Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India inaugurated its new warehouse at an event in Mumbai. The meeting began with an address by Atsushi Murayama, Chairman of Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India, who introduced the chief guest, Toshihiro Kaneko, Chief Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan. Kaneko’s presentation highlighted the long-standing cultural and trade relations between India and Japan, which have spanned over 130 years. Kazuyoshi Kimura, General Manager of the Hardmetal Division at Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., spoke about the company’s rich 400-year history and its advancements in the machining industry. He also shared future development plans for the sector. Michinari Asano, Managing Director of Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India, discussed the infrastructure and detailed plans for expanding Indian operations. Technical General Manager Tetsuya Hamada presented new tools set to launch soon, while Samir Kumar, General Manager of Sales, discussed emerging sales trends. With over a year of operations in India, Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal India is set for significant growth in the Indian cutting tool industry, focusing on innovation and expanding its market footprint.

Ground handler SATS and freight forwarder Sinotrans will work together to add a series of new airfreight hubs. The two companies said the partnership will see them create gateway hubs for Sinotrans’ airfreight arm, Sinoair, in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Belgium. Sinoair currently has regular charters operating between China, Liege and Dubai International Airport and is looking to expand further to the rest of the world. They are also in talks for SATS to manage Sinoair’s new e-commerce hub in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, expected to be ready in 2026. “This Memorandum of Understanding will pave the way for the two companies to create long-term sustainable value for their respective stakeholders by working together in some of the world’s busiest and most important airports,” the new partners said. SATS chief executive of gateway services Bob Chi said, “We look forward to working with Sinoair to leverage our respective networks to give customers even better global network connectivity to and from China, which has one of the world’s fastest growing air transportation sectors, to cities worldwide.”

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) signed MoU with Rorix Holdings, Abu Dhabi-based global trade facilitation and finance company, to integrate technologies into their logistics and trading platforms. The MoU was signed during the UAE-India Business Forum. As per APSEZ’s stock exchange filing, both companies are aiming “to leverage the strengths of both organisations to integrate advanced technologies into their logistics and trading platforms and create synergies that will transform the commodities market ecosystem”. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, executive chairman of Rorix Holdings, stated, “By combining our expertise in regulated financial platforms and market infrastructure with Adani Ports’ strength in logistics and port management, we aim to revolutionise the way commodities are traded, stored, and managed.”

TVS Industrial & Logistics Parks (TVS ILP) announced its expansion into Kerala with the acquisition of a new state-of-the-art facility in Kochi. Spanning a built-up area of 3 lakh sq. ft., this positions TVS ILP as the first Pan-India developer to enter the Kerala market, further cementing its status as a pioneer in delivering Grade A industrial infrastructure across the country. Situated on a 10-acre plot in Edayar, Kerala, the warehouse’s strategic location offers excellent connectivity to customers. Kochi, the largest and most populous city in Kerala, plays a crucial role as a major port on the western coast of India. Its strategic location is bolstered by excellent connectivity, served by major highways, and proximity to the Cochin International Airport. The city’s emergence as a significant consumption hub has propelled the rise of online platforms, making it an ideal destination for warehousing solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of the FMCG and e-commerce sectors. TVS ILP’s new Kochi Park is designed with a focus on operational efficiency and sustainability. The facility features ample parking areas suitable for 24/7 operations, a high clear height of 12 meters, LED lighting, and facilities equipped with solar panel installations. The FM2 flooring offers a load-carrying capacity of 5MT/sq. m (UDL), with roofs designed to maximize natural daylight. Additionally, the park adheres to National Building Code of India (NBC) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) standards and is equipped with a fire sprinkler system, fire storage tanks, a comprehensive storm water drain system, and a centralized security building with CCTV surveillance to ensure a secure environment that aligns with global standards. Aditi Kumar, Executive Director, TVS ILP, said, “Our expansion into Kerala represents a …

  Rahim Bhimani Sr VP air cargo practice, Kale Logistics Solutions says, “The biggest challenge is real-time temperature monitoring by all stakeholders. Integrating data loggers with Cargo Community Systems, such as ACS and PCS, allows for seamless tracking of both movement and temperature. Drones are particularly effective in last-mile delivery to remote or congested areas, minimizing the risk of temperature excursions and spoilage. Additionally, AI and ML can optimize routes and predict potential disruptions by analyzing historical data, ensuring more efficient and reliable logistics operations.”

  Pramod Sant, Director General, FFFAI says, “Skilling is the need of the hour. Skilling in cold chain is critical. People who are handling the supply chain, they are not fully trained they lack the talent and skill so you face the challenges in the area of the skill also and in each area you need to be handling it in a really separate way and at the same time between each area how you look at the collaboration is very. These challenges could be overcome by the technology, it can help in temperature maintaining and ensuring that the cold there are no gaps in cold chain.”

Sabari Ramnath, Global Lead, Travel and Transportation Solutions at Unisys says, “Cold chain transportation is highly sensitive to time and temperature. Any deviation can harm product quality, leading to financial losses, reputation damage, and regulatory issues. Technology helps mitigate these risks by optimizing routes to ensure timely delivery and providing real-time visibility into shipment conditions. This allows close monitoring at every stage. Advanced AI and machine learning models can further prevent spoilage, improving efficiency and reliability across the cold chain.”

  Kamal Jain, Director, Cargomen Logistics says, “Cold chain logistics in India face challenges like limited infrastructure, unreliable power, high operational costs, skilled workforce shortages, and inefficient last-mile delivery. Technology can help by enabling real-time monitoring through IoT, AI-driven optimization, blockchain for traceability, and advanced refrigeration systems. Drones can improve last-mile delivery, overcoming poor infrastructure and traffic issues. These solutions can reduce spoilage, enhance efficiency, lower operational costs, and modernize cold chain systems, addressing key logistical and regulatory hurdles.”

Bonita Swilet Pereira, GM – Head of Pharma, WIZ, says, “The pharmaceutical industry faces challenges in maintaining cold chain product transportation due to temperature fluctuations, which can affect the efficacy of life-saving drugs. The industry operates in a fragmented and unorganized market, with challenges in packaging, storage conditions, distribution methods, equipment/ vehicle conditions. These issues lead to temperature fluctuations, delays, wastage, damage, and financial loss. To address these issues, the use of technology and drones can help improve the cold chain infrastructure. Implementing blockchain can improve & create a secure & transparent platform capturing data at every interaction in the supply chain. Drones can help overcome transit delays & maintain product shelf life, especially for life-critical demands like accidents or pandemic shortages. Usage of digital equipments like data loggers help to register temperature, humidity, shock & vibrations during storage & transport. Artificial intelligence and IoT can help in optimizing operational efficiency by providing real-time tracking. AI can further be developed to proactively respond to demand changes and disruptions and shoot alerts through their milestone tracking platforms. WIZ enables real time tracking solution to cater to the time sensitive solutions with vision for digital supply chains.”

Afzal Malbarwala, MD, Galaxy Freight says, “Main Challenges in cold chain product transportation include temperature fluctuations, long transit times, and limited access to remote areas, which can lead to spoilage and reduced product quality. Technology, like IoT sensors, enables real-time temperature monitoring, ensuring optimal conditions throughout the journey. Drones can significantly reduce delivery times, particularly in remote locations, enhancing last-mile delivery efficiency while maintaining product integrity.”