The 10 Most Emerging Logistic Companies in 2019 by Prime View

www.primeview.co

MAY 2019

SAFESEA GROUP

S V ANCHAN

THE MOST EMERGING LOGISTIC COMPANIES

2 0 1 9

Editor’s Note

Logistics is a major part of almost every business structure. Present-day, there is the need of the best-in-class infrastructure and effective logistics management system to address the increasing requirements of companies to carry goods and services from one place to another place. From fully automated robots to manage warehouses to drones for goods delivery, the present supply chain is going through a major transformation. With the support of AI and machine learning, the future supply chain is on the path to be completely autonomous and self-orchestrated.

www.primeview.co

MAY 2019

SAFESEA GROUP

S V ANCHAN

Emerging Logistics Companies, Taking Logistics from Shoreline to Skyline

THE MOST EMERGING LOGISTIC COMPANIES

2 0 1 9

According to the report of the economic survey of India for 2017-18, the logistics sector will rise from the current worth of $160 billion to Rs 215 billion by 2020. Further, the Survey estimates that if the sector is improved, it would cut the indirect logistics cost by 10% and lead 5-8% growth in exports. It is a positive report that shows enhancement in the industry. In a PPP (Public Private Partnership) model, the government of India is making efforts to improve India’s ranking in World Bank LPI (Logistics Performance Index). The boom in the next couple of years is expected mainly because of the implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST). The availability of a modernized logistics infrastructure and an excellent logistics management system streamline the transfer of goods from the point of origin to that of consumption. The development of the logistics industry brings huge value for the economy of India also. Because such evolution would raise exports, bring more employment and make the country a focal point in the International supply chain. The expansion of transport system and logistics-related infrastructures will effectively support to improvise the sector. There are numerous factors that are responsible for this growth. But the primary reason is the emergence of new companies, who foster the growth of logistics sectors. They have entered the market and are bringing technological revolution here with the latest technology, quality warehousing, and functional transport facility to provide world-class services in the Indian market. Prime View has come up with list growing companies in supply chain industry with its latest issues “10 Most Emerging Logistics Companies” who played an essential role in boosting the logistics sector and still dedicated to driving the growth. In this issue, you will read the story of rising stars of the logistics sector. Additionally, there is an amazing collection of in-house articles. We hope you would enjoy this issue. Thank you so much for being the part of Prime View. God bless you !

The 10 Most Emerging Logistic Companies in 2019

UMESH B SOPAN K

CONTENTS

SAFESEA GROUP COVER STORY

PROFILE 14 PADREA GLOBAL SERVICES LTD ENDOWS A ONE ROOF SOLUTION FOR ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING FOR MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY.

INTERVIEW 20 CONNECT2INDIA INTERVIEW WITH PAWAN GUPTA

ARTICLE CHALLENGES OF CONTEMPORARY 24 LOGISTICS INDUSTRY WITH THEIR SOLUTIONS

12 28

HOW TO START LOGISTICS COMAPNY IN CONTEMPOARY WORLD

30 TAURUS FORWARDERS PVT LTD A BRIEF NOTE ON LOGISTICS SECTOR

24 28

SAFESEA GROUP

COVER STORY

A single point Solution for All Logistics Needs The Indian logistics sector is on a big growth tide. The country's logistics industry which is worth around USD 160 billion is likely to touch USD 215 billion in the next two years with the implementation of GST, according to the Economic Survey. With the implementation of GST, the Indian logistics market is expected to reach about USD 215 billion in 2020, growing at a CAGR of 10.5 per cent. The Indian logistics industry which provides employment to more than 22 million people has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8 per cent during the last five years. The Global Ranking of the World Bank's 2016 Logistics Performance Index shows that India jumped to 35th rank in 2016 from 54th rank in 2014 , in terms of overall logistics performance. The report also showed that India’s logistics sector has improved its performance on all the six parameters used in the ranking. This is a huge jump of 20 ranks and clearly indicates the growth of the sector. Understanding the future prospect of the Indian Logistic market an international shipping conglomerate, the Safesea Group, of shipping and logistics voyage was established to take the logistic industry to the next level. This global entity was conceptualized, formed and steered by the vision and passion of a thorough shipping professional, S V Anchan, a third generation in this domain. “Journey of Passion always has its own pleasure. As this is not a business for us, but passion, where Shipping happens to be our religion. It was during the year 2008 (recession period), we took a bold decision to establish a new company for catering to specialized cargoes like project shipments, Break Bulk and Bulk shipments.”

A flexible & innovative logistics solution Headquartered in New Jersey, USA, Safesea caters to a multiple array of high quality professional services such as shipping & chartering; which includes Oil Tankers i.e Crude Tankers carrying large quantities of unrefined crude oil from point of extraction to refineries of 300,000MT. Product Tankers are designed to carry refined products from refineries to regions with a consumer base. Products include gasoil, naptha, aviation fuel, gasoline and many more. Chemical specialized Tankers commonly known as parcel tankers, team Safesea carefully yet aggressively scouts for opportunities to load full or part cargoes based on regional pricing and global demand. Logistic & Transportation service are such as Ocean & Air Freight an enviable service provider with high performance standards flexibility to meet the changing needs of the industry. This includes Visibility and Control, Global Access to Expand Horizons and Tracking on-time delivery solutions. Warehousing/Custom Clearance are among the broad array of services available across our offices worldwide. “Our passion has existed for three generations and will flow until the ocean world prevails. We offer one window service under one roof for all the shipping needs, as we move anything that needs to be moved. We are empaneled with various local and international bodies & organizations. Thru our global offices we offer 24 x 7 services,” said S V Anchan, Founder, Safesea.

we firmly believe in ‘ Boss is NOT always correct , anybody can correct the boss including INTERN’

S V ANCHAN

FOUNDER

Elongating the Parameters to go an Extra Mile An ISO 9001:2015 certified company Safesea has a wide range of patrons , Catered to the requirements of Indian Oil, 3M, Siemens, Alpine, NTPC, ISO, Essar, , Mena Energy are to name a few. “The Conviction, Passion and Shipping did not deter from working like an extension of our clients, which gave us the opportunity to understand the need of our valued clients more closely with a personal touch. This enhanced bond and personalized service with our clients gave us the opening to share & provide tailor made solutions. We provided consultancy services at no cost which eventually unlocked the doors for ancillary services like warehousing & distribution, project managements and Military cargoes. However we still believe in what is called people interaction instead of making the digital technology to respond to customer’s queries. Since shipping is a Stone Age biz, somehow I personally feel the interaction and relationship plays a pivotal role and is name of the game of our biz. Though we have advanced technology in place, but as far as customer interaction is concerned we still manage through live interaction. We firmly believe on the phrase that "Don’t Go where the PATH may LEAD, Go instead where there is no path and leave TRAILs". This helped us to retain our clients in all weather,” added S V Anchan.

The journey so far Established over a decade ago, Safesea has come a long way from where it all started. Owing to consistent commitment to value-based business, Safesea has witnessed robust growth leading to an expansion of its presence on a global scale. The group is headquartered in USA, having offices in Canada, Denmark, United Kingdom, India & Bangladesh (South Asia) UAE & Iraq (Middle Est) and Singapore (South East Asia), along with a network of allied offices in over 100 countries. The Logistic firm has bagged many awards and recognition due to its tireless hard work. Some of the famous award and recognition received by Safesea group are as follows: Future 50 fastest growing companies Award 2015 by Smart CEO Bulk Logistics Excellence Award 2015 for diversified interest within shipping verticals by IBJ, UK Gold Medal by Institute of Economics Studies , India - 2017 DryBulk Operator of the Year - 2017 , by Lloyds Global Award UK Ship Operator of the Year - 2017 , by Lloyds List by Americas Award Maritime Excellence Award - 2017 - Telangana Govt in association with Indywood

The Force behind the Accomplishment The stiff and the rigid team of Safesea is the pillar behind the company’s execution. The simple and uncomplicated policy of the organization doesn’t box the employee, but gives them a transparent atmosphere with free flow of knowledge without firewall. Cross department trainings are given to the employees to make them a holistic shipping professionals. There is no thick wall between the department likewise theemployees. This mitigates the red tape, which

helps in achieving quick turn around and better output. As the firm believes that the growth of the employees will lead to the growth of the company.

In Pursuit of Serving Clients Better S V Anchan is the master mind behind the dazzling success of the Safesea Group. He is instrumental in the meteoric rise and success of this enterprise, which has expanded its footprints across the globe over the past decade. Under Mr. Anchan’s leadership, Safesea Group became one of the few shipping firms over the world that caters to a wide & deep array of high quality professional services. The self-proclaimed ‘old-fashioned’ yet extremely ‘courageous’ S V Anchan is the perfect combination of inspiration and passion. That’s because he has earned his name as one of the most renowned businessmen across the globe and continues to expand his footprint. Sheer dedication, in-depth knowledge and accurate market analysis makes him the businessman that he is today. The Safesea Group has drastically gained recognition and accolades over a little more than a decade and still counting owing to his expertise and innovative ideas. Some of the biggest achievements of S V Anchan’s are: The first & only Indian Origin American to own ships in North America Eminent Overseas Maritime Personality” award bestowed by the National Maritime Day Celebrations Committee of India - 2016 International Man of the Year at the 7th Annual Congressional Awards, USA - 2017 Stardust Global Indian Icon- S.V. Anchan 2017 International Leadership Innovation Excellence AWARD & Gold Medal by Institute of Economic Studies, 2017 Mahatma Gandhi Samman Award by house of Lords, UK - 2017 ETNOW Stars of the Industry – Most Innovative Leader (Logistics and Supply Chain) - 2018 Outstanding Global Leadership Award - Institute Of Economics Studies , India

The only Indian - American shipping professional to own offices in USA , Canada , United Kingdom, Denmark Iraq , UAE , Bangladesh & Singapore

The Future Roadmap The company with a positive outlook aspires to double its revenue and clients in the year to come. “Our determination to grow the business with a purpose started with a SWOT analysis to accomplish our “VISION 2020”, from which we conceived our development and execution strategies which includes Developing a strategic direction, supported by necessary allocation of resources and coordinated business unit plans and Execution by analyzing the structure and dynamics of each of the relevant markets and allocation of resources, along with asset procurement, we anticipate a greater return on investments,” concluded Anchan.

Logistics is considered as one of the fastest growing sectors of the country. In the present digital world, transportation and logistics are under pressure to remain competitive to offer the highest quality service and develop with time. It is the interplay of infrastructure, technology and advanced types of providing effective services. In the contemporary world, the logistics industry of the country is going through numbers of challenges. Here we outline the ongoing issues the industry faces with their solution:

Changing Needs of Customers

These days, the needs of customers are changing. There should be complete transparency in orders and all stags from raw material stage to the final. It has become a tough task for companies to keep up with good quality services as there are so numerous factors involved. Solution: Use advanced communication technology to keep customers updated about their goods.

Transportation Cost

Transportation cost plays a significant part in the overall budget of supply in a company. With the rising cost of fuel, consumers pay the tool by having to pay more for shipping. Many companies involved in the industry started using autonomous tracking and AI into their vehicles to track potential real-time data with routes and possible alternative routes to reduce the transportation cost. Solution:

Operational Cost

There is no doubt that the operational cost associated with running a business always goes up. In the same way, the cost to operate the business is also rising rapidly. And, when a business involved includes hundreds and thousands of kilometers within a matter of weeks while carefully transporting goods, every kind of cost is likely to go up only. Solution: In the traditional method, it needs more fuel to run the machine,

more manpower to accomplish work wherewith advance technology does all work and it needs less manpower.

4 Government and Environmental Regulations Logistics companies in Indian face significant compliance regulations imposed by federal, state and local authorities. Additionally, service providers have go through federal regulations, environmental issues like emission reduction regulations that cut their profits. As the business operation is continuously changing, there is a shift in the ensuing problems also. Stay updated with these problems and taking pre-emptive steps to resolving these problems is a sign of successful logistics management. Solution:

5 Infrastructure Infrastructure is one of the major concerns. With thousands of vessels already serving the major trade lanes around the globe, the problem of lack of infrastructure has become clearer in recent days. A number of companies are trying to complete their set up to accept such large vessels and service them. This increment is expected to continue in the coming years.

Solution: Having a flexible approach to take advantages of modern technology is the best solution to improvise the infrastructure.

6 Customer Service Logistics management is all about providing the right product in the right quantity to the correct place at the right time. Presently, customers want full transparency into where their delivery is at all times. Solution: Proper setup of customer service with representatives can help you in supporting your clients and resolve their queries.

7 Lack of Flexibility In spite of major technical innovation in the supply chain industry, still, this is not flexible enough to adopt any change instantly. Many business owners believe that their business plan is well-researched and well-established, so it does not need to transform. Solution: Let the progressing logistic filed shift gears in your company

as well. Change transportation methods, operational activities, and variable as per the industry demand.

8 Environment The environment is one of the major factors that create problems for the business. Today, the environment is being affected by the supply chain industry badly. That is why; government comes up with new regulations to protect the nature from an industrial movement that affects badly. Solution: There are many machines that are being introduced in the industry that will make the industry environment-friendly.

9 Planning & Risk Management Proper planning and risk management techniques are essential in order to deliver efficient and effective servicing. Periodic assessments and redesigns of each business sector are important. These adjustments are put in place in response to the development in the market such as new product launches, global sourcing, credit availability and also the protection of intellectual property.

10 Problems Related to Connection The issues related to network instability, and random handheld disconnections make it to the top of the list.

11 Security Security is a major concert, as goods are transferred from one place to another place.

Final Verdict Where a business with multifarious issues gets it almost impossible to grow, at the same time an error-free seamless transportation business can only drive profits. Take an instant decision, check every part of the business and find pitfall in your supply chain management and enjoy growth in your company.

PADREA GLOBAL SERVICES PADREA GLOBAL SERVICES LTD LTD Endows a one roof solution for organizations looking for Management Consultancy and Innovative Technology. Management consulting is a $250 billion industry with gigantic growth and profit. Business people and organizations around the world now depend on the wise counsel of expert consultants for their survival and growth. Whether the focus is Strategy, Operations, Tax, Finance, HR, or IT, business consultants are a staple of corporate life. True, the biblical kings had prophets and the Greeks had their oracles; Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta had Chanakya, and Akbar had Birbal and even the mafia had their consigliere for consulting during the ancient days. Today, over 700,000 consulting companies provide services across virtually all aspects of business globally. From defining strategic direction to simply serving as an additional pair of hands for outsourced work, consultants have become inextricably linked to the success of most large organizations. Kolkata based Padrea Global Services Ltd is one such company, who stands as one of the best management consultants and innovative technology company in India.

Baibhav Agarwal Director

“Starting off with a venture like business is a hard nut to crack. Several things have to ensure to stay in their places suitably. But it’s the indomitable spirit of an achiever, which keeps the lamp of your dreams burning till your goal has been achieved. Padrea Global Services Ltd rises from such aspirations and resolute to be at the highest podium where it sees nothing else than success, says Baibhav Agarwal, Director, Padrea Global Services Ltd. Incepted in the year 2007, Padrea initially started off as a Consultancy and Research & Development company. It offers various services aiming at assisting almost all segments of business, namely Financial Services, Advisory Services, Strategy, Organization Modelling, Dynamic Marketing, Technology, Legal, Audit and Research & Development. The company caters to various verticals including Healthcare, Fintech, Real Estate, Mining and Metal, E-commerce, Retail, and many more. In its early stages, Padrea along with its consultancy business started Digital Marketing, Software Development, ERP Solutions, etc., emerging as market leaders of the Industry. In the year 2011 - 2012 Padrea started its operation overseas, as the company spread its wings to the Middle East and Europe. Padrea emerged to become an innovative Technology and Consultancy company. It is the thirst of keeping up with trends and technology, that has helped Padrea grow over the years and still remain leaders in the Industry. The company saw the potential and growth of emerging new technologies, like AR and VR, and finally in the year 2017, started a separate division completely dedicated to AR and VR, under Padrea Tech.

Baibhav Agarwal along wih his partner, Mr. Mayank Kamani, together formed “Padrea Tech”. It is a subsidiary of Padrea Global Services Ltd. Padrea Tech is a technology company offering bespoke solutions in the AR and VR Technology, and is gradually emerging as a complete AR and VR company. Padrea Tech shares its vision with Digital India and helps incorporates technology in business and help them utilize their true potential. It’s mission is to make superior technology accessible to all organizations in the best way possible in accordance with their requirements. Padrea Tech is currently focusing on using AR/VR technology to take businesses to the next level.

“Whether you are looking to start your business or grow it to the next level, Padrea as an innovative technology and consultancy company looks after all your growth needs, at all stages. We work with top executives and help you carve your way through glory by providing all business solutions under one roof. Padrea’s experienced panel of experts strives to inculcate change and value in the businesses we serve ensuring thatyou become bigger and better every day,” added Baibhav. Padrea offers clients the expert assistance in specific areas depending on the nature of business. It provide service in almost all areas of business, irrespective of their sector. This is one of the major reasons why clients are benefitted immensely from their Padrea’s services. The management consultant counts its specialized team as one of the core USP, because they are the ones who transform coffee into value. Further Padrea’s decade-long experience in various sectors also adds value to it.

Sustainability has not only helped Padrea to grow, but also heightened his capabilities to emerge as a successful entrepreneur. The major factor that contributed towards the growth of the company is the deployment of the mastery skills. “We look high for reaching the sky limits. Our constant stare and focus on innovation, enables us to deliver more optimal solutions for our clients. The encouraging expansion to overseas countries doesn’t stop here and with each successful projects catered to foreign client round the globe, we work harder on pinning our visibility to multiple countries. The dexterous standards we formulate at Padrea Global Services Ltd, mark a significant contribution not only in the domestic market but also in the international market as well. No matter how many projects we are handling at a time, the resolute assurance of no compromise from our end makes us stand out as a significant one in the global market scenario of today,” Pinpoints Baibhav.

It’s not important to be successful, it’s important to remain successful. Defeat is not when you fall down, it’s when you refuse to get up !!

The name ‘Padrea’ is a combination of two words ‘Passion’ and ‘Dream’ values upon which the organization is running since its inception, as per the envision of Baibhav Agarwal. Evaluating himself, as experienced personnel who envisioned a dream of being a successfulentrepreneur, he believes that there can be only a single mantra for living your dreams and that is, constant dedication and honesty. The never giving-up-spirit that ignites within him, drives Baibhav for doing better each day.With an experience of more than 10 years as the Director of the company, his core belief lies in the fact that, it is simply hard work that makes you follow your passion till it is achieved. Holding professional qualification as a Chartered Accountant and deploying strong entrepreneurship learned skills, his journey so far has been extremely productive with various designated roles and being the potential key decision maker in well-recognized and reputed companies. His constructive skills in Management Consultancy, Technology, Skilled Negotiation,Business Planning, Market Research, Management, HR planning, and

Starting as a small management consultancy and technology company in with a handful of people constituting as a team, Padrea has crossed multitude milestones since the day of its inception. The companyhas also been featured in various notable magazines. “Speaking of today, we stand tall as amultidisciplinary organization, facilitating manifold services and overcoming criticalchallenges all at the same time.” Padrea with a positive outlook aspires to widen it’s wings geographically. The company also aspires to double its revenue and clients in the years to come. “Our vision to become a customer-centric company seems attainable with the current encouraging statistical figures of growth and profit. With the addition of more innovative and distinctive services, we aim to become a more multifaceted organization in the coming future,” concludes Baibhav.

? Q.

Pawan Gupta Founder

According to you, how important is it for SMEs to get into global trade?

ANS : The Government aims to bolster Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s march towards becoming a USD 5 Trillion economy and boost Indian global trade to USD 2 Trillion in next few years. However, achieving such high growth will require exceptional structural changes in all sectors of the economy, specially the SME sector which is the backbone and lifeline of our economy.

The SMEs are really important to any countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy but are even more critical for developing countries like India. Over the past few decades, this sector, comprising of manufacturing, agro industry, service industry, apparels & textile, gems & jewellery, food processing, metal and alloys, packaging, polymer & chemicals, etc. have emerged as the most vibrant and dynamic engine of Indian economic growth. Apart from boosting the local economies, this sector has a tremendous scope to contribute a significant margin to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GDP. While there is always only a finite scope for SMEs in the local market, exploring revenue source at a global scale is the need of the hour. Diversifying business in more markets not only allows SMEs to mitigate business risks but also enables them to achieve economies of scale. It opens up infinite growth potential and also makes them more competitive in dealing with domestic competition. Further, it increases credibility and customer faith in the brand, as the customer feels that those products have world class quality since SME is a global brand, neutralizing the advantage of multinational corporations and other larger companies. So, global trade now infact is a necessity that SMEs cannot afford to ignore. It will not only halt their growth, but hamper their domestic existence amid increasing competition.

Q. What do you think are the major pain points of Indian SME manufacturers looking to export? ANS : Indian SME manufacturers are not able to export because of multiple reasons. For example, finding and qualifying global trade counterparts is a big challenge. Further, in absence of any trade intelligence and detailed trade analytics, the cost of identifying the wrong target product, country or trade counterparts in global trade is really high.

Further, global trade barriers such as lack of reliable data on overseas markets, inability to contact potential overseas customers, unfamiliarity with export rules, procedures & documentation, lack of trained export staff for trade facilitation, difficulty in identifying foreign business opportunities, insufficient access to export finance etc. are difficult to overcome for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with limited knowledge, information and resources available. Additionally, the lack of a credible platform to identify and verify global opportunities, limited access to trade intelligence and market research, and the high cost of trade information have been dissuading SMEs to enter into the unchartered territories of global markets. At present there are only workarounds such as trade fairs, trade agencies, consulting companies and market research companies etc. and these existing solutions/approaches are tactical, manual, expensive and prone to error with no focus on sustained or strategic growth.

SME needs an end-to-end solution and a partner that would go till the last mile and help them export/import globally. Additionally, technology today has the power to enable SMEs to gain meaningful knowledge about global trade, and understand prevailing trends and potential.

Q. What solution do you provide and how does it benefit your customers? ANS : Connect2India came up with a holistic approach to address the actual concerns of Indian SMEs by providing them with an integrated global trade platform, enabling and empowering them for end-to-end export/import. From initiating to executing trade orders successfully under a single roof, Connect2India offers a technology-driven integrated global trade platform with a focus on overall trade execution. Whether an SME is just getting started with export/import business, or needs to know the market to target for export/import, or wants to gain access to verified and trusted business partners, or wants to arrange and execute export/import orders with access to network of genuine trade service providers worldwide – Connect2India does it all.

We are a one stop source to enable and empower SMEs for end-to-end export/import. ● Analyzing Target Market – We provide complete trade analysis and trade intelligence to understand the market in a better way. Our unique data science simplifies everything by providing the key trade insights and analytics, making it easier for SMEs to make informed data-driven decisions. ● Finding Genuine Trade Counterparts–We help gain access to global importers/exporters with complete holistic view, trade history, sentiment analysis, find prospective customers, get buyers/importers due diligence done, get real-time global Leads notification and much more to enable safe and easy trade. ● Preparing & Arranging Export/Import Orders –We arrange the export/import orders for SMEs with our integrated global trade platform, strong worldwide network and team of global trade experts keeping your business requirements as our topmost priority. ● Facilitating & Executing Export/Import Orders – With our network driven model enabled using technology; we handle all the aspects of processing and successfully executing an export/import order with our global trade service providers. Further, if anyone needs financial assistance, we help them too with our network of financial providers. In a summary – “From Getting Started to Executing Export/Import Orders – Connect2India does it all”. Apart from this, SMEs also get to explore markets in various overseas countries where Connect2India has strong presence, thus mitigating the risk substantially. Once an SME plugs-in into the platform, they get access to trade intelligence, trade insights, trade resources, trade tools and utilities, trade service providers, trade counterparts, of every single country.

Q. What is the future of your business opportunity? ANS : According to WTO, the World Export of WTO Member countries itself was USD 24 Trillion last year and is expected to grow 4 to 5% year on year. This means more demand in the global markets, which eventually means, more opportunities for SMEs to sell their product and take advantage of the vacuum between current supply and foreseen world demand. Though India is the worlds fastest growing economy, its contribution in global trade is just around USD 0.3 Trillion/year. In spite of the Government's strong focus on SMEs, less than 1% of 65 Million Indian SMEs enter overseas markets because of challenges and complexities associated. This percentage of SMEs exporting globally in developed countries is 20% to 25%. Similarly, only a fraction of 1000 Million+ overseas SMEs trade with India because of lack of credible information on trade insights, trade resources and trade counterparts in India. This clearly indicates a huge market size and opportunities that are completely unaddressed as of now. We are increasing the size of the pie in global trade and with that; more SMEs in global trade will be vying for more global opportunities. We just need to make them globally aware, globally visible and globally competitive.

Further, the Government aims to bolster India’s march towards becoming a USD 5 Trillion economy in next few years and boost Indian global trade to USD 2 Trillion by 2022. India’s overall exports (merchandise and services) were estimated to be $483.98 billion in April-February 2018-19, exhibiting a growth of 8.73% over the year-ago period. Being a developing nation, the role of SMEs is very crucial as their performance have a significant impact on the country’s GDP. With the government initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Skill India, a major boost is expected in this sector. For specific sectors also, our contribution to global trade is very low and there is a huge opportunity in these sectors. For example, despite India being the largest producer of agricultural commodities in the world, its total agro-export of USD 38 Billion accounts for only a little over 2% of world agro-trade, estimated at a massive $1.5 trillion. Aiming to push India into the list of the top 10 agro-export nations, The Union Cabinet approved the Agricultural Export Policy, 2018 focusing to increase agricultural exports from the current level of $38 billion to $100 billion in the next few years.

How do I get started and how does the pricing look like? Connect2India is the first and only platform that bridges the knowledge gap and facilitates end-to-end export/import for SMEs with its global trade integrated platform, end-to-end export solutions and access to worldwide trade network. To get started, visit us at www.connect2india.com. As part of the packages, Connect2India offers end-to-end solutions including worldwide trade demand, trade analytics, product competitive analysis, finding trade counterparts, global visibility set-up, arranging and executing export/import orders etc. The customers can choose from the different packages available on our platform according to their need and can execute end-to-end export/import with the help of our integrated technology platform and our global trade experts.

What output can an SME expect if once they get on board with you? We enable SMEs to start and grow their export/import with our end-to-end solutions. The company’s single most important focus since the start has been on providing ‘value’; and that is what everyone at Connect2India strives towards delivering. Connect2India has a strong business fundamental to provide real tangible ‘value’ to their customers and enable extremely sophisticated trade functionality that is easy to use. With our vision to be most trusted integrated global trade platform, Connect2India focuses on “100% customer success” as its core principles and ultimate business objectives to make global trade safe, easy, and smart for end-to-end export/import. The company aims to provide a sustainable competitive advantage to clients’ businesses with access to its smart & integrated global trade platform powered by unique and innovative offerings. Connect2India global trade platform analyzes and draws inferences from market data to enable clients easily access and approach the global trade information and knowledge pertaining to their products. Connect2India offers business value realization in the form of tangible business returns to its customers, extensively leveraging technology to meeting the business objectives. We believe in keeping things simple and assist SMEs to attain a competitive edge on a global scale. We are currently arranging and executing orders for our customers across India for multiple industries such as Agro commodities, Apparels & Textile, Handicrafts, FMCG, Agro Equipments, Chemicals & Polymers, Metal & Alloys

Q. What role does Technology play at Connect2India? Technology is at the heart of everything we do at Connect2India. It is enabling end-to-end global trade execution through the platform. From finding best target markets to worldwide demand to export/import duties and trade counterparts, all key steps for export/import could be done using the platform in the self-service mode. We are using technology to make global trade safe and easy, making use of features like NLP & ML-based reputation & sentiment analysis to compute the reputation of a company, counterpart buying or selling behavior using big data sciences, and application of ML algorithms to derive buyer and seller activity pattern. These technology features help sellers to identify and qualify buyers effectively and vice versa. New features such as AI powered virtual trade assistant enables users to execute trade tasks with just voice instructions.

Q. How many people are associated with your platform? With close to 1.2 Million+ Organic Visitors per month on the platform, Connect2India already works with 2.5 Billion+ trade data stats, has 2 Million+ Global Trade counterparts, gets up to 1 Million Google Crawl requests per day, has 90,000+ Strong User Base and paying SME customers all over India within multiple industries such as Agro commodities, Apparels & Textile, Handicrafts, FMCG, Agro Equipments, Chemicals & Polymers, Metal & Alloys e t c . The Google Organic Impressions for our integrated global trade platform in the month of March 2019 was 19.5 Million+ from users around the world which suggests that there is a huge demand and market adoption for its global trade platform. We expect this number to reach 50 Million+ / month by next quarter.

Present-day, India is going through a logistics revolution with many truckers, warehouses, and shippers adopting advanced digital technology. Many new companies are entering the market and creating their success stories. Government initiatives are brought a great transformation in the industry. In 2017, Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented, and this implementation gave infrastructure status to India's logistics and supply chain sector. The ultimate goal of these steps was to organize the unstructured logistics sector and open doors for more investment. Apart from this, recently, the Indian government also launched the new logistics index in different states to assess the logistics performance of Indian States as well as Union Territories. In this index, Gujarat, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh were on the top three positions, while Assam, Bihar and West Bengal were on the lower bottom of the index. Considering the increasing potential of the industry, several new-age companies have already entered the industry and some are planning to replace the traditional method with efficient solutions. With the aim to support raising entrepreneurs, we have come with complete guidance on starting a start-up in the logistics industry:

Gain Enough Industry Experience Before starting your own business, gain experience in the industry by working in logistics. This expertise will support you to understand the ins and outs of the business. Besides, working in the industry will enable you to establish networks with companies that may represent future clients. Establishing a company is not a piece of cake, this credibility will you to lead your company towards a higher altitude. Additionally, for any company, clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is compulsory. When your clients trust you that your firm will store and deliver their products smoothly and efficiently, you will be able to make great accomplishments.

Prepare the Blueprint Creating a business plan is the initial phase of any business. It is just a process of putting every factor that you need to consider on a page. Once you prepare your business plan, you get an idea about the needed investment amount, available resource and more. Many logistics companies invest their own money while others take a loan and take financial support from investors.

Obtain Funding Obtaining funding is one of the major steps of starting a logistics firm. Make a strategy to persuade potential investors that you can make your company turn a profit. Incorporate all associations that you already have in the logistics industry, who can give you their business. Here, commercial banks are a potential capital source for people who are looking to start their own start-ups.

Find an office location When you are taking the decision to start your own company, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to secure office space. In starting, you can choose the space according to your budget, but once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve built up some steady clients after 2-3 months and have made a little money, get a place where you can conduct your business with other people. These days co-working space works great. With co-working space, you can easily expand the amount of space when the number of employees in your company increases without having to move buildings.

Process for Registration and Compliance After planning, now it comes to obtaining the necessary registration and compliance certifications. Like other businesses, starting a logistics company also needs registrations to be obtained and also government compliance. For starting any company in the country, it is compulsory to get registered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Air Cargo Agent Association of India (ACCA). It is also compulsory to be a part of industry forums like the Institute of Logistics. Other important registrations include Income Tax Department registration, DGFT registration, Registrar of Companies and other departments. Private limited company registration Import-export code (IEC) VAT (value added tax) registration Employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state insurance (ESI) or PF registration Trademark registration is unique brand name.

Lastly, Focus on Contracts After you have gone through the entire process, now secure those all-important contracts for business. Though it is not an easy and instant process, it will take time. Start from a low level, as in with one or two loads. Try focusing on contracting with people, who are involved in the industry, first of all, select group of shippers. Try making small talk with the shipper when you do get them on the phone. Keep in mind that logistic business is still a people business, and the shippers who will eventually sign that contract with you have to like you first. If a shipper mentions their kids like playing sports, pay attention to that.

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Logistics Sector is going through major changes with Digital enhancement to services & Block chain Technology affecting a complete push to the whole working. The next 5 years will be a period for consolidation of growth & investments in warehousing facilities, supply chain & total logistics is expected to quite huge thereby making it very interesting & potentially profitable too all in the Sector. However, Shipping Lines/Carriers must quickly adapt & pass on the benefits of technology to the trade at large to make it smooth & superfluous for all participants in this sector, this will increase efficiency & also speed at which the whole process is moving. E-B/Ls, E-D.O.s & so on should make it instant services to customers/recipients of such services who in turn will pass on these benefits down the line to the last mile customers. Overall, technology should make it cost-efficient too. Mergers & acquisitions in the logistics sector are happening & could probably be even more in the next 5 years to come as it gives huge edge & advantage to the large players to absorb costs for imbibing technology & put it to use for end customers. Infrastructure development is a huge requirement for which the Gov. must focus very strongly to provide the best facilities & this should be addressed for up gradation at the earliest so all players/participants in the Industry are able to benefit & that means better services to all concerned. India must aim at touching 15 million TEUs within 2020 & thereafter target 20 million TEUs within 2025 as our volumes are still a fraction of what Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s output is. However, for this, infrastructure is key as well as Production to make the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make in Indiaâ&#x20AC;? slogan a success needs to be ramped up drastically. Rail & Road transportation also must be focused upon for both speeding up services as well as making it economical to the end customers. Overhauling of existing infrastructure in additional to fresh development is key to improving this sector of the Logistics Industry. All the players in Logistics Industry are excited at the prospects of the GDP being 7% & further buoyed up at the possibility of further growth as growth in overall production & productivity in commodities will mean growth in Logistics sector always. Further, our manufacturing capacity also needs a huge boost to focus on growth in exports so as to make Logistics Industry a very interesting sector for the investors. All participants in Logistics must cohesively look at supporting growth & push for infrastructure development along with Technology driven expansion all around.

RAMAN

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