Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), a part of the Indian Railways providing logistics services, is getting into niche warehousing by setting up its first net zero’ 1.30 lakh sq ft of warehouse space at Sriperumbudur to serve the large number of customers, including electronics, in the region, G Gayatri, Area Head – III, Concor, said.
Talking to newspersons on the sidelines of a session on State Logistics Policy, organised jointly by The Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation on Tuesday, Gayatri said the facility spanning 50 acres will be built at a cost of over ₹60 crore. The first phase of about 20 acres will be ready in a year, she added.
Based on the Expression of Interest submitted by various parties, the interest in such a facility has been assessed and Concor is progressing with construction of about 1 lakh sq ft ambient and 30,000 sq ft cold storage, she said.
The ambient warehouse will have a controlled atmosphere with temperatures maintained between 24°C-29°C and relative humidity around 50-60 per cent. It will extend perishable shelf life and protection of electronics from extreme temperatures, ensuring product integrity and durability. There are customisation options for adjusting environmental conditions to suit the specific requirements of different types of stored goods, she said.
Green logistics
A number of companies, including multinationals, are focussing a lot on sustainability. The ‘net zero’ facility spanning 13,000 sq m, is part of Concor’s effort to achieve sustainable and green logistics. Concor is partnering with The Energy and Resources Institute on this initiative. Some of the products that may require Ambient warehousing are electronics, pharma, chemicals, FMCG, batteries and leather for preventing damage from environmental factors, she said.
Speaking in a session at the event earlier, Gayatri said Concor’s ICE Battery Containers maintain an average of 2 to 8 degrees for 8 days without electric or diesel power. This container is better than the usual reefer boxes. Recently, Concor successfully transported these containers to Andamans, she added.