- October 13, 2025
- In the Media
Kimley-Horn Aviation Experts Featured in Airport Improvement Article about Detroit’s New FedEx Facility
Airport Improvement Magazine—a monthly publication sharing information on airport infrastructure projects as well as the professionals who bring them to life—published the article, “FedEx Doubles Down on Cargo Handling Capacity with New Facility at Detroit Metro” in its September 2025 edition. FedEx finished constructing a cargo ramp facility at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), consolidating operations from three separate buildings to one modern and expansive facility designed to accommodate greater cargo needs.
Kimley-Horn aviation experts Nathan Summers, PE, LEED AP; Henry Becht, PE; Tony Esposito, PE; and Matt Hadar, PE, provided key insight on FedEx’s decision that will strengthen Detroit’s role in national and international logistics.
Boosting Detroit’s Role in Air Cargo Logistics
Kimley-Horn served as the project’s civil and site engineer for airside and landside services, helping guide the project from inception to completion. Project manager Nathan Summers explained that the decision to consolidate FedEx’s operations was driven by an FAA-required taxiway realignment—and that the new facility would allow for future FedEx expansion.
Henry Becht, a designer for the airside components at DTW, noted the efficient turnover of FedEx’s operations from the old facility to the new one during construction. The project team used traffic simulation modeling to minimize disruptions, ensuring that sightlines on the airfield from the air traffic control tower weren’t compromised. To deliver a successful project, Tony Esposito, project manager, highlighted the importance of disseminating effective communication, safety protocols, and phasing plans across a variety of stakeholders.
“The diversity of stakeholder goals required unique solutions. Communication with each party was required to align these goals and deliver a successful project.”
The design teams used Procore, a construction project management platform, to ensure stakeholders and project partners received up-to-date drawings and corresponding communication, according to Matt Hadar, who also served as a designer for the project.
With Kimley-Horn’s services, the new cargo ramp facility will not only support DTW’s cargo-handling needs but also serve as an example of the power of collaborative partnerships and a model for future airport infrastructure projects.
About the Experts
Henry Becht, PE
Henry has more than six years of aviation experience, with a focus on civil design, construction administration and observation, and airspace coordination. His airfield project knowledge base consists of runways, taxiways, aprons, and deice facilities, with experience at airports ranging from small general aviation to large-hub airports. Most recently, he has worked on projects at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport, Detroit Metro Airport, Coleman A. Young International Airport, and Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky International Airport.
Tony Esposito, PE
Tony has more than 15 years of airside and landside design, construction management, construction observation, and estimating, scheduling, specifications, phasing, and sustainability experience. With his breadth of work spanning small, medium, and large hub airports, Tony specializes in taxiway design, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and extensions; new cargo, terminal and remain overnight aprons; rehabilitation and reconstruction of aprons; new runways; and design of runway rehabilitation, reconstructions, and extensions.
Matt Hadar, PE
Matt has more than five years of experience designing large industrial developments. His extensive knowledge in landside projects includes expertise in stormwater management, site grading, utility layout, erosion control measures, and construction administration. Recently, Matt has worked on various industrial developments, such as shipping and receiving warehouses for large commercial distributors.
Nathan Summers, PE, LEED AP
With more than 20 years of experience, Nate has provided design, construction management, construction observation, estimating, scheduling, specifications, phasing, and sustainability services for aviation projects across the country. His military and hub commercial airport experience includes Langley Air Force Base, Chicago O'Hare Airport, Detroit Metro Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.