Interview of the week – MFC Transport – India

Pawan joined the family business in his late teens in 1997 and since then he has been learning the dynamics of the Logistics industry. Initially he was mentored by his Father and on the job every Project was a learning experience. Today, after over two decades in this industry, the learning process is continuing. At present MFC has developed into an integrated logistics service provider and leading it from front has enhanced his knowledge and experience.

The last two decades have been highly fulfilling & satisfying.

Tell us about MFC Transport. Who owns the company?

It all started in 1973, when our late founder Mr. Suresh Agarwal made a humble start by offering transport services to its customers from a single office in Mumbai which now in 4 decades has evolved in to an Integrated Logistics service providing company.

Today the company is managed by his 3 sons Mr. Rajesh Agarwal, Mr. Mukesh Agarwal & Mr. Pawan Agarwal with the aim to provide best in class services for specialized and complex movements to a diverse client base, catering to every terrain of the India sub-continent in Project Cargo & ODC.

The greatest strength of MFC Transport has always been an innovative & solution oriented Logistics Service Provider. An ODC movement which has a high level of difficulty is taken as a challenge by MFC & building on its Dominion knowledge and resources we have provided a number of innovative solutions to our customers.

Where are your offices located?

MFC has its Corporate Office in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, and we have offices at 22 strategic locations. A flexible approach is kept regarding offices as Satellite Offices are opened depending on the Project requirement that is being executed.

Which is MFC Transport specialty and service range?

MFC specializes in the logistics of Project & ODC cargo. The movement covers all modes of transport ie. Surface, Sea & Air. We have the dominion knowledge & capability to handle any single piece cargo from 7 tons to 600 tons.

MFC has established a reputation of providing cost effective solutions supported by in-house technical and IT team for super ODC haulage. Over a period of time MFC gained recognition for its outstanding contribution in terms of timely, safe, innovative and cost-effective solutions of delivering project cargo, winning over challenges of oversize, overweight and difficult terrains be it from anywhere to anywhere in the world.

With a presence out of 22 offices and a workforce exceeding 250 highly trained professional manpower supported with the best in class equipment’s and fleets, MFC stands ahead of its competition adding value to its clients and sets new standards for the fraternity. The group is driven by highest standards of safety and compliance.

Tell us about projects that you have handled recently.

We have executed a number of Projects over the years. The year 2019 – 2020 has been an exceptionally challenging year for MFC as it had the opportunity to execute a number of Projects from multiple locations and had to provide End to End Logistics Services.

Petrofac India

• Vedanta Barmer
• HPCL Vishakhapatnam
• BPCL Kochi

Technip FMC

• Sindri Fertilizers
• Barauni Fertilizers
• HPCL Refinery Vishakhapatnam

Doosan

• Harduagunj (800 MW Power Project)
• Jawaharpur (800MW X 2 Power project)
• Obra (800MW X 2 Power Project)

For the above 9 Projects MFC has placed over 18,000 trailers and for Technip Sindri, Baruni, HPCL Vishakhapatnam & Petrofac BPCL Kochi the ODC consignments are also being transported by MFC. These movements include multi modal movements. An important aspect is the fact that MFC successfully managed a number of projects that were being executed simultaneously from multiple locations and varying scale. This highlights the technical expertise, dominion knowledge, management capability & skill in organizing, mobilizing the manpower, equipment, vendors, and the financial resources to execute these projects in such a short time.

Which are the main industries served in India?

The major Industries that MFC are serving are:

• Power
• Oil & Gas
• Fertilizers
• Heavy Engineering
• Infrastructure & Construction
• Iron & Steel
• Defence

How do you see the future evolving in our industry?

At present we expect the Project Cargo Logistics industry to pick up steam in another few months as government is going to invest in various new projects and complete the ongoing projects to stimulate the economy. Therefore MFC has a very positive outlook for the coming years.

If you could give one advise for people wanting to perform a project cargo operation in your country, what would it be?

To perform in any Project Cargo Operations one must have a meticulous planning on how to execute the movement & a high level of commitment to complete the execution.

What are the main ports used for break-bulk in India and what is their infrastructure?  Any free zones?

India is a vast country having one of the longest coast line in the world starting from Mundra, Mumbai on the Western side to Kochi, Chennai in the South with the East major ports being Vishakhapatnam & Haldia. Therefore the Customer has a number of choices to choose from depending on the nature of Cargo & geographical location of the project.

Is special transport a competitive sector in India? How do you ensure that you will stand out?

Project Logistics Industry is highly competitive and one has to ensure that a Service Provider has a Unique Selling Proposition. 

MFC uniqueness is that it has a very long experience in this industry with a dominion knowledge. We have invested in the critical components of this industry – assets, manpower and IT enabled services.

Are there any particularities in project cargo forwarding in your country? Such as customs restraints or other?

In ODC & Project Cargo one has to choose the right port taking into consideration the weight & dimension of the cargo, geographical location of the project and the port charges of each port as this would have a financial and operational impact on the project.

The Customs component is a Central subject, therefore a single rule is applicable in the country. 

What made you join the industry?

MFC had taken a very conscious decision of entering this segment as at that time the Indian Economy was opening up and this segment was an emerging one.

What do you like the most about your business?

In the execution of every Project & ODC movement each movement has something unique and new, the challenges and this makes every movement a new learning experience and it adds to our Dominion Knowledge.

Who should be approached in MFC Transport for inquiries?

For any business enquiry MFC has a centralized enquiry system and one can mail at the following id:
[email protected]