Pongal Celebrations at CSS Chennai

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

CSS Chennai office celebrated Pongal this year in a grand manner with traditional customs and all the festive joys. Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festivals of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu. Pongal falls in the mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan – Sun’s journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include drawing of Kolam, swinging & cooking of delicious Pongal (A delicacy prepared with Rice, Daal & Ghee as the main ingredients)

Aiming to achieve

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

SANAL HARIDAS -Commercial Air Freight Manager, CSS GROUP SPEAKS TO SHEEBA ANTONY ABOUT AIR FREIGHT DEPARTMENT AND PROSPECTS FOR 2009

How different are you from other freight providers in the region?

CSS with its presence in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent are having an array of services like Ocean, Air, land Transportation, Projects, Air Charter Services, GSA to major carriers and Supply chain management. This makes us unique in offering an integrated service that is unmatched in this region.

Does the price competition really affect the business?
Price is a perceived competition. Value addition and service levels are the factors which always keep our customers with us. However we should always be mindful that overpricing can make us loose our edge in any market situation. Especially during this trying time it is always advisable to keep our cost low and offer the best product, service and the best price to our customers. This will ensure loyalty and growth even in a challenging price market.

What are the new challenges that you look forward for the air freight in the Middle East?
During this period of Global recession and financial turmoil we see numerous challenges posed in the market place and such situations not only affect the financial and property market, it will also have some adverse affect on our offering as some of these sectors have been the catalyst for our growth in the recent past. In light of this during this downturn as an organization we need to look at new ideas and ways to stimulate the market place with our service offerings. This can especially be leveraged by seeking the feedback of our customer and looking at ways for us to be a part of their supply chain and meet the challenges faced together to sustain growth. If we are able to further contribute to our customers requirements in this manner we can come out of this situation together and build up a partnership that will go beyond this trying times securing a stable and trustworthy relationship in the future.

As you are aware the business landscape in UAE is taking a different turn all together .What are the plans for CSS Airfreight to tap this development?
CSS has to look at its strengths and find new ways of working with our customers, providing guidance and assistance to ensure a win-win situation during this period. This will eventually secure our future growth.

What about the changing face of the industry?

The freight and logistics business has been the same for centuries and continue to be a catalyst in growth for all works around. Most of the time this business is the last to be affected by any recession or turmoil as it is required in the best and worst of time. We have also seen this sector evolving into an integrated service offering, providing movement of goods, information and finance and that is exactly what we need to continue to do. We need to understand the challenges the industry faces and together work towards a way to resolve and take it forward to enhance commerce. As many economists say, during recession we need to spend more money and during good time we need to save, unless we put our minds to resolving and helping promote commerce we will not be able to build a strong organization and sustain growth. We always need to remember it is during the great recessions and challenges that corporates like Microsoft and many other organizations have become what they are today.

Could you brief about CSS Group’s association with service providers?

CSS works closely with a host of affiliates & agents in the U.S, U.K, Europe, Far East and Africa who are leaders and experts within their region and share a very good business relationship. They understand our commitment to the customers and fulfill every requirement in the same manner as CSS does. This is our strength and we need to capitalise the relations we have with our agents and affiliates and work with them to promote trade and commerce collectively.

Opportunities that you foresee in the air freight industry in the Middle East?

As you are aware the business landscape in UAE is taking a different turn all together .What are the plans for CSS Airfreight to tap this development? CSS has to look at its strengths and find new ways of working As mentioned above capitalise on emerging markets and promote dialogues and partnership with customers and grow together during this period. On the other hand we could also target African region during this period. Although various agents and carriers are already supporting this market, a very large area of this region is still being untapped. Dubai is well known for trade and the facilities offered by the government to the traders. If focused and serviced better, this route could be further developed and prove to be potential for the entire Middle East region.

Cochin Port – India’s first e-Port

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Cochin Port Trust crosses a major milestone, as it becomes the first e-Port in India. Christened as ‘e thuramukha’ (e-Port) the project integrates the port’s operational, financials, real estate and human resources system on an integrated port information system. Once, fully functional, it will provide a real time interface with customs, port users, banks and the port community system of the Indian Ports Association (IPA). The system will provide a single window facility to the trade for filing applications, receiving service bills, payments and enquiries. According to the CoPT press release the project covers computerization of all its customer facing and internal back office processes to improve its all round efficiency. The motto of the project is accuracy, speed, efficiency and transparency.

Consolidated Shipping Logistics Centre2- SCM completes 5 years

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

The Supply Chain Management facility CSLC- 2, of CSS Group, completes its fifth year of operations at Jebel Ali, successfully. Supply chain management (SCM) is a necessity in today’s business. It is a dynamic issue. It is the focus of key issues such as the global marketplace for sourcing and sales and with outsourcing. Consolidated Shipping Group, being a front runner in the field of freight forwarding in the Middle East and Indian Sub continent, their customer base and the requirements have to be successfully harmonised with the state-of –the art infrastructure and service qualities. CSLC-2 is a towering example of CSS Group’s commitment towards its clients. CSLC-2 has an operational space of 100,000 sq ft with 21,000 CBM capacity. The 12,200 pallet positions, comfortable racking, storage areas, and the designated space for handling the value added services, makes CSLC-2 distinct. The entire warehouse comes under special security surveillance with the most modern equipments. For the hi-tech industry, dedicated storage area and special handling equipments are also available here. The SCM facility has wireless handheld and truck mounted technology to support both barcode and RFID methodologies. The value added services offered at the CSLC-2 are:

•Re working & Modifications
•Repacking
•Promo pack
•Palletizing & Shrink-wrapping
•Transportation & door delivery

Hareesh M Haridas, Asst. Manager, CSLC- 2 states that now the clients of CSS can take the full advantage of a standardized business, evenly supported by the Information technology solutions, affirming its motto of being the one stop solution for logistics. “We have become a significant SCM provider in the region, giving emphasis to innovation. CSS Group has always been keen in professional wokers and quality service. Company’s global network and image has always been a catalyst for CSLC-2 in its growth process. The global presence of CSS Group has brought in a handful of reputed names as clients to CSLC-2,” says Hareesh. Supply chain management seeks to reduce inefficiencies as to time, inventories and cost. Today the clients need best quality services at justifiable rates without compromising on the supplies. and RFID methodologies.

CSS Group, with a firm determination, started CSLC-2 with in the most competitive segment of UAE, with a vision to innovate and improve the quality. Today, the success story of this establishment re-affirms the far sightedness of the company and its management. From an average of 12,000 CBM per month in the first year, CSLC-2, is handling 20,000 CBM per month on an average basis today. According to Hareesh, “Eventhough the changing economic scenario and the globalization is inviting more challenges and stringent competition in the industry, CSLC-2, with its uncompromised service quality, is gearing up to conquer more heights in the future.” The advantages of an association with the Supply Chain Management facility of CSS could be cited in a few simple terms like enhanced customer satisfaction, cost conciousness, information sensitivity and quality. At CSS Group, Supply chain management is a process that crosses the organization.

Contact Details:
Consolidated Shipping Logistics Centre -2 –SCM
PO Box 18595, Jebel Ali, Dubai,
UAE Tel: +971 4 8873999
Fax: +971 4 8818696
Email: info@fmcglogistics.net