System Level 110 (Budget Cargo Handling System) A cost-effective solution for manual maneuvering of Unit Load Devices (ULDs), designed for smaller cargo operations or facilities with limited automation. Features a system height of 110 cm with 3 or 6 roller configuration options, including castor decks, pallet stops (single/double), and side guides.
• Slave Pallet A safe and cost-effective product for flexible handling of air cargo pallets and containers (ULDs) in warehouses or cargo terminals. Enables build-up/break-down of pallets at any suitable place within the warehouse and can be configured into dedicated conveyor systems, stacked when not in use to save floor space. System height 208mm.
• Slave Pallet System - Pallet Master Ride-On Battery-powered slave pallet mover (48 VDC system) for maneuvering ULDs on slave pallets. Turning radius 3,200 mm, lift capacity 8,000 kg, lift stroke 185-550 mm for docking slave pallets to conveyors at the 508 mm standard transfer height.
• Elevating Transfer Vehicles (ETV) Specialized automated equipment designed to receive, hold, and transfer ULDs along the length of a track, interfacing with motor-powered conveyor equipment and multi-level storage deck systems with friction-powered roller decks. Available in 10ft, 15ft, 20ft, and 10ft WEP sizes. Typical operating heights at 1st level 508mm, 2nd level 4,008mm, 3rd level 7,508mm, 4th level 11,008mm. Available with weighing system option and automatic or semi-automatic operation.
• System Level 508 - Manual Roller Decks Manual roller deck systems for safe and efficient ULD handling operations with low maintenance requirements.
• System Level 508 - Powered Motor Roller Decks Motor-powered roller decks for ergonomic and efficient ULD handling operations with automated material flow.
• Truck Docks Specialized truck docking equipment for loading and unloading of cargo, designed for safe and efficient truck-to-warehouse transfers (scissor lifts with motor-powered roller deck configurations).
• Dolly Docks Equipment for efficient loading and unloading of cargo dollies at air cargo facilities.
• Build-up/Break-down Work Stations (BUBD) Workstations designed for efficient ULD build-up and break-down operations with integrated safety features.
• Transfer Vehicles (TV) Vehicles for internal transport of ULDs within cargo facilities, providing increased efficiency, cost savings, and improved safety.
• Friction Powered Roller Decks Friction-powered roller deck systems for efficient ULD transport with space savings and enhanced safety, paired with multi-level storage deck systems.
• ULD Storage Systems Storage systems for ULDs providing safe, cost-effective, and efficient storage with improved productivity.
• Buffer TEP System ULD transport system that automatically conveys ULDs between truck docking area and AGV docking area, featuring 31 motor powered roller decks (NEP), 21 motor powered roller decks (WEP), 11 motor powered right angle decks, 4 operating modes (Fully Automatic, Semi-Automatic, Manual, Maintenance), position monitoring, operational priority routing, and SCADA system integration.
• Service, Maintenance, and After-Sales Support Comprehensive maintenance and lifecycle services for installed air cargo handling systems, including preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, remote monitoring and support, spare parts supply, training, and tailored service contracts for installed-base customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000 packages processed per hour at DHL Leipzig hub
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SMA GroupcoreOthersSMA Group is the parent company of SACO Airport Equipment. SACO is described as 'a division of SMA Group'. The parent company acquired SPS Master Equipment (Netherlands) and SPS Viking (UK) in 2022, with SPS Master Equipment integrated into SACO business operations.
• TIACAminorOthersThe International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) is listed as a collaboration partner. TIACA is the global trade association for the air cargo industry, organizing events like the Air Cargo Forum.
• Air Cargo News (ACN)minorOthersAir Cargo News (ACN) is listed as a collaboration partner. ACN is a leading industry publication covering air cargo industry news and developments.
• Air Cargo Belgium (ACB)minorOthersAir Cargo Belgium (ACB) is listed as a collaboration partner. ACB represents the air cargo industry in Belgium, home to major cargo hubs like Brussels Airport and Liege Airport.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Daifuku: Japanese global material handling conglomerate with airport systems as part of a much broader portfolio spanning automotive, semiconductor, and warehouse logistics. Larger and more diversified than SACO but competes in similar airport cargo handling tenders.
• Swisslog: Warehouse automation and distribution center solutions provider owned by KUKA. Adjacent to SACO with broader warehouse/DC focus but limited direct overlap in air cargo terminal-specific ULD handling systems.
• KNAPP AG: Austrian logistics automation specialist with shuttle-based storage and order fulfillment systems. Overlaps with SACO in serving large logistics and express customers needing high-throughput automated handling infrastructure.
• TGW Logistics Group: Austrian warehouse automation specialist with growing presence in parcel and distribution center handling. Broader warehouse focus but intersects with SACO's downstream handling automation for parcel and express logistics customers like DHL.

Direct peers

• Vanderlande: Dutch-headquartered material handling company and the most direct competitor to SACO in airport cargo handling systems. Acquired Siemens Logistics to consolidate its position in airport logistics, competing head-to-head with SACO for major cargo terminal tenders globally.
• Beumer Group: German family-owned material handling systems provider offering baggage handling, cargo handling, and parcel sorting solutions for airports. Directly competes with SACO in turnkey airport cargo terminal installations worldwide.
• Lödige Industries: German material handling specialist with a strong portfolio in airport cargo and parcel handling systems. Competes directly with SACO in ULD handling, automated storage systems, and integrated cargo terminal solutions.
• Alstef Group: French material handling systems provider for airports, warehouses, and parcel handling. Exhibits alongside SACO at industry events like IATA WCS and competes for similar airport cargo terminal projects in Europe and emerging markets.

Others

• SITA: Airport IT and operational solutions provider serving the same airport customer base as SACO. Complementary rather than competing, with potential partnership opportunities around smart airport and digital cargo handling integrations.
• Interroll: Swiss conveyor components manufacturer that supplies roller decks, motors, and conveyor technology to system integrators including SACO. Functions as an enabling supplier to the air cargo handling equipment industry rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxWiwE_PqRvS8KJncT5KlGg
• Facebookfacebook.com/sacoairportequipment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saco-airport-equipment
• Xx.com/airportsaco

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SACO Airport Equipment