Category Archives: Warehousing

To explore the latest innovations in warehousing, material handling, automation, storage solutions, refrigeration, and cold chain logistics, RX India has announced the commencement of the 11th edition of the India Warehousing & Logistics Show (IWLS) and the India Cold Chain Show (ICCS) from November 21-23, 2024, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre Mumbai. IWLS and ICCS will offer a unique combined value proposition, serving as an integrated platform for the entire supply chain and cold storage ecosystem. The exhibitors and visitors will have an opportunity to explore the latest innovations in warehousing, material handling, automation, storage solutions, refrigeration, and cold chain logistics. This year, the exhibitions are set to bring together 150+ exhibitors, from India and around the world, featuring the likes of Gandhi, Indian Enterprises, Daifuku, Armstrong, Avians Delmon, Metaflex, Craftsman, Godrej Koerber, and several others.  

Investment firm Alta Capital has taken possession of logistics built and fully leased assets from Indospace spreading around 2.5 million sq. ft. The deal is one of the biggest warehousing and logistics assets acquisition in 2024, which involves purchase of over $100 million or 840 crores, as per the reports. The Grade A warehousing assets are in Ranjanagaon, Pune and Sri City, Chennai spreading across 1.3 million sq. ft and 1.2 million sq. ft, respectively. Post acquisition, Alta Capital now possess warehousing assets across India reaching 11 million sq. ft.    

The global warehousing and distribution logistics market is projected to touch the $25.7 billion mark by the end of 2031, a report from Allied Market research said. The unprecedented growth in the rise of multimodal transport system and high demand of e-commerce across the globe will contribute to the growth of warehousing and logistics market in next 7 years. The market was valued at $12,019 billion in 2021 and is growing at a CAGR of 7.7 per cent from 2022 to 2031.  

  Chandranath Dey, India Head – Operations & Business Development, Logistics & Industrial, India, JLL says, “PM Gati Shakti Master Plan aims to break departmental silos and institutionalise holistic planning for stakeholders across major infrastructure projects. This integrated approach is likely to reduce implementation delays and cost overruns, further enhancing the efficiency of the logistics sector. Overall, these policies are expected to create a more efficient, standardised, and technologically advanced logistics ecosystem in India, which should significantly boost the country’s competitiveness in global trade and manufacturing.”

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated ₹15.14 crore for renovation of 21 warehouses across 10 districts of the state. The initiative will be led by the Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation aiming to modernise the infrastructure along the repairing and enhancing of the storage capacity space. As many as 21 warehouses located in Fatehpur, Gorakhpur, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr, Ghazipur, Mahoba, Shahjahanpur and Hardoi districts will undergo transformation as part of the initiative.  

Sanjay Karkera, AVP Contract Logistics & Logistic Engineering, Flyjac Logistics says, “Ensuring safety of cargo inside the warehouse is critical and utmost responsibility of the 3PL handling the warehouse. It is crucial consideration for the companies. It consists of protocols based on industry practices to ensure Safety of cargos in warehouse. Some of the effective strategies to safeguard the stored Cargos are, 1. Proper storage solutions : Use of appropriate shelving, racks and pallets designed for the weight and dimension of the cargo. Maintaining uniformly distributed loads while storing the cargos in the warehouse, store heavier items at lower levels to prevent falls. Ensure right products are stored in right designated place. For temperature sensitive cargo, maintain proper climate controls to avoid spoilage or damage. Regularly monitor and document temperature and humidity levels in storage areas. 2. Regular Inspections: Conduct regular safety inspections of storage areas and equipment to identify potential hazards. Schedule routine maintenance for all equipment, including forklifts and pallet trucks. If these equipment’s fail while handling material, can have potential to damage the cargo. 3. Employee Training: Train employees on safe lifting techniques, proper and right use of equipment, and emergency procedures. 4. Accurate Labelling: Clearly label all cargo, including hazardous materials, to ensure proper handling. Use barcodes or RFID tags to streamline inventory management and enhance tracking accuracy. 5. Inventory Management: Maintain accurate inventory records to track the location and status of cargo. Implement a first in first out (FIFO) system to reduce the risk of damage and spoilage. 6. Insurance: Invest in comprehensive insurance coverage for your warehouse and cargo. Review policies regularly to ensure coverage meets evolving risks.”

Mahendra Shah, CMD, V Trans Group says, “We segregate the needs of transporting hazardous goods and ensure that required safety measures are taken as per the instructions received from the client. This includes that our vehicles are equipped with comprehensive spill response kits and PPE, ensuring that drivers are fully prepared with clear protocols for any incident. Additionally, we plane the routes to avoid crowded areas, and our drivers undergo rigorous training in handling dangerous goods and emergency response, empowering them to act decisively in critical situations. Real-time GPS tracking allows for immediate intervention during emergencies or route deviations. Training programs at our CHEMSTORE are very important and effective. These programs are specially designed for handling dangerous goods. Our rigorous, hands-on approach ensures employees retain critical safety protocols with thorough assessments and real-world application. Frequent emergency drills validate rapid, effective responses to incidents such as spills and fires. High employee confidence in managing hazardous materials, coupled with the consistent and proper use of PPE, highlights the program’s excellence in cultivating a robust safety culture and ensuring strict regulatory compliance.”

According to a report by JLL and Miebach Consulting titled, ‘Future of logistics, the demand for warehouse space is projected to reach approximately 1.2 billion sq. ft. by 2027 across Grade A, B & C warehouses across all Indian cities. This growth is not just about quantity, but quality as well. The report highlights a significant shift towards Grade A warehousing, with stock expected to grow to an impressive 400 million sq-ft by 2027 from 290 million sq-ft in 2023. E-commerce, Third-Party Logistics (3PL), and omni-channel retail are emerging as the primary drivers of this warehousing boom, particularly for high-quality Grade A spaces. However, the landscape of growth is changing. While major cities have traditionally dominated the warehousing sector, Tier II and III cities are now emerging as the next frontier. The report reveals a striking 41% increase in warehouse space absorption in Tier II plus markets from 2022 to 2023.

As part of the expansion of its warehousing infrastructure, Bobba Logistics is set to operationalize phase II with the establishment of 3,00,000 sq. ft of advanced warehousing, logistical and cargo-handling facilities. The project is being established near Devanahalli, Bengaluru. The total cost for the building of this infrastructure is projected to be around INR 100 crores. In 2023, the logistics giant established its 75,000 sq. ft phase I project at Sonnappanahalli, involving an investment of INR 30 crores. With this massive investment in warehousing infrastructure, Bobba Logistics aims to streamline the supply chain and serve a wide customer base.

In his insightful speech at the 2nd National Warehousing & Supply Chain Summit, Dr. Surendra Ahirwar, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India, said – “PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and National Logistics Policy, combined, have brought the logistics and the infrastructure development planning to the fore. All the state governments have also come together to make planning more effective and of great quality which will also affect in a positive manner for the implementation process. So, you won’t be hearing, probably in the present and the near future, the delays in the project implementation. And this can be largely attributed to the the PM Gati Shakti transformative approach, using data, using information, using only objective means to take planning related decisions about logistics and warehousing infrastructure.”