Airspeed positions for future growth

 

Integrated logistics firm Airspeed, a part of SM Investments Corporation’s portfolio investments, is positioning for future growth with the opening of new hubs and innovating digitally to meet the evolving needs of the market.

With COVID-19 disrupting global economies, Airspeed adapted quickly to speed up its digital transformation.

“Retail has shifted massively in favor of online.  Behind the scenes, there is a lot of work needed to make these critical deliveries happen which includes ensuring stocks are available and the right quantities and sizes are picked, packed securely, dispatched on-time and replenished for succeeding orders. Airspeed is making all these happen,” Airspeed Chairman and President Rosemarie P. Rafael said. 

As part of its digital initiatives, Airspeed has introduced new digital functionalities in its systems like real-time order monitoring, end-to-end inventory visibility, and transport management. 

To cater to its growing e-fulfillment business, Airspeed is opening three e-fulfillment locations in Carmona, Cavite, Asinan in Paranaque, and in Pasay.  E-commerce fulfillment consists of receiving and storing inventory, processing orders, picking and packing items, and shipping orders to their final destination. Through these new hubs, Airspeed supports e-commerce or e-com enabler platforms which also support other businesses selling their products online in their back-end operations by doing their inventory management, kitting, packing, and labeling for different brands they manage.  

To meet growing requirements in the logistics business as well as online transactions, Airspeed added new offices this year in Bacolod, Negros Occidental; Cubao, Quezon City; and Carmona, Cavite. Currently, Airspeed’s headquarters is in Paranaque with branch offices in Makati, Clark in Pampanga, Cebu City, Davao City, and Cagayan de Oro. 

And to round up its digital evolution, Airspeed launched a number of new services online.

Last year, it introduced UnboxMe (www.unboxmeph.com), a cross-border delivery platform that caters to Filipinos who shop in their favorite online stores in the US. Through this new online service, items can now be delivered straight to their doorsteps in the Philippines.  

Another innovation on the digital front is PinaSpeed (www.pinaspeed.com), its newest nationwide online pick-up and delivery service dedicated to helping online micro-businesses in the Philippines.  With rising unemployment caused by the pandemic, a lot of Filipinos flocked to put up online micro-businesses, using social media as the main platform to showcase and sell their products. Airspeed believes that having an affordable and dependable pick-up and delivery service at the disposal of online micro-businesses is a vital element to support this sector. PinaSpeed also provides digital micro-enterprises across the Philippines with the opportunity to immediately upgrade their logistics by being an Airspeed partner. PinaSpeed is now available to micro-businesses in NCR, Rizal, and Cavite and will soon be adding more locations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao to cover the entire archipelago.

Under the Airspeed Group is APDEC (Amazing Philippines Digital Economy Corporation), which carries SpeedGifts (www.speedgifts.ph), an online platform catering to the global Filipinos who would like to send gifts to their loved ones, business associates, and friends in the Philippines.  SpeedGifts is a convenient way to shop for presents online from the safety and comfort of their own homes especially with the Christmas Season just around the corner. It features a wide variety of products for any occasion — from pastries, groceries to ornaments, handicrafts, cosmetics, apparel, customized products, and many more. SpeedGifts also puts the spotlight on local producers whose wares and goods cannot be found on any other online shopping sites. SpeedGifts even offers and delivers perishable items like cakes and flowers within Metro Manila, a service which they plan to launch nationwide soon.  

SM Markets Christmas Baskets are also available through SpeedGifts. Aside from this, Airspeed is SM Markets’ partner for online customer service support for its digital platforms. “I’m very optimistic about what we can do for this year and the years to come. We need to be innovative and creative and listen very closely to the pulse of the market to meet the changing needs. We remain true to our mission of providing global customers the highest quality of logistics services and innovative end-to-end solutions,” Ms. Rafael said.