A new airport platform for air freight handling at Lyon-Saint Exupéry strengthens regional logistics and economic development
Lyon, June 18, 2025 – A new turnkey airport freight platform is under construction in the heart of the CargoPort area of Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, in the municipality of Colombier-Saugnieu (69). Designed to support the activities of various players in the air sector, it will contribute to local and regional economic development upon its delivery, scheduled before summer 2026.
Covering 25,300 m² on a 5.2-hectare plot, and located immediately adjacent to the runways, this connected Cargo platform, named "Aéroport de Lyon DC1," will be dedicated to air freight operations. It will offer temperature-controlled processing zones for goods sensitive to temperature variations (pharmaceutical products, perishables, phytosanitary products, etc.).
A Property Development Contract has been signed between Groupe em2c and Prologis to develop this project on behalf of the operator and global air freight leader WFS. Historically present at Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport, this player has committed under a Future State Completion Lease (Bail en l’État Futur d’Achèvement) for a duration of 20 years.
This project, the result of close cooperation between Prologis, Groupe em2c, WFS, and Lyon Airports, embodies a shared ambition: to strengthen the regional supply chain ecosystem and create lasting value for the territories.
Aéroport de Lyon DC1 is expected to generate more than 300 direct and indirect jobs through freight flow activities and associated services.
Valuable logistical support for sectors with very specific requirements
Located near the 22 buildings already operated by Prologis in the Lyon region, this new platform has been designed as a cross-dock facility with optimized flows. It will include 36 dock doors, five of which are specially configured and equipped for aircraft pallet transfers, as well as 4,400 m² of temperature-controlled cold rooms (both positive and negative).
Offering secure and direct access to the runways, the site is designed to support high value-added sectors such as pharmaceutical, petrochemical, luxury, and wine industries — sectors where speed and reliability are essential.
High environmental ambitions
Environmental performance is also central to the project, from construction to operation. Aéroport de Lyon DC1 aims for a BREEAM certification at the "Very Good" level, reflecting ambitions for a building with a low environmental footprint.
As part of this approach, the building will include a photovoltaic installation on the roof, LED lighting, and the site will host electric vehicle charging stations. Additionally, the majority of the energy produced onsite will be consumed by WFS, with any surplus fed back into the local grid.
A model of collaboration with local authorities
This project, the fruit of ongoing dialogue with local authorities demonstrating collective commitment to regional economic development, is led and financed long-term by Prologis. Groupe em2c coordinates the construction and local oversight, while Lyon Airports ensures the smooth integration of Aéroport de Lyon DC1 into airport infrastructure and operations.
Finally, this site, perfectly sized and adapted to the requirements and standards of air freight, will secure a strategic operational hub for WFS in France, allowing it to consolidate all its activities previously spread across four sites into a single location.
“Aéroport de Lyon DC1 will become our second-largest hub in France after Paris CDG for our French operations. Its location and design will allow us to streamline freight handling, reduce turnaround times, and increase capacity in one of France’s most strategic logistics corridors, while reducing our carbon footprint thanks to a modern building certified BREEAM ‘Very Good’,” comments Laurent Bernard, Vice President France at WFS.
“The Lyon market represents a highly strategic zone for our Group. We are developing a building designed to generate tangible and lasting value for the entire region — by promoting job creation, stimulating local investment, and integrating high standards of environmental performance and energy efficiency. In collaboration with trusted partners, we are implementing a key infrastructure designed to sustainably support the territory’s growth,” declares Vincent Sadé, Vice President Head of Capital Deployment France at Prologis.
“This project illustrates what can be achieved when strategic advisory and support, technical execution, supply chain expertise, and local partnerships are aligned. This shared approach has led to a solution tailored to the specific requirements of air freight, regulatory complexity, and sustainable real estate,” adds Yvan Patet, President of Groupe em2c.
“The Aéroport de Lyon DC1 platform, resulting from close cooperation between Prologis, Groupe em2c, WFS, and Lyon Airports, confirms the development of the cargo zone at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, CargoPort, and marks a new step in regional economic development. This project perfectly illustrates VINCI Airports’ strategy for developing cargo activities and reaffirms the leading role played by Lyon Airports in the regional logistics chain. The creation of a pharma-center, operated by WFS, meets the growing needs of health product transport, directly linked to the excellence of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the world’s number one vaccine producer, hosting the WHO (World Health Organization) since last April. This partnership demonstrates our ability to unite sector players around effective tools that enhance the territory’s attractiveness and competitiveness,” concludes Cédric Fechter, Chairman of the Management Board of Lyon Airports.
Project Details
- 25,313 m² of usable area on a 52,000 m² plot, including:
- 19,133 m² of warehouse space divided into 3 airport freight mail cells, including
- 4,400 m² of temperature-controlled space (+2/25°C)
- 3,000 m² of offices on R+1 and R+2 floors divided into two blocks north and south of the building; 662 m² installed on the east and west sides will be dedicated to WFS operational agencies.
Timeline
- Construction start: December 2024
- Estimated construction duration: 18 months, carried out in multiple phases to optimize project efficiency and meet sustainability and safety commitments
- Scheduled delivery: Before summer 2026