Logistech Solutions Pte Ltd, which runs logistics startup Locad has raised $11 million (Rs 90 crore) in a Series A round, led by Reefknot Investments, a joint venture by Temasek Holdings and logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel. The round also saw participation from existing investors Sequoia’s Surge, Febe Ventures, Antler, Access Ventures and JG Summit. Shrey Jain, co-founder and chief technology officer at Locad, told VCCircle that the fresh proceeds will be deployed to boost growth, which includes investing in marketing, brand building and networking, as well as acquiring customers on the enterprise side. “We always have been focussed on maintaining at least up to three years of runway with the cash that has been raised,” Jain said. Founded by Jain, Constantin Robertz and Jannis Dargel in 2020, Locad enables e-commerce brands with a cloud supply chain to grow their omnichannel business. So far, the company claims to have served over 200 brands across Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Australia and shipped more than two million transactions while maintaining a 99% same-day order fulfilment rate.

TT Aviation, which started its operation from 2010 in the Customs Bonded Trucking domain, has added Kolkata (CCU) in their network and got the necessary Customs approvals to start Export Bonded Trucking from Kolkata WEF Jan’23. In H2 2022, Kolkata was primarily used for import bonded trucking destination and successfully offloaded 150+ trucks. Kolkata is the 9th station in the network after MAA, HYD, BLR, COK, CJB, BOM, DEL & AMD, which is capable for both import and export bonded trucking activities. With this addition, the freight connectivity from Kolkata has been widened for the trade and it will connect Kolkata to all major metro/non metro air cargo terminals between 72-120 hrs. Size and shape of the cargo will not be a showstopper anymore and at the same time there will not be any commodity restrictions too. The road connectivity from Kolkata will reduce the logistics cost by approx. 10-14% for air cargo.

Nisschal Jaain, Co-founder and CEO, Shypmax shares his expectations from the upcoming budget 2023-2024, “With the upcoming budget, the Indian e-commerce logistics sector is expecting some clarity on the de-minimis (threshold) value. Currently the de minimis value for India, for e-commerce import is 0 which means that all orders into India, regardless of value, will often incur GST on their shipments. Items imported into the United States are subject to duty when the value is over USD 800. In Australia, duty and taxes kick-in after the first USD 1,000. In Canada, it’s USD 20; in some other countries, it’s USD 5. It is evident that individuals will buy more if duties are exempted or reduced. In the 2022-23 Budget, implementation of a simplified regulatory framework to facilitate export of jewellery through e-commerce was introduced however it was limited only through ECCS (Express Cargo Clearance System) at ICT Mumbai, ICT Delhi and ICT Jaipur, according to Central board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) SoPs. Stakeholder are awaiting more details on the same from the upcoming budget. Additionally, the limit of Rs. 5 lacs worth of exports via courier under CSB-V, which affects the fine jewellery’s export, is counterproductive and confusing for the e-logistics players as well as the exporters.”

Yogesh Dhingra, Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Smartr Logistics says “In line with the recently launched National Logistics Policy and the PM Gati Shakti scheme, reducing overall logistics costs in India from approximately 14% currently to under 10% of GDP is a priority for India. The upcoming budget would expect to build upon the work outlined in the prior year with a focus on multimodal connectivity and improving physical infrastructure. We could expect to see more allocation for the national highway network, towards rail infrastructure in an expansion of tracks as well as container capacity, development of cargo terminals and warehousing capacity which will further strengthen the groundwork for an integrated logistics system. We would also expect the government to continue to build on the UDAN scheme with new airports for enhanced regional connectivity and increased capacity at existing airports. We are certain that the government’s strategic moves will continue to develop the logistics sector and improve India’s supply chain competitiveness.”

Sanjay Bhatia, Co-founder & CEO, Freightwalla also shares, “In the upcoming budget, a further focus towards holistic infrastructure creation would significantly help the MSMEs and large exporters. In the infrastructure, crucial attention must be given to digitisation of the entire supply chain system for smooth functioning and lowering the logistics cost that benefits the MSME exporters. A budget allotment towards digitisation will be a catalyst for the EXIM fraternity. Special emphasis on container manufacturing, budget allocation for strengthening inland waterways and boosting multimodal connectivity will help bolster the exports. Broadening the scope of the PLI scheme by incentivising other segments like apparel, chemicals, and heavy machinery would also help significantly in boosting India’s exports. 6.3 crore MSMEs of India are the economy’s backbone by generating over 11 crore jobs and contributing over 30% to India’s exports. Despite such a robust presence, most of these MSMEs face multiple challenges in their day-to-day life. A seamless supply of working capital is one of them, due to which their production growth is hindered, and the balance sheet is affected. Targeted efforts towards creating a long-term solution for addressing working capital needs at a subsidised rate for rural and semi-urban micro and small enterprises will help them get in the export race with their larger counterparts. Some specialised incentives for women entrepreneurs, especially from rural areas, would also be instrumental in bringing much-needed gender parity.”

Nitish Rai, CEO and Co-Founder, FreightFox says, “Sub-par transportation infrastructure and poor on-the-go visibility are the country’s biggest problems, and the government has taken initial steps in the right direction towards improving it. 1. Greater push towards completion of DFCs and expressways will help increase utilisation of resources and improve speed of goods movement. 2. Inclusion of fleet owners under the GST, would help them save upto 10% of their costs incurred towards new fleet, tyres, etc. 3. bringing diesel under the purview of GST has been mulled over, but this step can further lower costs upto 7-8% for fleet owners 4. We also expect more support for our transporters on the road, especially in the form of affordable board and lodging. 5. Investment in digital R&D for the supply chain is critical, especially in an era of hyper-competition and significant opacities along the way. In the current economic climate, supply chain efficiency is vital to ensure that India’s economy stays robust. Making that a reality requires government support- and we’re confident the 2023 Budget will reflect that.”

According to Motilal Oswal Financial Services, Logistics activity improved in Dec 2022, with daily average e-way bill generations rising 1% MoM. The fleet utilization level stood at 80-85% during the month. Daily average FASTag toll collections jumped 3% MoM in Dec’22. EXIM container volumes handled by Indian Railways increased 6% YoY, with the market share of Indian Railways in EXIM containers rising to 36% as of Dec’22 from 33% in Dec’21. Overall, the container volumes handled at ports decreased 3% YoY. Volumes handled at major ports rose 10% YoY to 69.5mmt. Iron Ore/Fertilizer/Coal/ POL reported growth of 35%/11%/39%/5% YoY in Dec’22. Diesel consumption improved to 8.3m tonnes in Dec’22. Daily average e-way bill generations up 1% MoM; daily average toll collections up 3% MoM in Dec’22 Daily average e-way bill generation rose 1% MoM and clocked 2.7m/day in Dec’22. After robust logistics activity in Nov’22, the demand for logistics continues to improve in Dec’22, driven the easing in commodity prices and inflation in the last few months. E-way bill generations jumped 17% YoY in Dec’22, with intra-state bill generations increasing 23% YoY and inter-state rising 9% YoY. The daily average FASTag toll collection improved 3% MoM to INR1.59b/day. Rail EXIM container volumes increase 6% YoY in Dec’22; Rail gains market share in container traffic While overall container volumes handled at ports decreased 3% YoY, EXIM container volumes handled by Indian Railways increased 6% YoY in Dec’22. The Railways’ market share in EXIM containers rose to 36% in Dec’22 from 33% in Dec’21. Domestic container volumes handled by Railways improved 12% YoY. Traffic handled at major ports up 10% YoY in Dec’22 Iron Ore/Fertilizer/Coal/POL reported growth of 35%/11%/39%/5% YoY in Dec’22, …

Nishith Rastogi, Founder and CEO, Locus highlights trends for 2023 in logistics he says, “With the number of deliveries expected to be on the rise, several trends are expected to emerge, including: The rise in omnichannel retail: Omnichannel retailing is a process where businesses integrate all the channels to provide seamless shopping experiences to their consumers. Buying online and picking from stores (BOPIS) is a clear example. As a result, businesses increasingly invest in omnichannel capabilities to improve delivery control, speed, flexibility, and costs. It cuts unnecessary time for the product to move across intermediaries like the brand mother warehouse and makes last-mile logistics more efficient. The growing importance of Sustainability: Rising awareness around the need for sustainable operations has prompted businesses to find new ways to make last-mile fulfillment sustainable and more efficient. One example is how businesses invest in micro-fulfillment centers that are closer to customers to reduce emissions and speed up deliveries. We also expect to see continued investment in electric vehicles, parcel lockers (automated parcel devices that serve as alternate delivery locations for dense delivery zones), and greater adoption of route planning solutions to find the optimal route. That said, sustainability will take many forms going forward. Increasing adoption of technology solutions: Logistics and supply chain experts predicted that after 2022, businesses would move away from survival mode and double down on future growth opportunities. The number of packages that consumers order continues to be on the rise, and investments in logistics technology will give businesses the ability to make quick and informed decisions and differentiate their last-mile fulfillment experience. Studies have shown that by 2024, 50% of supply chain organizations will invest in applications that …

Gubba Cold Storage Pvt Ltd is planning to expand its services PAN India and in April 2023 the company is going to unveil a 6,000 pallets capacity facility with robust shuttle racking infrastructure at Gundlapochampally in Hyderabad, says Kiran Gubba, CEO, Gubba Cold Storage Pvt Ltd. At present, the company has 3 facilities located in Vishakapatnam, Hyderabad and Aurangabad with 5000 pallets & 2500 tons capacity.

Stellar Value Chain Solutions is planning to invest approx. INR 200 crores over the next 3–4 years to build modern, tech-enabled fulfilment centres exclusively for D2C (Direct-To-Consumer) brands. The company has plans to scale up the cumulative D2C fulfilment space to approx. 7 million sq. ft. in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata by 2026. The D2C fulfilment centres will be located at key strategic locations and will cater to all sectors, with key focus on electronics, fashion, FMCG, and home décor. Stellar Value Chain Solutions is looking at onboarding around 20 D2C brands as its initial pool of D2C clients. These centres will be equipped with advanced technologies that will empower the D2C brands with new-age supply chain solutions while building smarter 3PL strategies. The centres will also offer fast shipping and efficient return management services. Commenting on the plan, Anshuman Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, Stellar Value Chain Solutions Pvt. Ltd. said, “With the rise in the adoption of digital channels and technologies as well as the robust growth of the start-up ecosystem, India is in the middle of a D2C revolution. We intend to develop a strong supply chain backbone for emerging and growth focused D2C brands by rolling out advanced D2C fulfilment centres across key consumption centres pan India. We have always been ahead of the curve in our mission to strengthen our service offerings, and the plan to launch a D2C fulfilment centre is in line with that outlook. Our tech-enabled fulfilment centres, along with modern transportation solutions, will help D2C brands deliver a superior customer experience. Our larger goal is to support large-scale entrepreneurship across the country with our differentiated supply chain services.”