Dow Chemical International Private Limited (Dow India) is one of the leading companies in India which is working to address the challenges in the field of infrastructure, transportation, packaging, clean energy generation and conservation in the country. The company tries to achieve this by combining the forces of chemical, physical and biological sciences.
Dow India was recently listed in CII’s coveted list – ‘Most Innovative Companies’ of 2018 and is one of the major players in manufacturing & supply of specialised chemicals in India.
Sharing best practices with supply chain partners
Dow India has significantly ramped-up its logistics infrastructure to take products seamlessly into the market. The company’s vision is to become partners in sustainable business solutions.
Dow India S4TAR program is one such mutually beneficial initiative which promotes business growth and encourages sustainability excellence with supply chain partners. The S4TAR initiative ensures alignment to the company standards with respect to safety, pollution and environment, and provides a specific framework to recognize and incentivize our partners who exhibit exceptional performance.
Alok Gautam, Director – Supply Chain and Logistics, Dow India says, “As we progress, the performance goals are raised every year to keep pace with the highest standards in the industry. By sharing the best practices with our supply chain partners, we hope to achieve performance and sustainability excellence.”
Over the last 5 years, the quantum of DOW India’s bulk movement has increased almost 2.5 times. Besides chalking-out the supply chain models, enhancing warehouses capacities, terminals, storage tanks and lining-up C&F agents, identifying hub locations, DOW India through its S4TAR program improves performance levels of service providers such as warehouse operators, packed and bulk transporters and customs house agents.
Each year, through fair and transparent quarterly and yearly evaluations (which are based on pre-set measurements that are communicated to our partners), the S4TAR awards are presented to the Best Carrier, Best Warehouse, and Best Freight Forwarding Service.
Distribution Risk Review is carried out before transporting hazardous goods
Procurement, storage and transportation of chemicals and dangerous goods are rolled out in line with Standard Operating Procedures. Right from loading points, en-route transportation to unloading at customer locations, the checks and balances are maintained across the entire chain.
Mr Gautam said, “For hazardous goods specifically, we conduct Distribution Risk Review (DRR) and the entire route is mapped by experts for any new location. It also includes assessment of unloading facility and, if required, includes training to personnel at different nodes.”
To counter the menace of pilferage on bulk movement, Dow India is taking steps to share properties of chemicals being transported at loading stations, ensuring the info sheets are with drivers.
Today, Dow India transports all hazardous material only in ISO tanks, reducing safety risk on the road considerably. The company was first to introduce ADR (formally, the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) in the country for hazardous chemicals transportation.
Dow India has also imposed restrictions on night driving and work with our partners to ensure drivers are adequately rested on long journeys. GPS tracking of the vehicles is done by LSPs and reports are shared on a daily basis to ensure their safe movement on the road.
“At Dow India, we are proud to be one of the leading companies for Responsible Care® standard in the chemical industry and supporting initiatives such as Nicer Globe® that aim to reform the transportation of chemicals in the country,” added Mr Gautam.
Converting supply chain obstacles into growth boosters
A robust and seamless supply chain is very critical to the growth of the chemical industry. To ensure that the company converts obstacles into growth boosters –
- Understand customer behaviour and demand patterns to manage the timely supply of products
- Ensure maximum visibility in the supply chain by creating real-time tracking avenues
- Impart skills training to drivers, who form the bottom the pyramid of the supply chain universe, to ply hazardous & non – hazardous material and regulate emergency response behaviour.
- Create robust internal systems to get visibility on internal warehousing and inventory in real-time.
