TCI GROUP BECOMES A COMPLETE LOGISTICS SERVICE PROVIDER

Transport Corporation of India (TCI) Group became a 'complete logistics provider' with the launch of its International Freight Forwarding (IFF) division.  With the launch of this division, TCI will offer the entire range of logistics and related services under one roof.  This status of being a complete logistics provider is important when seen against the background of the 'single window logistic concept' gaining ground.  This concept provides to importers and exporters all international in-bound and out-bound cargo under one roof, instead of having to go with different players.  Under the IFF division, XPS Cargo Services will pick up the cargo from the customer's door step anywhere in India. It will take care of processing of documents at customs and freight forwarding of deliveries from Air or Sea ports.  XPS Cargo Services, a part of TCI has already established itself as the leading door-to-door express cargo company in India. 

Vineet Agarwal, Executive Director, Transport Corporation of India (TCI) said, "The IFF division will be a separate Strategic Business Unit (SBU); it has a Custom House Agency (CHA) and in-house IATA certification.  This will facilitate all kinds of import and export clearance of Air and Sea Customs and handling of international freight under the Single Window logistics concept.  The division hopes to generate a revenue of Rs 5 crore in its first year of operation and a revenue of around Rs 50 crore in the next 5 years".

Speaking about the tie-ups necessary for handling international deliveries, Vineet said that for the Middle East, XPS Cargo has tied with Sky Sea Freight, an ETA group company, and with the Omni Group in Bangladesh. The tie-up would be in the form of a revenue sharing agreement. XPS Cargo is also scouting for similar tie-ups in China, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.  The division will initially concentrate on the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East, and then look at opportunities in China, and later on move to the West he added.  Vineet underlined the importance of Chennai for TCI operations when he pointed out that TCI has 25 express cargo offices and 400 group company officers in South India.

TCI is a Rs 550 crore group and was established in 1958 by P D Agarwal, with one truck and one office, today it operates a fleet of 3,000 trucks on a daily basis and has offices from Kargil to Kanyakumari.  TCI has been certified as ISO 9002 by TUV SUDDEUTSCHLAND India for quality assurance in product installation and service.

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