BalmerLawrie’s new Cold Chain Unit inaugurated at Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar:30/7/22: BalmerLawrie& Co. Ltd., a Miniratna I PSE under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India announced the unveiling of its new state-of-the-art Cold Chain Unit at Bhubaneswar, Odisha today. ShriRameswarTeli, Hon’ble Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas &Labour and Employment, Government of India inaugurated the Cold Chain facility in the presence of Mr. AdikaRatnaSekhar, Chairman & Managing Director, and other senior officials from BalmerLawrie& Co. Ltd. The Cold Chain Unit at Chhatabar is BalmerLawrie’sfirst Cold Chain Unit in the Eastern Region and fourth in the country. Balmer Lawrie is an integrated logistics service provider within India’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and has been aggressively enhancing its presence in providing cold chain solutions through its brand LOGICOLD. The setting up of the Cold Chain Unit at Bhubaneswar is in line with the Government of India’s “Act East” policy and “AtmaNirbhar Bharat” initiative. The Cold Chain Unit in this region will also cater to the growing demands of seafood, dairy, Agri-products industries, and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR).

On the occasion, a press conference was organized at Vivanta Bhubaneswar during which Mr. AdikaRatnaSekhar, C&MD addressed the media. Mr. AdhipNathPalchaudhuri, Director [Service Businesses], and R.M. Uthayaraja Director [Manufacturing Businesses] were also present. The Cold Chain Unit is strategically located and near the national highway making it convenient for the customers. It is equipped with the latest refrigeration technology and automated product handling with minimum human contact with food and food grade products ensuring product safety and integrity. The advanced setup is ideal for not only quality food products for export but also for domestic storage of fruits and vegetables particularly potatoes in controlled temperatures.

Odisha being the 4^th largest fish-producing state with a nine-fold increase in seafood exports in the last two decades, our Cold Chain Unit at Bhubaneswar is the perfect “go-to” infrastructure for seafood exporters in this region. It is ably supported by the Company’s fleet of TemperatureControlled Vehicles (TCVs) which ensure last-mile delivery. A total investment of Rs. 32 crores was made to set up the Cold Chain Unit at Bhubaneswar. The growth of organized 3PL, QSR, retail, e-commerce, and food service industries due to changing consumption patterns have brought the cold chain segments into focus. The Bhubaneswar Cold Chain Unit is spread over 1.5 acres and with a storage capacity of 2000 pallets (frozen) and 3000 MT (chilled/ambient)caters to various industrial segments. The Unit has the FSSAI, MPEDA, Factories and Boilers Act 1948 and PCB certifications, and the Fire & Safety license.

BalmerLawrieLOGICOLD has already marked its presence in Southern (Hyderabad), Northern (Rai, Delhi NCR), and Western (Patalganga, Navi Mumbai) parts of India, and now with footprints in the Eastern region, along with its TVs, the SBU: Cold Chains all set to service pan India customers as a one-stop shop Cold Chain solutions provider. The SBU has already created its brand presence during COVID-19by handling two COVID-19 vaccines – Covaxin and Sputnik from its Hyderabad unit. The SBU has further been the trusted partner catering to the top-tier QSR. The commissioning of the Cold Chain Unit at Bhubaneswar is a significant milestone in BalmerLawrie’sLogistics roadmap.