Hemas and GAC break ground for integrated logistics facility

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka, Directors of Hemas and GAC participate in the ground breaking ceremony

The Hemas Group together with the GAC Group Sri Lanka are planning to build a modern, 15-acre integrated logistics facility in the Muthurajawela Industrial Zone, with a state-of-the-art distribution centre, container yard and a warehouse facility.
“Through this joint venture we aspire to provide total solutions to the Sri Lankan exporters and importers and develop entreport business, supporting the intent of making Sri Lanka the maritime and logistics hub in Asia” Hemas Logistics and Maritime Sector Managing Director Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson said.
The project is the first phase of a ‘Logistics City’ designed to provide the latest facilities and higher levels efficiency related to technology, transportation and logistics in the process of national development by the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry.
 The ground-breaking ceremony for the logistics facility was held yesterday, with the attendance of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka and other members of parliament.
The facility is expected to be in operation by early June 2017 and the Distribution Centre will be operational in February 2018.  
GAC Group Lanka Managing Director Mahesh Kurukulasuriya said that GAC’s warehousing designs which have proven successful across the globe would help both it and Hemas to capitalise on the growing domestic supply chain and logistics market using our international strengths. 
The new integrated logistics facility will be equipped with the latest reach stackers in operation with the support of a cutting-edge IT platform aimed at innovating Sri Lanka’s first-ever logistics system connected to the processes of advanced technology solutions.
It will consist of a modern Container Terminal with the capacity of 6,000 TEU with 7 high container stacking and a warehousing and Distribution Centre offering Third Party Logistics (3PL) services. 

The Container Depot will have Sri Lanka’s first-ever user experience such as, a two-way approach to stacks and dual in and out gate that operates independently. 
The facility has the services of Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL) certified container inspectors, to survey the containers entering the depot in order to set global bench marking standards. 
The Distribution Centre will be a state of the art 22,000 pallet position warehousing with both ambient and temperature controlled facilities. Global best practices in layout design, dock efficiency, pallet racking and material handling equipment will be incorporated to enable agile and scalable logistics solutions. 
The entire distribution centre operation will run on an integrated IT platform with warehouse management, distribution management and yard management with barcode and RFID enabled infrastructure.
The Hemas Group is one of the leading conglomerates in Sri Lanka, listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange with a focus on Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Transportation, and Leisure.
GAC Group Sri Lanka is the leading ship agent in Sri Lanka, offering a full range of professional shipping, marine and logistics services.
It is partnered locally with McLarens Group; a diversified conglomerate with a portfolio comprising of shipping and marine services, logistics, supply of lubricants, oil and gas support services, bunkering services, automotive distribution, trading, manufacturing, property development and hospitality.