When a pandemic comes knocking: Safety & Warehouse Operations in a post-COVID world

The COVID-19 pandemic, required everyone to rise to the occasion to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus. While various sectors faced a slowdown or stopped operating entirely, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and logistics stepped on the accelerator to serve and safeguard citizens and the economy. The pharmaceuticals supply chain needed to work like clockwork even as the pandemic raged on. Avvashya CCI, the contract logistics division of Allcargo Logistics, went the extra mile to ensure the best possible services for their pharma customers.

Being one of India’s leading chemical warehousing services providers, many of Avvashya CCI’s marquee customers are companies supplying chemicals used to manufacture essential goods for health, hygiene and disinfection – an important raw material in COVID-19 protection measures. While tackling the restrictions and protocol to be followed during the pandemic, businesses faced several challenges in handling the supply of essential chemicals and pharmaceuticals. So they relied on Avvashya CCI to step up and respond responsibly and proactively to find feasible solutions.

Stepping up to fight COVID-19

Avvashya CCI provided end-to-end operations that involved consolidation of material arriving from multiple suppliers, preparation of bin locations and integrating customer requirements to ensure better coordination and reduction in logistics costs.

Right from getting necessary approvals to support critical dispatches, to offering seamless deliveries, coordinating transportation to ease out complexities around moving supplies out of the warehouses, timely vehicle placements and flawless execution, and tracking deliveries and providing updates at critical delivery stages, even ensuring expert and trained resources for unloading and storage of chemicals in warehouses with the right precautions and safety are just few of the various ways in which Avvashya CCI supported its customers during the pandemic. Marquee customers have acknowledged and appreciated this commitment to help keep their business moving.

Differentiating factors that set apart Avvashya CCI’s chemical warehousing

a) Personalized services for every customer

b) Highest standards of safety practiced at all warehouses

c) Well-defined processes and systems

d) Highly trained professional manpower

e) Emphasis on safety and security training for all the deployed manpower

f) EHS compliant and statutory safety and storage permissions available for chemical storages at all warehouses

g) IT systems needed by customers deployed at warehouses, and reports issued as required

h) Customer-centric operations at all warehouses

i) KPI and KRA review and strict adherence to SOPs

j) Presence of a Safety Manager to monitor activities for every warehouse

In addition, Avvashya CCI also offered value-added services such as strapping, kitting, bar coding, shrink wrapping, labeling, stitching, repacking, among others to customers, further simplifying their supply chains.

Safety first – every single time

Keeping warehousing facilities operational during a health crisis comes with the responsibility to ensure the health and safety of each staff member, driver, handler, customer and visitor.

Avvashya CCI takes this very seriously and has implemented a number of precautions to contain the spread of COVID-19, such as mandatory oxygen and temperature checks, compulsory masking and sanitizing of premises.

The strict and rigorous vigilance ensures totally compliant warehouses and facilities, and incident-free operations.

Conclusion

A strict set of SOPs, well defined processes and systems, and the highest standards of safety practiced at all warehouses, enables Avvashya CCI to protect its own staff while also supporting customers to fight COVID-19.

In addition, Avvashya CCI also ensures personal care for every customer and deploys highly trained professional manpower with emphasis on safety and security training; is EHS compliant and statutory safety and storage permissions are available for chemical storages at all warehouses. The presence of a safety manager who monitors activities for every warehouse ensures safety is always adhered to even in trying times such as COVID-19.

All these factors together place Avvashya CCI in a league of its own.

About the author:

V.Raju is a logistics and supply chain veteran who is currently the Senior Vice President – CL – Chemical, Pharma & Food Sector, at Avvashya CCI. He regularly addresses students, participates in panel discussions and shares in-depth perspectives in numerous publications and trade magazines.