LSG Sky Chefs signs joint venture to establish new Guangzhou catering facility

LSG Sky Chefs, one of the world's leading in-flight service providers, today signed a joint venture agreement to establish a catering facility at the new Guangzhou International Airport. The joint venture is comprised of three major partners: LSG Asia GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of LSG Sky Chefs' parent company LSG Lufthansa Service Holding AG (30%), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport Co.(65%) and Beijing Hua Zhuo Investment Management Co. Ltd. (5%).

The new joint venture, named Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport LSG Sky Chefs Co. Ltd., will be located at the new Baiyun International Airport near Guangzhou City in the Guangdong Province of Southeast China's Pearl River Delta, one of the nation's leading economic regions. The airport is scheduled to be completed this summer. It will be one of China's largest international airports with an expected annual passenger volume of 25 million by 2010.

"We are excited to be involved in this challenging opportunity amidst the robust growth in the dynamic Pearl River Delta region, which includes the fast-growing Guangdong Province in Mainland China," said HK Cheung, Executive Vice President LSG Sky Chefs Asia/Pacific region. "This new venture definitely underscores our leading position in the Mainland Chinese market and we look forward to bringing our expertise and in-depth industry know-how into this new location," he added.

LSG Sky Chefs has had an ongoing presence in the rapidly growing Chinese market since it began operations in Beijing in 1981. Today the company has customer service centers in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xian, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Chengdu and, just recently, Sanya.