French contract logistics provider, FM Logistic India, inaugurated its 3 rd state-of-the-art Multi-Client Facility in Bhiwandi on Thursday in the presence of its customers and partners. This new facility reinforces its commitment to delivering world-class sustainable omni-channel solutions to customers in the Retail, FMCG, Pharma and Precision Engineering industries. The momentous occasion was graced by Ajit Jangle, Managing Director of FM Logistic India and Loic Delaitre, FM Logistic’s Group Automation Director. Dignitaries from the French Consulate and the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India were also in attendance. The inauguration ceremony was followed by an interactive session on “Warehouse Automation – Leveraging Technology to Future-Proof Your Supply Chain.” This session shed light on the pivotal role of automation in ensuring supply chain resilience and sustainability. Spread across an impressive 7 lakh sq. ft., the new facility aligns with international standards and positions FM Logistic India as one of the top technology-driven contract logistics companies in the nation. The strategic location of the warehouse in close proximity to major consumption centres, in Mumbai and Thane, enhances efficiency and responsiveness. One of the noteworthy features of the new facility is the availability of a multi-client customs-public bonded section within the warehouse premises to provide integrated solutions. Thanks to this feature, customers can have the bonded and non-bonded products stored at the same location without the need for additional handling or movement from a CFA to the warehouse. Another salient feature of the new warehousing facility is an automated co-packing set-up for one of FM Logistic’s premium FMCG customers. This innovation enables the execution of promotional offers and successful campaign management with 24/7 readiness, catering to the dynamic nature of FMCG …

Chennai air cargo complex, which was once the air cargo gateway of the South require infrastructure upgradation and renovation, on urgent basis, says, Dinesh Krishnan, Chairman, ACAAI Southern Region, Chennai. Raising concerns over poor Infrastructure investments & Dwindling cargo tonnage at the terminal right now he said, “Major multinational majors in Auto , Telecom, Hi Tech, Chemicals, Leather & Textiles have set up large scale units around Chennai city, demanding top line air cargo products for their global supply chain reliability. They are now forced to divert their air cargo to other airports by road to meet their air cargo requirements at high risk and costs daily. ACAAI Southern Region chairpersons have been flagging this issue for the past several months for the authorities to take some action. “I have reached out to few others associations like BAR’S South , MCC, CII, FIEO, Tamil Nadu Govt Logistics council, FICCI, AAI & AAICLAS regarding the issues currently plaguing the growth potential of Chennai air cargo industry. We have now escalated the same to “The Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, M/o Commerce & Industry & The Senior Economic Advisor, M/o Civil Aviation“ for their intervention to address this crises at ACCMAA,” he added.

Much-awaited three-day Air Cargo India 2024 show opened in Mumbai on 14th. Being organised by Messe Muenchen India, the show witnessed leaders from across the globe comprising airlines, airports, GSSAS, freight forwarders, tech service providers, ground handlers etc. First day witnessed panel discussions on interesting topics such as India ready to achieve 10 MMT by 2030, cold chain transportation, Pharma exports, industrial collaborations, freighters expansion plans etc.

Prozo announced the launch of its latest innovation, ‘ProPilot’, AI-powered chatbot built on OpenAI and is set to transform the supply chain industry by enhancing internal management systems and providing instant access to critical data and analytics. Dr. Ashvini Jakhar, Founder & CEO of Prozo, shared his vision for ProPilot: “At Prozo, we have always been at the forefront of incorporating cutting-edge technology to streamline supply chain processes. With ProPilot, we’re taking a quantum leap into the future of logistics management. This tool is not just an AI assistant; it’s your expert companion that works round the clock, offering insights and answers that were once complex and time-consuming to acquire.” ProPilot leverages Prozo’s extensive APIs and the vast data repository accumulated by Prozo over time. Additionally, it taps into Prozo’s comprehensive document database, enabling it to deliver precise and well-informed responses. ProPilot is designed to address a wide range of queries, from brand performance and control tower performance Scores to Service Level Breach Trends and throughput Projections. The AI bot is capable of conducting quick root cause analysis, analyzing manpower productivity trends across 33 warehouses spanning over 1.64 Mn Sq ft Pan-India, suggesting optimization strategies, and highlighting inefficiencies in the system. Mr. Vaibhav Dhawan, CTO of Prozo, commented on the technology behind ProPilot: “By harnessing the capabilities of OpenAI, ProPilot is equipped to not only answer questions but also to predict and advise on supply chain strategies. This is a game-changer for productivity enhancement, making data-driven decision-making more accessible than ever.” Prozo’s key offerings, including the Prozo Fulfillment Network (PFN), Prozo Logistics Network (PLN), and Prozo Warehousing & Logistics Platform (PWLP), are all integrated with ProPilot, ensuring a seamless and …

Chennai air cargo complex, which was once the air cargo gateway of the South require infrastructure upgradation and renovation, on urgent basis, says, Dinesh Krishnan, Chairman, ACAAI Southern Region, Chennai. Raising concerns over poor Infrastructure investments & Dwindling cargo tonnage at the terminal right now he said, “Major multinational majors in Auto , Telecom, Hi Tech, Chemicals, Leather & Textiles have set up large scale units around Chennai city, demanding top line air cargo products for their global supply chain reliability. They are now forced to divert their air cargo to other airports by road to meet their air cargo requirements at high risk and costs daily. ACAAI Southern Region chairpersons have been flagging this issue for the past several months for the authorities to take some action. “I have reached out to few others associations like BAR’S South , MCC, CII, FIEO, Tamil Nadu Govt Logistics council, FICCI, AAI & AAICLAS regarding the issues currently plaguing the growth potential of Chennai air cargo industry. We have now escalated the same to “The Special Secretary (Logistics), DPIIT, M/o Commerce & Industry & The Senior Economic Advisor, M/o Civil Aviation“ for their intervention to address this crises at ACCMAA,” he added.

FedEx Express has unveiled its ‘FedEx Life Science Center’ in Mumbai, setting a benchmark in the clinical trial supply chain in India and globally. The new capability will meet and support the clinical trial storage and logistics requirements of healthcare customers both within the India market and those shipping to India from around the world. The facility has ensured compliance with quality and regulatory requirements of the healthcare industry. Key features of the new FedEx Life Science Center include: · Covering all three temperature-controlled zones o Controlled Ambient (15°C to 25°C) o Refrigerated (2°C to 8°C) o Frozen -20°C and Deep Frozen -80°C · 24/7 monitoring and alarms for immediate response and intervention. · Destruction services for returned Investigational Medicinal Products (IMPs). · Equipped with document storage and a secure archival facility with fire-safe walls. · Quality management system compliance to o Good Clinical Practice (GCP) o Good Distribution Practice (GDP) · Use of gel pack and dry ice for secure packing and replenishment. · Backup power generator · Implementation of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards in labeling and validated packaging solutions. · A centralized monitoring system to ensure temperature and humidity integrity. · Enhanced security meeting earthquake resistance standards. Nitin Navneet Tatiwala, Vice President of FedEx Express, Marketing, Middle East, India Sub-continent & Africa (MEISA) said, “With FedEx having deep expertise in handling critical clinical trial shipments, the launch of FedEx Life Science Center (LSC) will act as a one stop shop for all clinical trial storage and distribution requirements of healthcare customers in India. The new center is in addition to FedEx’s current LSCs in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the USA, and the Netherlands – making it a …

Low-cost carrier Thai VietJet Air has awarded the tender of its cargo operations to ECS Group. The carrier signed a Master GSSA agreement with ECS Group on February 1, 2024. It was ECS Group’s global network, proven air cargo expertise, and dynamic innovation that led Thai VietJet Air to place its cargo business into AVS GSA Thailand’s hands and overall ECS Asian network, says an official release from ECS. “Thai VietJet Air can now look forward to further increasing its cargo revenue and export volumes across Thailand and various Asian countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.” The partnership allows Thai VietJet Air to leverage ECS Group’s in-house digital tools and expert knowledge to promote its cargo business effectively. Thai VietJet Air currently operates a fleet of 18 A320-200 and A321-200 aircraft, focusing primarily on transporting general cargo and perishables, the release added. “Thai VietJet Air has carved a solid cargo market share for itself on the Thai domestic market, and offers an impressive international network across Asia – and all that without a freighter in its fleet,” says Monchai Jirakiertivadhana, CEO, AVS GSA Indochina region. “AVS GSA therefore has an excellent base on which to further develop the airline’s cargo activities and improve its revenue performance.”

Qatar Airways Cargo looks set to offload its two Boeing 747-8 freighters with UPS adding the two jumbos. Speaking following the announcement of its quarterly results, UPS chief financial officer Brian Newman confirmed that it had acquired two 747-8Fs “through Qatar”. Newman said the aircraft additions were part of efforts to retire some of its older and less efficient MD-11Fs. Flight tracking website Planespotters.net shows that one of the aircraft (A7-BGA) was transferred to Victorville Southern California Logistics Airport at the start of February and its registration has been changed to N634UP, said reports. The second aircraft (A7-BGB) is still listed as part of the Qatar Cargo fleet and continues to operate flights out of Doha. However, Planespotters.net indicates that the freighter is in the process of being transferred over to UPS. The Doha-headquartered airline took delivery of its two 747-8Fs in 2017 and has operated them since then. However, since then, it has rapidly expanded its Beoing 777 freighter fleet and today operates 27 of the model, up from 13 when it took delivery of its 747-8Fs in 2017, reports added.

Pratt & Whitney announced the establishment of its new India Digital Capability Center (IDCC) in Bengaluru. The new center will accelerate innovation and drive digital and business transformation for Pratt & Whitney worldwide. The facility will be co-located with Pratt & Whitney’s engineering and supply chain operations centers of excellence. The location will also facilitate close collaboration with other RTX businesses in India including Collins Aerospace and RTX Enterprise Services. “The expansion of Pratt & Whitney’s digital technology presence in Bengaluru will allow us to leverage India’s aviation and technology talent and accelerate our digital transformation,” said Rahul Dharni, vice president & global chief information officer, Pratt & Whitney. Pratt & Whitney has begun recruiting its first tranche of employees for the IDCC and is expected grow to over 300 employees by 2027. The center will be focused on delivering multiple digital technology capabilities across various priority areas of Pratt & Whitney’s digital transformation. “With $40 million already invested in engineering and supply chain operations centers in the past two years, Pratt & Whitney continues to grow its presence and contribution to India’s aerospace ecosystem with this additional multi-million-dollar investment in the IDCC,” said Ashmita Sethi, president & country head, Pratt & Whitney, India (UTCIPL).

DP World has received Platinum certification from The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) for its Nhava Sheva Business Park (NSBP). The IGBC rating systems acknowledge excellence in green design, construction, and operations, with the Platinum rating setting a benchmark according to international standards. NSBP has become the first FTWZ in India to achieve Platinum certification under the IGBC logistics parks and warehousing rating system. Strategically positioned near the port, NSBP is designed to facilitate global trade to explore the Indian market and vice versa. Operational since 2022, NSBP’s Platinum certification represents a significant leap forward for the Indian-Global trade ecosystem, providing sustainable supply chain solutions to its customers. Spread over 2 million square feet, NSBP is designed as per global standards and Green Building Certification requirements. The project design promotes natural habitat and biodiversity on-site. The facility has realized substantial benefits through noteworthy sustainable features. These include a 1.5MW Solar PV system covering 18.6% of annual energy consumption, 100% electric material handling vehicles for business park, water-efficient fixtures achieving 38.9% of saving, rainwater harvesting, and an impressive 75% reduction in construction waste as it was reused and recycled. Commenting on the achievement, Ranjit Ray, Vice President – Economic Zones, Middle East, North Africa, and Subcontinent said, “The IGBC Platinum certification marks an important milestone in the journey of Nhava Sheva Business Park. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pursuing eco-friendly practices in our operations that are beneficial to our customers and the planet. We prioritise customers’ needs above all, striving to provide sustainable and scalable logistics solutions to our esteemed customers.”