 "Silicone products maker Wacker opens logistics centre in Kolkata")
German chemical group Wacker opened a new logistics facility at its production site in Amtala near Kolkata on July 8, 2014. The high-bay warehouse has a capacity of 5,000 pallet spaces and will be operated by Wacker Metroark Chemicals Pvt Ltd (WMC), a joint venture between Wacker and Kolkata based Metroark Pvt Ltd. The new logistics centre compliments WMC’s existing network of warehouses strategically located in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.
“This investment will strengthen our growth opportunities in India. Therefore, the warehouse has more capacity than we will use currently. Investing more than one million euros for the facility will have an immediate effect on WMC’s ability to increase the efficiency of its logistics operations. This will enhance the accuracy and traceability of our deliveries for our customers, and will ultimately help to keep the costs in line,” said Dr Christian Hartel, President of Wacker’s silicones business division.
The high-bay warehouse has a capacity of about 5000 pallet spaces and utilises ten layer racking. It uses Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) forklifts that are wire guided to retrieve goods. The SAP warehouse management module ensures improved insight into the inventory and storage locations. Scanners will keep track of various transactions in the warehouse. Thus, the inventory information is made available to the operators in real time via a computer interface attached to the VNA.
Wacker Metroark Chemicals, headquartered in Kolkata, is responsible for production, marketing and sales activities in the Indian subcontinent relating to Wacker silicone products. Textile, personal care, construction, coatings, transmission and distribution, automotive, plastics, adhesives, and packaging sectors are the key markets for its products. The company also markets Wacker sealants, silanes and pyrogenic silica in India.
“This investment will strengthen our growth opportunities in India. Therefore, the warehouse has more capacity than we will use currently. Investing more than one million euros for the facility will have an immediate effect on WMC’s ability to increase the efficiency of its logistics operations. This will enhance the accuracy and traceability of our deliveries for our customers, and will ultimately help to keep the costs in line,” said Dr Christian Hartel, President of Wacker’s silicones business division.
The high-bay warehouse has a capacity of about 5000 pallet spaces and utilises ten layer racking. It uses Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) forklifts that are wire guided to retrieve goods. The SAP warehouse management module ensures improved insight into the inventory and storage locations. Scanners will keep track of various transactions in the warehouse. Thus, the inventory information is made available to the operators in real time via a computer interface attached to the VNA.
Wacker Metroark Chemicals, headquartered in Kolkata, is responsible for production, marketing and sales activities in the Indian subcontinent relating to Wacker silicone products. Textile, personal care, construction, coatings, transmission and distribution, automotive, plastics, adhesives, and packaging sectors are the key markets for its products. The company also markets Wacker sealants, silanes and pyrogenic silica in India.