Bhubaneswar: Diversified public sector undertaking Balmer Lawrie Saturday said Union Minister Rameswar Teli has unveiled its first cold chain facility in the eastern region of the country.
The unit at Chhatabar on the outskirts of Odisha capital Bhubaneswar will cater to a growing demand for seafood, dairy, agri-products industries and quick service restaurants, the public sector enterprise said in a release.
The facility, which is spread over 1.5 acres and located near a national highway, is equipped with the latest refrigeration technology and automated product handling of food and food-grade products.
It was set up with an investment of Rs 32 crore and aided by the company’s own fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles to ensure last-mile delivery.
Teli, who inaugurated the facility virtually Friday, said it is strategically located in the catchment area of the Paradip Port and well poised to give a fillip to exporters.
The minister of state for petroleum appreciated Kolkata-headquartered Balmer Lawrie “for the strides taken in providing technology-driven end-to-end logistics solutions”.
“The advanced setup is ideal for not only quality food products for export, but also domestic storage of fruits and vegetables, particularly potatoes, in controlled temperatures,” the diversified conglomerate said.
Odisha has seen a nine-fold increase in seafood exports in the last two decades and it is the fourth-largest fish-producing state, the company said, adding that the cold chain unit has a storage capacity of 2,000 pallets (frozen) and 3,000 MT (chilled/ambient) to cater to various industrial segments.
The company has been enhancing its presence in cold chain solutions through its Logicold brand as the growth of organised third-party logistics, retail, e-commerce and food service industries have brought the segment in the focus.
Logicold has also a presence in Hyderabad, Navi Mumbai and the National Capital Region.
PTI
