eTrans: Driving Safety, Efficiency & Productivity in Logistics
Shoummo K Acharya, Founder & CMD
What inspired the inception of your logistics and fleet management company? How did you come up with the idea to start it?
The inception of eTrans Solutions dates back to the year 2000. The inspiration behind my vision took shape when I served as the Managing Director of Indian Container Leasing Corporation, which was later rechristened Transafe, from 1994 to 2000. During this period, I had the opportunity to closely observe and analyze the logistics sector and the companies operating in India within this space. This reminded me of Peter Drucker's famous statement: "Logistics is the Economy’s Last Dark Continent." While Drucker's article dates back to 1962, I realized its continued relevance in India in 2000. The immense significance of logistics, despite its potential for cost savings, improved efficiency, and transparency, was often overlooked in terms of its contribution to businesses and the economy. I decided to introduce disruption as the new norm and began with a plan to establish a Freight Exchange. The idea was to enable small truck owners (those with 1-5 trucks, constituting about 75-80% of the supply side) to engage in direct transactions with shippers. However, as I proceeded, I also realized that corporate shippers were interested in cost savings of 5-10% through the freight exchange, but not at the expense of evacuation efficiency. There was a lack of visibility and a seamless communication system between the consignor and consignee concerning the shipment, which in turn affected production planning. Additionally, there were concerns about enroute thefts and security issues. This realization emphasized the importance and necessity of a vehicle tracking system.
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LIFTING & SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT, NOVEMBER u2013 DECEMBER 2023
