Exclusive interview with Harpreet Singh Malhotra, CMD, Tiger Logistics

Harpreet Singh Malhotra is the Chairman & Managing Director of Tiger Logistics.

He is a successful first-generation entrepreneur and has received rightful recognition both at national and international levels. Under his wing, Tiger Logistics has grown to be the 9th and the youngest Indian Logistics Company to go public. Malhotra firmly believes in the motto: “hard work is the key to success in life”. He is a Commerce graduate from Delhi University and an alumnus of IIFT, New Delhi. He has led the company through many turbulent times, despite which Tiger has emerged as one of the most reliable names in the international shipping and logistics industries. The company is now focussing on digitizing the logistics business and is investing heavily in developing a one-of-a-kind logistics digital platform which will be a game changer for the industry.

With his leadership, skills and understanding of the logistics industry, Malhotra dreams of building Tiger Logistics as a recognized leader in the fields of International Logistics and Freight Forwarding.

In a recent interaction with Urban Transport News,  Malhotra shares his thoughts on the future of the Logistics Industry and his vision to take his company to new heights.

Tell us about your professional journey in the logistics industry.

My professional journey didn’t start as a businessman; before Tiger Logistics, I worked in the Hero group, and in 2000, we launched this company. Since I did not come from a conventional business family, I had to learn about trade and commerce as we grew. Still, we were quick to observe the market gaps and adapted to new developments pretty quickly, which gave us an edge over the competitors.

How is Tiger Logistics contributing to India's Logistics & Transportation sector?

As the spear headers of the Indian freight forwarding and shipping industry, Tiger Logistics has been working in tandem with both importers and exporters of India to provide end-to-end logistic services that cover a wide array of services such as transportation, customs clearance, and freight forwarding. Their services and collaboration with different vendors – rail, ship, transport, and their fleet of trailers have enhanced the overall mechanism of India's Logistics & Transportation Services.

How will you define Urban Logistics, and what are some major challenges the Logistics industry is facing in India?

Urban Logistics is simply the management of transport goods that are distributed in an urban environment, such as cities supporting trade and movement of cargo. Urban Logistics aims at creating efficiency and striving for sustainability as a good move through cities and urban centres. Urban logistics include seaports, airports, railroads, highways, and other modes and docks of transport. The recurrent challenges faced within this arena are Traffic congestion, environmental damage, and air pollution. Condition of the roads – broken/poorly made roads can lead to the goods getting damaged on the way.

How technology providers and transporters can partner to drive sustainability success across the country?

Advanced technological developments have recently made the usage of inland waterways such as rivers has emerged as a significant opportunity for domestic transportation. Tech-empowered transport providers can rejig their older vehicles with newer ones that boast a better and more efficient engine that causes less pollution and is much more cost-efficient. Yet another readily available approach has been the introduction of EVs (electronic vehicles) into the logistics sector. The latest navigation and GPS routing systems help freight forwarders most economical routes, with lesser wait time, better efficiency, and better space utilization. Using new-age tech such as big data and automation, the paper used for printing can also be limited sizably. 

How automation and digitization will play a critical role in the sustainability of the overall business?

With both factors acting in a favorable synergy, the overall sustainability of the business can observe significant differences in the overall output to input ratio and cost efficiency. Through automation and digitization, intensive physical resources can be minimized, and computer-driven resources can be deployed to curb costs and diminish margins of human error. It can also streamline the entire supply chain process with the help of data blacked estimations regarding mobility, and the route calculators can determine the time and fuel-efficient routes that give analytics on overall energy use.

Do you think there are some grey areas in logistics sectors that need to be addressed?

8 of the top challenges faced by the industry players

• Keeping transportation costs down
• Keeping up with customer/industry demands
• Sourcing consistent, reliable carrier capacity
• Keeping up with the latest technology solutions and demands
• On-time pickup and delivery performance

Other Macro issues:

• Fuel Costs
• Business Process Improvement
• Improved Customer Service
• Economy
• Driver Shortage & Retention
• Government Regulations
• Environmental Issues
• Technology Strategy & Implementation

What is your take on Govt. of India's initiatives to set up Multi-modal logistics parks across the country?

Integrated freight parks will greatly help India's logistics sector by easing freight logistics, making freight movement seamless, saving time, and reducing costs. This will encourage the export market of India and fix the infrastructure gap in our industry. These parks will also increase employment and help boost the economy.

What is your feedback on the content we serve in the industry through our digital and print publications?

We highly appreciate the content of your publications which is rolling out for the masses because it is essential for people not only those who are in this business but the normal readers, to be aware of policies, players, and other developments that are happening in this arena.

Anything else you want to share with our readers?

India is on its way to becoming a superpower in the coming years, and the backbone of this growth is Indian logistics, both domestic and international. Tiger Logistics feels proud to be at the forefront of this ship and contributing to the growth of the Indian economy.