Category Archives: Supply Chain

Hilti has tied up with FarEye to gain real-time visibility of goods movement, predictability with actionable insights, and build a digital integrated ecosystem with third-party vendors. Working with various 3PL partners across the country, a major pain area for Hilti was to manage these partners, map them against each other, track individual shipments, and keep the customers informed on the status along with actionable insights. Additionally, manual processes and lack of proper communication between transporters and logistics managers resulted in manpower wastage and high wait time at warehouses for loading and unloading of products.

Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) has become the first Indian airport and third in Asia to receive International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Pharma certification. MIAL has achieved this quality milestone for pharma logistics following successful completion of training courses, on-site assessment, and complex validation processes. Acknowledging the importance of this initiative, MIAL has initiated the certification process with a community approach, together with its air cargo supply chain partners. The IATA CEIV Pharma certification has been introduced to prevent temperature excursions of pharma products during air transport, with the key objective of patient safety and reduction of losses attributed to logistical issues. It aims to improve the handling of pharmaceutical cargo by complying with existing national and international regulations.

DHL Express has launched the ‘Yellow Yatra’ programme, a multi-city series of events focused on equipping entrepreneurs from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in different Indian cities with the know-how to succeed in international e-commerce. Commenting on the launch, RS Subramanian, Country Manager, DHL Express India, said, “MSMEs are crucial to the Indian economy because they contribute over eight per cent to India’s GDP and constitute more than 70 per cent of our business here in India. The launch of ‘Yellow Yatra’ is part of our ongoing commitment to promote the growth of Indian SMEs through participation in cross-border e-commerce trade. Our extensive local, regional, and global network is a key enabler for SMEs who want to venture out of their cities.” At the event, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to hear from industry experts, share best practices with e-commerce players, and most importantly, build important business networks.

Maersk Trade Finance has announced its global loan disbursement projection of US $500 million for the year 2019 with US$ 200 million target for India. The company has disbursed a total of US $0.7 billion globally, till date, since its inception in 2015, with over 150 million in India in the year 2018, a 53 per cent Y-o-Y increase as compared to 2017. Vipul Sardana, Global Head, Maersk Trade Finance, said, “Indian Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) sector continues to play a significant role in India’s economic development. As the sector is gearing up for its digital transformation, the rapid technological advances are putting trade finance in the spotlight and playing a significant role in changing the way global supply-chains are managed and monitored.”

Recognising the export potential of Madhya Pradesh and its ability to attract export-centric FDI in pharma, auto components, machinery, textiles, processed agriculture products, etc., Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has submitted to Kamal Nath, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, its proposal to assist the government in working towards an increase in the state’s share in the country’s exports from the current 1.6 per cent to over three per cent in the next five years. Ganesh Kumar Gupta, President, FIEO, emphasised the need for identification of more products under GI, and marketing of such products through exclusive shops in the departure area of international airports, beginning with Mumbai and Delhi. FIEO has also requested for inland freight subsidy for all products, as the cost of carrying cargo from MP to JNPT, in many cases, works out to be more than overseas freight. In response, the minister assured that he will proactively look into the issue of freight subsidy and exclusive showrooms for GI products at India’s international airports.

New technologies such as Big Data, telematics systems, and alternate fuel technology can help drive efficiencies in the transportation sector by optimising routes for efficient delivery sequence, maximise asset utilisation, and improve fuel efficiency. According to Shamsher Dewan, Vice President & Sector Head – Corporate Ratings, ICRA, the profit margins of fleet operators are highly volatile as compared to agents and third-party logistics companies. “The profitability margins of fleet operators are especially sensitive to fluctuations in diesel prices and frequent increase in vehicle ownership cost, toll charges, and other overheads. The sharp increase in diesel prices in Q2 and Q3 FY2019 had a significant impact on profitability indicators of fleet operators as freight rates didn’t move in a similar fashion owing to overall surplus capacity in the trucking system. In such an environment, gradual adoption of new technologies can help fleet operators improve their cost structure and bring down some of the fixed costs.”

To provide contract and express logistics services, Future Supply Chain Solutions (FSC) has signed a multi-year agreement with Benetton India. As per the agreement, FSC will manage Benetton India’s supply chain requirements from a large built-to-suit, multi-customer distribution centre in North India. This will cater to its pan India requirements, including reverse logistics. This is in addition to the express logistics services that FSC has been offering to Benetton India for the past few years. Apart from Benetton India, the company has signed multiple new contracts, including those with Voltbek Home Appliances, Haldirams Products, and Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals in the past one year.

Driving a change for the logistics sector, Future Supply Chain (FSC) Solutions has established an all-women-run distribution centre (DC) ‘Shakti’ in Nimji, Nagpur. The DC is fully equipped with Transportation Management System and Warehouse Management Systems software. FSC introduced a disruptive idea of an all-women distribution centre at Nagpur last year. The inspiration behind the initiative was a woman in-charge of their Bengaluru DC who impacted the entire productivity chain in a positive manner. P V Sheshadri, CEO, FSC Solutions said, “FSC has been providing job prospects in the rural and semi-urban areas with its expanding warehouse footprint. We operationalised an all women DC last year with an objective to create opportunities for the women in Nimji, Nagpur. We look forward to inducting more women in our warehousing facilities and be the flag bearer of this change.” Future Supply Chain has already initiated a step towards gender equality by showing no disparity between the wages earned by men and women.

Tata Motors along with Tata Motors Finance Group has entered a strategic tie-up with Kool-ex Cold Chain to supply 200 fully-built reefer trucks manufactured by Tata Motors. The reefer units used for this deal will be built on the popular Tata LPT 1613 MCV trucks and the Tata LPT 2518 Multi-axle truck. Shyam Mani, Managing Director, Tata Motors Finance Group, says, “As a part of this tie-up, we will not only be providing vehicle financing through Tata Motors Finance (TMFL) but will also provide mezzanine equity financing to the company through Tata Motors Finance Solutions (TMFSL), making this a structured financing deal. We are confident that this complete package will deliver the best for all companies who are a part the deal and will lay a strong foundation for a continued association ahead.”

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED), a Government of Gujarat organisation and JBS Academy (JBSAPL) have partnered for creating awareness on skill development activities for the budding youth of Dhrangadhra and Ahmedabad focussing on the youth desiring to have employment through skill development in logistics and other employable education sectors and also providing them gainful employment in the sector. With the financial support from CED, the Academy has conducted two Awareness Seminars at Dhrangadhra and Ahmedabad on 26th and 31st December 2018.