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GENAVCO-Materials Handling Solutions
Storage Systems critical for improving efficiency and profitability
The availability of effective and high-grade special material handling and storage equipment and systems that support logistics and supply chain work efficiency has upped the ante and marks a defining moment in operational capabilities and streamlining of systems.
Material handling from a logistics and supply chain perspective is broadly the movement, storage and control of materials and products throughout the manufacturing, warehousing and distribution processes.
Godrej Storage Solutions (GSS) is a strategic business unit of Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing, part of the prominent Godrej Group, one of India’s largest engineering and consumer product groups.
Godrej Storage Solutions is a pioneer, visionary and market leader for over six decades in the field of racking and shelving storage systems in India empowering over 10000 warehouses and distribution centres with its popular intra logistics solutions.
Godrej Storage Solutions’ products & service portfolio includes Pallet Racking Solutions & Shelving Solutions for warehouse excellence, Software Enabled Solutions for intelligent warehousing, Work Centre Solutions for enhancing shop floor productivity and value adding warehouse consulting.
Formidable partnership
In the UAE, Godrej Storage Systems has partnered exclusively by GENAVCO, a renowned company founded in 1967 by industry titan Juma Al Majid, following the establishment of the highly diversified, multi-trading and long-established Juma Al Majid Group in 1950.
The conglomerate is one of the leading companies in the UAE for supplying commercial vehicles, road
Varun Viswanath
construction equipment, quarry and mining equipment, material handling equipment, lubricants and other industrial/construction equipment, representing the world’s leading brands from USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France.
Varun Viswanath, Sales Manager & Team Lead, GENAVCO-Godrej Storage Systems responded in writing to a questionnaire by Global Supply Chain Magazine.
Global Supply Chain (GSC): How vital is the Warehousing / Storage / Shelving Solutions sector in the regional logistics and supply chain industry?
Varun Vishwanath (VV): As businesses grow and expand regionally, internationally and even globally, they Under the visionary leadership of HE Juma Al Majid, GENAVCO is catering to almost all business segments in UAE Market including Road Construction, Earth Moving, Power Generation, Oil & Gas, Construction, Marine, Crushing, Logistics and Supply chain, Hospitality, Medical and Pharma sectors.
become more reliant on effectively organized supply chains which include sophisticated logistics. This element of supply chains is not something that only matters in large-business development. It is just as crucial in terms of improving efficiency and profitability with smaller and medium-sized business as well.
Storage and Material Handling Solutions play an essential part in supply chain management. These are used to plan and coordinate the movement of products timely, safely and effectively.
GSC: Briefly describe the origins and growth of GENAVCO’s partnership with Godrej Storage Solutions?
VV: GENAVCO is a well established supplier in the market for Material Handling Equipment since its partnership with Crown in 1994. We have made our footprint and foray in virtually every sector in the country over the last 27 years.
Storage Solutions division of GENAVCO commenced its operation back in 2013 and by beginning 2020 we joined hands with Godrej Storage Solutions which is a part of one of the largest and oldest Private sector companies in India.
Godrej being established in leading position in the market for over last two decades, it adds a lot of value to GENAVCO’s Storage and Material Handling Division and its Growth in coming years.
GSC: Briefly, how would you characterize your partnership with Godrej Storage Solutions?
VV: Genavco and Godrej Storage Solutions enjoy a long and enduring relationship. GENAVCO has exclusively partnered with Godrej Storage Solutions for the distribution and service of a wide and complete range of its products that includes Pallet Racking, Drive in Racking, Shuttle Racking, Mezzanine Systems, Pick-Towers, Shelving Solutions, Heavy Duty Multitier Storage Systems, Fully automated and semi automated storage systems.
GSC: What are the opportunities and challenges for the partnership going forward?
VV: The solid growth in ecommerce industry is one of the greatest opportunities for Storage & Material Handling Solutions Industry in the recent past. Furthermore Dubai Government’s visionary initiatives like Dubai CommerCity and New industrial zones
promoting local manufacturing is going to be a big leap going forward in the Storage and Material Handling Industry in coming years.
Both the challenges and opportunities are many. The global Covid-19 pandemic and worldwide economic downturn impacted the UAE, as it did every country around the world. The pandemic created an unprecedented economic crisis including severe declines in tourism, aviation and trade and logistics sectors.
Increase in steel price over the last 8-9 months is another major challenge that the industry is facing now. This leads to huge decline in number of upcoming projects and expansions.
GSC: How have the fortunes of the Storage / Shelving Solutions sector been impacted by the growth of E-Commerce in the region?
VV: The UAE retail e-commerce market reached a record $3.9 billion in 2020, a 53% year-over-year increase driven by the Covid-19-led digital shift, while e-commerce accounted for 8% share of the retail market during the same year.
This has changed the fortunes of Storage Solutions/ Shelving Sector. With the strong experience of Godrej in serving E-Commerce giants Amazon, Flipcart, Myntra, Reliance and other big-time players in India, we are aiming higher position in the market in coming years.
GSC: Briefly, what are the key GENAVCO-Godrej unique offerings for the warehousing / storage industry in the region?
VV: More than a supplier, GENAVCO as a Partner to our customers, offering its service as a Warehouse Storage and Material handling solution provider through our world class range of Products from Godrej Storage Solutions, Crown Lift Trucks, Flexi Narrow Aisle Articulated Trucks and JLG Electric Range.
We are very unique in the range of products we are offering as one stop solutions to our customers. In the process, we provide right from consultancy to designing to 3D Real walkthrough models of the warehouses that conveys the real feel of the completed warehouse in the planning stage itself.
GSC: How important is automation and technology for industry in the region?
VV: As we all know UAE has a great interest in technologies due to its focus on being a leader in the area of smart city and smart government applications, its position as a center for international banking, commerce, logistics, and transportation. It is expected that automation will take a lead in UAE logistics industry in coming 3-4 years. We are fully prepared for this eventuality.
GSC: What are GENAVCO’s strengths, capabilities and portfolio of service offerings in this area?
VV: As a 54-year old established organization under the visionary leadership of HE Juma Al Majid, GENAVCO is catering to almost all business segments in UAE Market including Road Construction, Earth Moving, Power Generation, Oil & Gas, Construction, Marine, Crushing, Logistics and Supply chain, Hospitality, Medical and Pharma sectors.
The team of highly experienced Engineers and solution experts is our key Strength that helps us to cover and strengthen our position in the market. .
GSC: How did GENAVCO’s Material Handling & Storage Solutions Division fare in 2020 and what is your outlook for 2021?
VV: Material Handling & Storage Solutions division is one of the rapidly Growing product segment of GENAVCO. Although 2020 was a challenging year, with the Partnership of Godrej the division performed decently well.
During challenging times GENAVCOGODREJ–CROWN marked the reference of installation of tallest VNA Operated Racking System ever installed in UAE. We have also created our solid foot prints in the food packaging and manufacturing segments last year with Drive-in Racking and Multi-Tier Shelving solutions. 2021 is a most exciting year for us, being GENAVCO, as we are a part of various key projects being executed in the market that includes Vertical Farming Project for Dubai’s National Air CarrierEmirates Group, which is going to be first of its kind in the region.
We have also marked another history by installing largest Drive-In Racking System in the Northern Emirates for a leading Appliance Brand. There are several other projects in the pipeline this year. With the enthusiastic team on board, we are fully confident that the Storage & Material Handling Solutions will set its record performance this year.
GSC: What is your forecast for the short and long-term futures?
VV: In the short term, GENAVCO is focusing on improving the market share and create solid references through quality products and service offerings.
Going forward we will be adding more complementary products in the range to accomplish our long term vision of Market Leadership in Storage and material handling industry.
GSC: How competitive is the industry?
VV: Unlike other industries, Storage Solutions Industry has the highest number of competition in the market. There are currently over 15 known companies offering Racking solutions in the market. Increase in number of small scale players leading to price war in small- medium scale projects.
We are also sometimes witnessing companies offering cheaper products with compromise in quality. With the superior grade of Steel Godrej is using for its construction, we can guarantee delivery of superior quality products to our customers.
GSC: As a 54-year old long-established company, what is the vision for this Division going forward?
VV: The vision is set to become one of the top performing divisions of GENAVCO, thereby taking the company to next levels.
