CATEGORIES

Adopting Technology & Global Benchmarking

Setting standards in cold chain processes and integration between small scale farmers were identified as keys to achieving the full potential of Africa’s flower and perishable industry at the recently held Flower and Perishable Logistics Africa conferences in Nairobi, Kenya.

Tech Race For A Seamless Last Mile Delivery

While digital transformation is primarily driven by rapidly changing technologies, its successful adoption depends on having a sound strategy. Enterprises who want to stay competitive need to work on scaling up their solutions along with introducing new innovations from time to time.

Pumping Energy Into India's Arterial Roads

India is moving ahead with a pan-nation scheme to improve the road network to bridge critical infrastructure gaps through corridor-based development. A timely completion can give a solid foundation for the ushering in of a better India.

Powering The Supply Chain Of Future

The first chapter of the Supply Chain Meetup in India, organised by Locus, brought together best minds of supply chain from various industries to discuss and deliberate on modern logistics issues and solutions from their respective sectors.

Plan To Reach One Million Partners In Next 5 Years

Bengaluru-based Shadowfax, started in 2015 with an aim to make instant deliveries a reality in India. At present, the plug-and-play platform caters to 3,500 pin codes across 200 cities and fulfils two lakh orders per day for food, grocery, fashion, pharmacy, furniture, e-commerce, and other sectors. Abhishek Bansal, co-founder & CEO speaks to Shalini Nair on their mission of connecting over a million micro entrepreneurs and suppliers in logistics industry, and expecting to grow 150 percent y-o-y.

Focusing More On Cross-Border Ecommerce

With more than 4 million square feet warehouse facility at 65 sites across India, Schenker India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DB Schenker is planning to expand its warehousing footprint to 7 million within the next three years. Vishal Sharma, CEO India and Indian subcontinent in interaction with Shalini Nair speaks about Bangladesh entity, evolving contract logistics in India and how cross-border ecommerce could enhance business prospects.

Evolving Solutions & Enduring Relationships

The change of its name from TVS Logistics Services to TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS) was an important one. TVS SCS has become an integrated service provider, offering the entire realm of supply chain solutions. In an interaction with Reji John and Blessy Chettiar, R Shankar, CEO (India), TVS SCS, articulates about the evolutionary process in the 3PL freight space, need to reduce cost of logistics, consolidation in the supply chain and the role of automation in business.

The Ecommerce Rumble For Logistics

Delivery times for ecommerce goods are getting ever shorter with the number of same day and one or two hour delivery services rising. This has had a knock on effect on customer expectations. End recipients are demanding greater flexibility as well as more delivery options, fitting around their lifestyles, rather than around the operational processes of last mile delivery companies. With this, frequent peaks and troughs of demand have opened up many opportunities for ecommerce players and their logistics partners.

Mission Is To Digitise Freight Forwarders

Chennai-based startup FreightBro has been changing the face of digital logistics ever since 2016. It recently inked new business deals with Port of Wilhelmshaven and NAFL. Raghavendran Viswanathan, CEO & founder, FreightBro Logistics tells Shalini Nair about the industry knowhow while setting up a business, rolling out tailor-made solutions for the Dubai market and how collaboration is crucial for a blockchain to flourish.

dfc game changer in freight transport

to decongest already saturated road network and promote shifting of freight transport to more efficient rail transport, dedicated freight corridor corporation of india (dfccil), a special purpose vehicle has been set up by the ministry of railways, to undertake planning and development, mobilisation of financial resources and construction, maintenance and operation of dedicated freight corridors (dfc).with a vast experience in civil engineering and construction in rail transportation, and many awards and accolades to his credit, adesh sharma heads the dedicated freight corridor project. in conversation with rashmi pradhan, the md of dfccil talks about feasibility and status of the project

‘Automation Contagiously Harmonising With The Logistics And Supply Chain Industry'

Web-based e-cloud platform LogYcode offers a cost-effective solution for freight forwarders, exporters, importers, and also air freight carriers. From published tariffs and surcharges of all carriers from pan-India, to a user-friendly interface, LogYcode employs AI and machine learning to build a comprehensive service.

Every Player Must Integrate On Same Platform For Technology Adoption

Backed by the investments from Accel and Nandan Nilekani, the co-founder of Infosys, Fortigo Network Logistics (4TiGO) entered into digital logistics platform to empower the Indian truck network through technology and networking. Over the last 18 months, the company has recorded y-o-y growth of over Rs 150 crore p.a. Anjani Mandal, CEO and co-founder of the 2015 founded company interacts with Shalini Nair on $50 million funding plan and its outlook to grow 10X over the next 30 months.

Digital Twins For Logistics

How do you operate, maintain, or repair systems when you aren’t in their physical proximity? That was the challenge for NASA when it had to monitor its rockets and vehicles on space missions. So it created mirrored systems or digital twins, still on earth that allowed engineers and astronauts to determine how they could control space mission vehicles. The concept of digital twin helps to control Chandrayaan-2, India’s lunar mission. A digital twin can create huge value in logistics and provide greater insight into and visibility of the current and future state of logistics.

Tracking Innovations In Logistics

Trading intuition for accurate datadriven insight has been a compulsory and continuous journey for today’s logistics businesses. This quest has led to innovations that have automated and streamlined process, in order to bring improved efficiencies to the logistics and supply chain business.

Making Logistics Employees Skillworthy

By 2022, the logistics sector is expected to employ more than 28.4 million employees from the current figures of 16.74 million. With logistics being a service oriented sector, skill development is emerging as a key capability. this makes it absolutely necessary for the government, training institutions, the logistics companies and the sector skill council to step up their efforts in building training capacity and offer industry-relevant skills to the candidates.

A Decade In Logistics: Before And After

As technology begins to take centerstage in global logistics, Nishith Rastogi, chief executive officer and founder of Locus.sh, reflects on the fascinating trends that will define logistics as much more than a support function.

Ocean Freight on a Growth Trajectory

The projects underway at major ports in India is expected to boost the Indian shipping industry, EXIM trade and economy of the country. Over the years, cargo handled at major ports in India have grown considerably. The containerised cargo export from India has increased over the years with India standing on the ninth position. 

Automotive Supply Chain Makes Smart Move

Increasing visibility, better collaboration among the partners and innovation in the supply chain is vital for the dynamic sector of automobiles to enhance their competitive edge and meet world class standards.

Transforming the future of​​​​​​​ India's automotive supply chain

India’s economic landscape has been witnessing tremendous change and the automotive sector is a significant growth driver. With the ongoing introduction of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the government’s latest 10-year Automotive Mission Plan, the sector has been on top gear.

A Greener Route for Freight Transport

Amid growing awareness about the need for adopting sustainable practices, freight transportation has majorly drawn global attention as they account for a substantial share of traffic and pollution in urban and metropolitan areas. Measures are therefore being explored to mitigate the negative effects of freight transportation.

Freight Sector Fastens Belt for Hyperloop

Flying cars and jetpacks could still take time to become a reality, but Hyperloop seems all set to revolutionize the transportation industry. The freight sector could be the first beneficiary of this super speed technology.

The Race for 'Speedy Delivery'

The Indian e-commerce space is currently at an inflection point and there is tremendous opportunity for growth. With the increasing consumer demand for ‘fastest deliveries’, e-commerce giants are enhancing logistics services to make the delivery race more predictable than maddening.

Decoding GST Transportation & Freight Sector

GST has been labelled as ‘one tax one nation’ thereby meaning that India becomes one market. This would result in businesses to re-look at their supply chain, warehousing and depots. GST presents an opportunity for industry players to consolidate their warehouses and set up larger facilities, which will bring in supply chain efficiencies. 

Indian Air Cargo Poised To Fly High  

Indian air cargo has an appealing story to tell. The country’s air cargo segment grew in leaps and bounds in the past seven decades. From small units of shipments in the 1950s, India's air cargo sector has scaled to a level where it attracts more and more international cargo operators.

Innovation, Investments Lifting Spirits Of Indian Logistics

Indian logistics sector, with the backing of the government, is witnessing innovative advances in technology and massive investments. The tax reform and the infrastructure status are likely to bolster infrastructure development in the country.

BIAL Steps Up Initiatives To Become South India's Cargo Gateway

Bangalore has catapulted from a sleepy backwater to a world-class export hub all thanks to its start-up ecosystem, driven primarily by IT and ITES sectors. That apart, the manufacturing and perishables industry has also contributed to its growth. And Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport serves as a catalyst to accelerate international trade.

How IoT And Airline Alliances Will Transform The Cargo Industry

The latest trends in technology are driving air cargo industry to make changes rapidly like never before. From Internet of Things (IoT) to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the air cargo supply chain is getting smarter with digital technologies. Venkatesh Pazhyanur forecasts the technology trends that will define air cargo in the future.

India's Rising Perishable Industry Seeks A Friendly Hand

Seems like Alphonso the ‘king of mangoes’ which have captured the fantasies of world famous chefs, is going to make it to the tables of few more lucky souls, reason being India’s growing emphasis on agri-export. The hunger is not only for mangoes but a wide range of fruits and vegetables, seasoned by the country’s diverse climate. Indian growers have contributed to the world food basket for years and the recent budget wherein the government has indicated its ambitions to take agriexports from $30 billion to $100 billion seems to be in complete sync with the growers’ growing aspirations. They now look up at the air cargo industry as an influential partner in the success story.Kay Bee Exports is an Indian fresh produce export company that has been into business for 29 years. The company that was started by Prakash Khakhar, chairman, Kay Bee Exports, on a small scale with initially exporting mangoes has come a long way and now exports a wide range of fruits and vegetables worldwide amounting to 6000 tonnes of air freight per year. In an exclusive interview with Shreya Bhattacharya, his son and CEO of the company Kaushal Khakhar speaks about the company’s expectations from the air cargo industry.

Air Cargo India Giving Wings To Global Air Cargo Industry

The biggest congregation of global air cargo industry stakeholders, at the seventh edition of Air Cargo India, was testimony of the fact that India-a country that is poised for substantial air cargo growth in 2018, is being looked at as a land of opportunity.

Staying Afloat Amid Global Uncertainties

Amidst global uncertainties in the international trade and unprecedented structural changes in India’s shipping sector, India’s container market has reasonably fared well. However, to continue the growth momentum, the Indian shipping industry will need to be extra cautious of the global trends and policies.