Integrated logistics firm Airspeed, which is part of SM Investments Corporation’s portfolio, is opening new hubs and innovating digitally as it gears up for a future demand surge.
Airspeed Chairman and President Rosemarie P. Rafael noted that retail shifted massively in favor of online after COVID-19 disrupted global economies.
"Behind the scenes, a lot of work was needed to make critical deliveries happen, 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,” she explained.
As part of its digital initiatives, Airspeed introduced real-time order monitoring, end-to-end inventory visibility and transport management.
To cater to its growing e-fulfillment business, Airspeed also opened 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 and e-com enabler platforms, which in turn support other businesses selling products online in their back-end operations.
Airspeed takes care of their inventory management, kitting, packing and labelling for different brands.
To meet growing requirements in the logistics business, as well as online transactions, Airspeed this year added new offices 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.
To round up its digital evolution, Airspeed launched new services online, such as UnboxMe, a cross-border delivery platform catering to Filipinos who shop in their favorite online stores in the US.
The online service delivers items straight to the doorsteps of buyers in the Philippines.
Airspeed also launched PinaSpeed, a nationwide online pick-up and delivery service dedicated to helping local online micro-businesses.
PinaSpeed is currently available to micro-businesses in NCR, Rizal, and Cavite and will soon be adding more locations.
On the other hand, APDEC (Amazing Philippines Digital Economy Corporation) carries SpeedGifts, an online platform catering to global Filipinos who send gifts to the Philippines. SpeedGifts carry pastries, groceries to ornaments, handicrafts, cosmetics, apparel and customized goods that cannot be found on other online shopping sites.
It also sells and delivers perishable items, like cakes and flowers within Metro Manila, a service which they plan to launch nationwide soon.
“I’m very optimistic about what we can do for this year and the years to come," Rafael concluded.