Warehouster Capital: A Prominent Leader in Customized Warehouse Solutions

This interview highlights the consistent endeavors of Team Warehouse Capital (WC) that treads the extra mile to quench the needs of its client organizations.

IS: Kindly brief us about the company.

Team WC: Warehouster is an India-focused warehouse developer and asset manager headquartered in Mumbai. The firm is focused on investing, developing and managing Industrial & Warehousing assets on a pan-India basis. The company is coming from a pedigree wherein it has delivered some marquee warehousing assets in the past and is now poised to exploit its experience in giving a new direction to the vertical in particular and to the industry at large. Warehouster is here to serve its clients across the sectors viz. Manufacturing, E-commerce, FMCG & Retail. It intends to go full-scale with warehousing assets already under execution in NCR, Bangalore, Chennai, & Hosur. With its three-pronged strength in Asset Management, Development Execution & Investment Deployment, it aims to establish itself as the preferred partner of choice when it comes to delivering the superior Grade A warehousing in a Built to Suit framework. Its focus primarily, is to add value to shareholders in a way that maximizes the returns on the deployed capital. It has a track record of ensuring good returns to stakeholders while building a portfolio of marquee projects across the locations. Warehouster is poised to fully capitalize the opportunity on offer and add value at each step in its stride to become the foremost player in delivering Built to Suit premises for its various clients.

IS: Please tell us something about your Founder/CEO and his/her contribution towards the company and the industry.

Team WC: A real estate investment leader with foresight and ingenuity, Sandeep Chadha has an impressive track record of 20 years of surpassing ambitious business goals. Over the years he has regularly delivered revolutionary fundraising, investment, asset management, and divestment propositions. As an industry- veteran he has steered multimillion-dollar portfolio, envisioned the projected trajectory, augmented revenue streams and led various teams, over the years, to success. He has a remarkable record of positioning organizations for success by developing groundbreaking, scalable, and highly reliable business processes. Sandeep possesses a strong Academic Pedigree. He has been an Advisory Board Scholar from IVY League Cornell University.

With the founding of Warehouster Capital Advisors, he has catapulted himself right at the forefront of India’s warehousing scenario. Warehouster is targeting investment in BTS, warehousing and logistics parks across India and aims at delivering approx. 15 million sqft over the next 3 years. He is successfully driving the company’s strategic initiatives, enhancing the strengths of offerings, and setting a superior bar for services being offered. He has the expertise in managing private REITs with over a decade of experience in delivering greater returns.

In the past, he spearheaded the development of 7 million sqft for All Cargo Logistics where he created AUM for approx. $ 270 million. He handled development and asset management of approx. 15 million square feet of logistics & Industrial parks and governed the big-ticket warehousing and industrial portfolio.

IS: What is your viewpoint regarding the present scenario of Logistics industry?

Team WC: Presently, the industry is poised for a sustained growth momentum in the wake of some favorable policy measures. The implementation of GST and granting of Infrastructure Status to logistics has galvanized the tailwinds and has provided for the much-needed consolidation at the industry level. The industry is expected grow to $215 Billion by 2020. The Grade A warehousing stock is set to grow by another 100 million sqft in the next 4 years.

IS: Kindly describe in detail about the various product engineering solutions, services and platforms offered by your company.

Team WC: Warehouster specializes in delivering superior Grade A warehousing boxes in a Built to Suit framework to its clients across Manufacturing, 3PLs, Retail, E-com & FMCG domain. Its aim is to build a portfolio of sustainable and long-term rent yielding assets. At a platform level, the company is committed to provided end to end gamut of services. Right from land acquisition to pre-lease to post-handover property management the company does it all. From investment in the early stage to exits with greater yield, the firm covers it all.

IS: How is technology in general has impacted the logistics industry or has transformed over these years?

Team WC: In the modern new age warehousing, technology plays a central role. It’s an enabler and facilitator for the wholesome efficiency. Whether it’s laser creed floors, enhanced load capacity per square meter or pre-engineered structure, all of them are modern, state of the art and add to the offerings. Due to their sheer sizes, Grade A warehouses, are able to leverage cutting edge infrastructure comprising assembly lines, automated sorters, Pick/Put to Light systems, dimension weight scanning, and automated packaging. It substantially reduces the overall turnaround time.  They have superior infrastructure with access to mechanized Machine Handling Equipment (MHE), Fire Detection, Clean Environment. The use of fleet management software (provides live tracking of goods), RFID systems for inventory identification and automated pallet storage is growing quickly, as is the number of start-ups aimed at bridging the technology gap. So, it is sufficing to say that technologies such as automation, robotics and AI; enhance throughput, reduce time and optimize processes for a better efficiency and reduced costs and their role is bound to increase in the times that lie ahead.

IS: How are you facing the challenges in terms of changing trends, market players and cost?

Team WC: It’s not about challenges per se. In fact, every challenge is an opportunity in itself. Every business has to be agile and adaptive to counter the downside of the changing business landscape. At Warehouster, we are well prepared to take on the ensuing challenges in our stride. Of late, the changing trends are in fact a step towards enhanced efficiency and overall throughput. This augurs well for all the incumbents involved. With increased consolidation the cost is being significantly cut down.

IS: How do you explain the exclusive features and benefits of your product?

Team WC: The gamut of services that we offer, it becomes important for us to communicate our offerings to the various stakeholders involved. We employ a mix of both online as well as offline channel in this regard. The world class warehousing properties that we deliver, are received with open arms by our tenants. It is our amenities and specifications that set us apart. The strategy we employ to deliver our message is well thought out and diligently executed.

IS: What is the USP of your business? Key features and highlights.

Team WC: Warehouster USPs are integral to its positioning of a formidable end to end player in Indian Warehousing realm. Some of these are:

• A formidable end to end player in the Indian Warehousing arena.
• Diversified and varied pipeline underway.
• The core capability in delivering Grade A, Built To Suit Boxes
• Client base spawning across the sectors.
• Building trust while delivering quality.
• A track-record of consistently delivering superior returns.
• Present across all the key warehousing hubs of India.
• Present right where the demand lies and needs meet.

IS: Kindly share us with your Vision and Mission of your organization.

Team WC: Vision – To be a consistent and preferable player in warehousing fund management and development. To follow the highest corporate governance standards and always deliver superior returns to our various stakeholders.

Mission – To always enhance our deliverable capabilities while following the best practices around. We intend to add value one step at a time and create long term values.

IS: How do you portray the future of Logistics industry and how are you preparing yourself for that?

Team WC: This is a watershed moment for the Indian Logistics & Warehousing sector. Favorable policy initiatives coupled with burgeoning demand from across the sectors, primarily from E-Com and 3PL players, are proving instrumental in giving a fillip to the industry. Institutional investors are committing some serious outlay and are there for the long term. We, at Warehouster, are ready to exploit the opportunity in the offing and are integrating ourselves vertically to play our part in this growth story.