Chemical Logistics and Transportation khaleej times
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» Indu Group
Providing customised logistics solutions Indu Logistics offers complete Dangerous Goods (DG) warehousing solutions ■■ Latha Krishnan The Indu Group started Indu Logistics in 2004 as a supporting arm to its trading division with a 5,000 square feet warehouse at Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA) in Dubai. The business grew steadily as the company gained trust and reputation in the logistics field. In 2008 Indu Logistics ventured into chemical warehousing. “It was a niche business then and was a good move. With the warm personal relationships we have developed with our clients and providing them solutions according to their requirements, we have seen healthy growth in the highly competitive field of chemical logistics,” says Kishore Lakhani, Chairman of Indu Group. A separate HSE committee headed by a manager ensures that a MSDS (material systems data sheet) is followed strictly when handling, storing and transporting chemicals. “We enhanced our services in 2010 with value-added services such as Dangerous Goods (DG) consolidation, DG packaging, etc., and JAFZA supported us through it all,” reminisces Lakhani, as he traces the history of Indu Logistics to the time it received necessary permissions and certifications to handle logistics of highly DG goods in 2016. Building a warehouse for such goods started in 2014 with all conditions for storage taken into account, and operations began in December 2016. Today, Indu has approximately 20,000 pallet locations of DG/ non-DG storage and it is 85 per cent full. Indu Logistics currently has offices in the UAE (Dubai), Djibouti and Saudi Arabia. Expansion into Saudi Arabia is one of the newest projects taken up by the Indu team and the company would soon be able to offer complete DG warehousing solutions to existing and potential clients. This facility is close to 70,000 square feet and is expected to go live by the end of Q1 2017. With a team of 120 people, all personnel dealing with the handling, storing and
Q&A with Chairman Kishore Lakhani How important is the Indu Logistics component to Indu Group in terms of overall size and growth? Over the past years, the Logistics division of Indu Group has grown significantly and is now one of the key players in the logistics industry that offers various warehousing solutions, including chemical logistics and warehousing. Indu Logistics now has almost Kishore Lakhani, Chairman of Indu Group 900,000 square feet of warehousing space and plans to hit its one million milestone this year. Through this platform, the trading and distribution division has availed an advantage by offering clients multiple solutions through an in-house logistics entity. The group also has a retail and distribution division based out of East Africa where they distribute travel retail products around Africa. Both entities — logistics and distribution companies — work hand-in-hand by providing the necessary support and platform to enhance and widen operations. What is the status of Indu Logistics in the Middle East? We have seen significant growth year-on-year and are now making a conscious effort to expand geographically. By observing the flow of volume movement through our facilities, we appreciate the advantage of being located in this strategic part of the world and plan to make use of this. Are you satisfied that health, safety and environment (HSE) standards are adequately met at Indu when providing chemical storage and transportation services? Could you please tell us your opinion about HSE in general and at Indu? Safety towards the environment and people have been the utmost deciding factor on various decisions that the company has taken in the past few years when it comes to chemical logistics. We have managed to break down each warehouse activity with a detailed system flow to ensure an operating procedure is followed, and each activity is not only handled with supervised care, but also necessary precautions are taken at all times. Our on-site HSE manager is responsible for ensuring that each employee in the facility is trained and certified and that there is enough protective equipment spread around the facility, which are also equipped with fire-fighting systems that have been installed based on the types of chemicals we store. What in your opinion is the outlook for the logistics industry in the coming five years? How is Indu Group and Indu logistics preparing to meet the challenges of this period? We are in a fast-growing economy, and the services industry including logistics, is definitely in demand for 2020 and beyond. Factors such as rising costs, soaring volumes, increase in competition, do make it challenging to grow at the rate and direction we want to, but at the end of the day these factors also keep us moving forward.
transporting of chemicals are fully trained according to standards specified by Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) and the Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) body at JAFZA. “Our business of providing customised
logistics solutions for each of our customers, who appreciate our services, and the confidentiality we always practice during our dealings with them, have stood us in good stead,” says Lakhani.
» Schmidt ME Logistics DMCC
Optimised solutions from design to transport Schmidt ME Logistics DMCC offers an extensive experience in bulk logistics, project logistics and chemicals sectors ■■ Latha Krishnan Schmidt ME Logistics DMCC, set up in 2013 in Dubai, is part of the Schmidt Group, one of the earliest logistics providers in Germany that began operations in 1948. Today, Schmidt has grown to be one of the leading logistics specialists in the world, providing comprehensive solutions for bulk logistics including setting up of logistics centres. “Schmidt is represented worldwide with more than 1,800 employees at a total of 44 locations. We have a storage capacity of 1,275 silos, more than 1,150 vehicles and 5,500 containers, and have become the preferred representative for dry bulk and packed petrochemical logistics,” informs Dr Wolfgang Hoppmann, CEO of Schmidt ME Logistics DMCC. Schmidt began providing its logistics know-how to this region in November 2009 with a Schmidt representation office in Abu Dhabi. Schmidt ME Logistics offices in Dubai and Bahrain soon followed to offer comprehensive, cost-effective packages including optimised processes from design and construction to ongoing
supply chain management, operations and transports. “We have leased premises covering 36,000 square metres in Bahrain Logistics Zone (BLZ) where we have a logistics centre providing warehousing, a silo battery and offices. The strategic partnership between Schmidt and the BLZ has opened the gates for highly specialised logistics in this region, with Bahrain playing an important role as a distribution hub for the region,” says Marcel Duerkopp, Head of Transport-Handling. “We have also opened a logistics centre in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD), Abu Dhabi. The centre can be used to pack and transport dry bulk products for petrochemical and mineral manufacturers offering warehousing, silo bunker storage, container storage, and palletised warehousing, bagging and de-bagging services as well as customs clearances and other value-added services,” adds Duerkopp. Schmidt services are indeed valuable in the present scenario of rapid growth of chemical manufacturing throughout the Middle East. Andre Kriel, Deputy of CEO, explains, “Our specialised solutions experts, with their extensive experience in bulk logistics, project logistics and chemicals sectors, can meet the requirement of any client for asset-based logistics platforms and associated supply chain networks.”
Chemical Logistics and Transportation
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Establishing values of compliance Tristar offers comprehensive safety at all times across chemical logistics
With a growing demand for chemical warehousing and logistics internationally, the UAE is attracting significant number of logistics companies, including chemical storage and transport, due to its geographical connectivity to the world by air and sea. The commissioning of Tristar’s multilogistics polymers facility in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) South offers better time in market delivery because of the location’s direct access to Jebel Ali Port, Maktoum International Airport (DWC), and in the future, to Etihad Railways. The strategic location will give it an advantage when serving global customers for imports, exports and re-exports. The facility is the first silo and bagging set-up of its kind inside JAFZA South, designed to receive bulk PP/PE granules into silos and bagging of granules by fully automated bagging operations into FFS film bags and/or big-bags. The packed FFS pallets can be stored at the warehouse for distribution. The facility has a temperaturecontrolled chamber that is used for the storage of food grade, FMCG or other temperature-sensitive materials such as food emulsifiers, enzymes, vitamins and additives. It also has a drum filling station with the capability to drum from ISO tanks, thus providing customers with a fully integrated solution to receive in bulk, and store and distribute in packed conditions. The transportation of these drums are organised through Tristar’s transport fleet, and the empty tankers/ISO tanks released after drumming are then cleaned at the ISO Tank cleaning station within the same facility.
Safety and the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road standards in the GCC. Tristar has won the UK-based Occupational Health and Safety Award for five consecutive years and was presented the Gold Medal Award by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The company also received the Gold Award for Fleet Safety for its road safety records and safe driving culture during the awarding ceremonies. Tristar possesses several ISO certifications including 9001:2015, 14001:2015 and 39001:2012, plus OSHAS 18001:2007. The warehouse at the head office was given a five-star rating under the DMCC-initiated Trade flow Programme. Culture of safety
Tristar Group CEO Eugene Mayne (third from left) with executives from JAFZA and Skeberis Plastics at the groundbreaking ceremony in August 2015.
milestone for both chemical and petrochemical industries, as the new facility offers unique opportunities for the optimisation of supply chain for producer and customer. Incidentally, one of the world’s market leaders in chemical distribution, Brenntag from Germany, has a regional office at the facility through its joint venture with Trychem. The partnership, which was established in the last quarter of 2015, combines Trychem’s local expertise and Brenntag’s
international distribution knowledge, management know-how and sourcing strength. With over 10,000 products and a world-class supplier base, Brenntag offers one-stop-shop solutions to around 180,000 customers. Safety and quality recognition by international groups In 2015, Tristar received a 93 per cent score at three three-day Gulf Sustainability and Quality Assessment System (SQAS)
audit held at its head office in Jebel Ali. The Gulf SQAS is a system to evaluate the quality, safety, security and environmental performance of logistics service providers (LSPs) and chemical distributors in a uniform manner by single standardised assessments carried out by independent assessors using a standard questionnaire. The Gulf SQAS certificate is accredited by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA). Tristar has a good working relationship with GPCA for the implementation of the Dangerous Goods
Partnership with key industry players Skeberis Plastics is providing technical support to Tristar for the management and day-to-day bagging operations. The operating partnership between Tristar and Skeberis, in combination with its excellent location in Jebel Ali, is another
The Tristar facility in JAFZA houses its joint venture chemical distribution business with Brenntag. — Photos Supplied
At Tristar, the management and implementation of stringent safety guidelines, international standards, best practices and learning new technologies are a continuous process. It follows a ‘Goal Zero’ policy and believe that all accidents are preventable. The group ensures that its drivers comply with Hours of Service rules and obey speed limits. A CHEST (CHeck Every STep) programme to eliminate the 3Cs — Carelessness, Compromise and Complacency — has been in place for several years already. The programme was awarded the Best Safety Campaign Award of the year at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) event in the UK in 2013. Tristar drivers and ground staff have been given “Stop Work” cards that they can show to a customer to immediately stop any unsafe work practices that could threaten the life of a person or endanger the environment. Various safety permits are issued and maintained to ensure that operations are carried out in a safe manner. Tool Box Talk, weekly refresher training and safety meetings are held on a regular basis to ensure that the best possible job is carried out, while meeting the highest standards of safety. Safety walkabouts are performed on a periodic basis to make sure that safety procedures are being complied with. Tristar is well positioned to continue to be a leading fully integrated liquid logistics provider in the region, offering customers a diverse range of services while continuing to operate to the highest health, safety and environmental standards.
Integrated Liquid Logistics Solutions Provider The Tristar Group is a fully integrated Logistics Solutions provider that offers a comprehensive list of services to cater to the needs of the petroleum, chemical and petrochemical industries, both in the region and globally. The company’s core expertise lies in its ability to safely handle and distribute all types of retail fuels, lubricants, chemicals, petrochemicals and liquid gases.
ISO Tank Cleaning The facility has an in-house fully automatic tank cleaning facility installed by Groninger (Europe). The tanks will be cleaned with soft water with chlorine content less than 50 PPM alongside with a high pressure pump of 100 bar and a Boiler designed to produce steam at 1.2 TPH, which generates hot water of 80 Degree Celsius. A fully automated effluent treatment plant will treat and recycle all waste water from the cleaning station to be used for general cleaning and irrigation purposes.
Polymer Bulk & Bagging Warehouse This multi logistics polymers facility in JAFZA South is designed for receiving bulk PP/PE granules into silos and bagging of the granules by fully automated bagging operation into FFS film bags and/or big-bags. The packed material can be stored inside the warehouse in racking with a capacity of 8,000 tons. The bulk material can be received by container where Tristar has own tilting chassis or by an automated re-bulking equipment for 25 kg bags into the silos by high quality conveying systems. The polymers facility is being operated in partnership with
Specialised Warehousing for Chemicals and Dangerous Goods
The custom built covered warehouse has the capability to offer both ambient and temperature controlled storage for a wide range of petroleum products, including industrial solvents and soft chemicals. Total warehouse capacity is in excess of 15,000 pallet positions. The JAFZA facility has a drum filling station with capability to drum from ISO tanks thus providing customers with a fully integrated solution to receive in bulk and store and distribute in packed condition. The semi-automatic drum filling machine has a capacity of 50 drums per hour and suitable for solvents, corrosive chemicals and lubricants operated in safe zone. The entire new Tristar JAFZA facility has been designed and built to green building specifications, which is certified to LEED’s Gold standard.
Jebel Ali Free Zone, Street S1700 – South Zone. P.O. Box 51328, Dubai, UAE | Tel: +9714 8217888 | Fax: +9714 8217890 | Email: info@tristar-group.co | Website: www.tristar-group.co