Kool-ex, a leading pharma cold chain logistics service provider with the largest reefer fleet of 350 vehicles is gearing up to become a full stack, end-to-end supply chain solutions provider to the pharma industry. The spread of services will include warehousing, secondary distribution, passive packaging, and blockchain for end-to-end tractability of pharma products, apart from its core existing business of providing temperature-controlled transportation.

For warehousing, Kool-ex has partnered with IndoSpace, the largest investor, developer and manager of industrial real estate and warehousing in India, to build customised, GDP/GWP compliant, temperature controlled, pharma distribution centres across the country. IndoSpace has the only pan-India network of Grade A warehouses in the country, and the partnership with Kool-ex will enable IndoSpace to venture into pharma warehousing.

As part of this unique asset-light deal, Kool-ex and IndoSpace will jointly design and set up three warehouses in the first phase by 2021 in proximity to Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. At 42,000 pallet positions in each warehouse, each of these warehouses will be the largest standalone cold chain facility in the country.  Kool-ex has plans to set-up 10-11 warehouses by 2023 making it the largest pharma storage footprint in the country.

Kool-ex is also in advanced talks with investors to raise growth capital for these initiatives and has appointed KPMG in India for financial advisors to the process. These warehouses will enable consolidation in fragmented pharma distribution, efficiency in operations, reduction in inventory, reduced handling losses, compliance and cost optimisation, besides complete visibility in the chain. Furthermore, these will be certified green warehouses with 100 per cent solar back up. Kool-ex was advised by CREDBERG Advisors in forging this partnership with IndoSpace.