BEUMER Group UK Limited, with Crisplant, have been awarded a contract to integrate the new baggage handling system within Gatwick Airport’s £183.9 million redevelopment of the South Terminal Pier 1.

BEUMER Group UK will work through main contractors, VINCI Construction UK, to deliver a new baggage handling system by installing a conveyor-based pre-sortation area, two tilt tray sorters, and the UK’s first installation of a Crisplant CrisBag early-baggage storage (EBS) system. BEUMER Group UK will integrate the CrisBag EBS, in addition to systems and equipment from third-party manufacturers.

The new baggage handling system will enable Gatwick to introduce features such as ‘day before’ check-in and batch building. It will also enable passengers in the South Terminal to check-in at any of the nine check-in zones and have their baggage automatically sorted to the appropriate destination.

The CrisBag Early Bag Store (EBS) system will provide more than 2,500 storage positions and also provide Gatwick Airport with 100% track and trace of all baggage using RFID tags and conventional tracking within the EBS. CrisBag’s simple ‘one bag per tote and one tote per section’ configuration enables the identity and position of each item of baggage to be tracked at all times to virtually eliminate lost baggage within the EBS system.

With lower energy consumption and life-cycle costs, compared to stacker cranes or belt conveyor systems, the CrisBag EBS will also enable Gatwick to combine reduced operating costs with increased baggage handling efficiency and flexibility.

Crisplant’s Managing Director, Klaus Schäfer, adds: "VINCI Construction UK understands the complex challenges of the modern airport environment and this contract underlines BEUMER Group’s capability to integrate airport baggage handling systems from multiple manufacturers with minimum disruption to daily operation of the airport."

The bold investment in the redevelopment of the South Terminal Pier 1, supports Gatwick’s mission to become London’s airport of choice by offering state-of-the-art technology to enhance the passenger experience and deliver higher operating efficiencies for the airport and for the airlines who use Gatwick Airport.