ATSG acquires equity interest in West Atlantic AB

   Air Transport Services Group announced has agreed to acquire a 25-percent interest in West Atlantic AB of Gothenburg, Sweden. The strategic partnership, expected to close on Jan. 2, will allow ATSG to expand air cargo opportunities in Europe, the company said. 
   As Europe’s largest regional cargo aircraft operator, West Atlantic, through its two airlines, Atlantic Airlines and West Air Sweden, operates a portfolio of 40 aircraft.
   “This investment and our expanded working relationship with West Atlantic’s management team represents a commitment from ATSG toward an increasing role in the growth of the air-cargo market in the EMEA Region and throughout West Atlantic’s range of operations,” said Joe Hete, president and chief executive officer of ATSG. “Our leading position in the medium wide-body freighter market and global reputation for delivering complete medium-size freighter solutions to major logistics services providers, together with West Atlantic’s complementary strengths in providing time-definite air cargo services in Europe, make us ideally suited to work together on emerging opportunities.”