Interviewtimes 
There’s nothing to deliver and nothing that can be transported between places without logistics. Logistics is not only central to the distribution industry, it also boosts the economy. Good logistics companies ensure the continuous flow of goods and services to the recipients. Exim Logistics Private Limited is a Bhubaneswar-based logistics company that excels in this area. Incorporated in 2005, Exim Logistics is a private company headquartered in Bhubaneswar that has been providing exceptional solutions to customers in the freight and logistics industry for over a decade. Pattanaik’s visionary leadership is manifested in the company’s burgeoning presence in India and its accelerating sales growth rate. Today, the firm has firmly entrenched itself as the ‘Market Leader’ of supply chain & logistics industry and is emerging as a leading single window services provider for Integrated and turnkey services in Shipping, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, etc.
Right from the beginning, Pattanaik was always interested in logistics and supply chain. Impelled by this desire, he studied management in logistics at the famed Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management. After completing his education, he worked for a premier logistics company for five years where he learnt the ropes of business. Following that, he joined another logistics firm active in custom clearing and stevedoring work in Chennai. During his brief tenure at the company, he headed the Vizag and Bhubaneswar units and garnered experience as much as he can. A year later, Pattanaik decided to start his own logistics firm in Bhubaneswar with a mission to deliver logistics excellence to the customers and ensure their success. And since then, he has never looked back. “Back then, there were only a handful of companies providing efficient logistics services to the customers in the state. The market was at a nascent stage. Being a coastal state, Odisha had a lot of promise in the logistics industry. Thus, I decided to fill in the gap and established Exim Logistics in 2005 to provide a single window solution for the entire supply chain and logistics needs nationwide. Touchwood, we didn’t face any roadblock at the initial stages. Also, I had the support of clients whom I had previously worked with. Once the ball got rolling, we slowly expanded our reach,” he recollects.
Today, Exim Logistics offers cutting-edge logistics solutions to its customers, enabling them to focus on their core competencies. The firm adds maximum value to businesses at every level, right from providing world-class warehousing support to ensuring time-definite deliveries of goods anywhere in India. They offer a plethora of services including Air & Sea Freight Services, Road & Railways Transportation Services, Customs Clearance Services, Port Handling Services, Warehousing Services, etc.
Over the years, the company has grown manifold. Currently, they have offices in Bhubaneswar, Kalinga Nagar, Vizag, Kolkata, Haldia and agency tie-ups at ports like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Cochin, Ahmedabad etc. If that is not enough, Exim has a worldwide network with agency tie-ups in the major countries like USA, Canada, Bulgaria, Poland, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Dubai, Egypt, Sri Lanka thereby providing efficient logistics solutions to clients across the globe.
As a business leader with more than 20 years of experience, Pattanaik is delighted to say it is driving economic growth in the state. He says, “The industry has grown exponentially over the years. Not only have a lot of steel and aluminium companies come up in different parts of the state, the mushrooming of ancillary industries alongside the steel plants has worked wonders for the state. Besides, the cargo and container handling capacities of both Dhamra and Paradip ports have also increased thereby augmenting the logistic activities in Odisha. The industrial hubs like Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Khuntuni, Kalinganagar, Paradip, etc are doing great to uplift the economic affairs of the state.”
While the right use of technology plays a key role to enhance the logistics activities, Exim Logistics holds the distinction of being one of the few companies in the state to have extensively used cutting-edge technology in their logistics services. “Improved technology increases productivity in the supply chain and minimizes costs and errors. To remain competitive and enhance efficiency, keeping up with the latest technology is a must. Exim Logistics believes in using the latest technology in all services which has enabled us to expand our footprint worldwide.”
The logistics sector has been on the frontline ever since the pandemic has struck, ensuring that the supply of essential goods remain intact. While there was a sharp fall in freight availability due to restrictions on production of non-essential goods, at the same time logistics services have played a crucial role to distribute many essential items to people. “By God’s grace, our operations were not much hampered due to the unprecedented crisis. Since the warehousing demand has shot up for products, we have largely kept ourselves busy throughout the pandemic period. So far, we have functioned with energy and readiness to the challenges of Covid but protecting our staff has been a huge challenge. Since most of our activities involve ground work, we have ensured the safety of our staff and labour force. While they have been advised to strictly adhere to the Covid guidelines, we have also promised them to take care of their entire health needs during the pandemic period.”
By growing the Exim brand, Pattanaik aims to become a major player in the logistics industry and contribute to the nation’s growth. He also added that the company is mulling to enter the refrigerated containers market soon and aspires to come up with advanced state-of-the-art warehouses at multiple places.
He urges budding entrepreneurs to work with integrity, honesty and dedication and not crave for overnight success and fame. “Make clear and measurable goals. Allocate time, energy and resources to understand the market. Logistics is one such industry where it requires hard work, patience and perseverance to achieve your goals. Treat the customers like your family members and provide them efficient and improved services to meet their needs and requirements,” he said.
