Mr. Ram Menen, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo, delivered the keynote address at Air Cargo India 2006, the first ever International Air Cargo event to be held in India in the new millennium.
Addressing the audience with insightful words about India's air cargo market, Mr. Menen said, "For India, both the time and the environment are right for breaking through barriers. Air logistics in India now need to move from traditional forwarding to supply chain management. The industry should focus on creating a new future, and should refrain from recreating the past."
Held from November 16-18th, 2006 at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai, the Air Cargo hub of India, the event has been organized by The STAT Trade Times, an Integrated International Transport Media specializing in Air Cargo since 1986.
Mr. Menen also commented, "With an airfreight market pegged to grow at an annual rate of 18% and exports expected to touch US$150 Billion by 2008-09, India is now a prime market for cargo carriers. As proof of the country's increasing importance is the fact that US-based mega-retailer Wal-Mart sourced Indian products worth nearly US$2 billion during 2004."
Mr. Prakash Nair, Manager Emirates Network Cargo Sales Development said, "We are delighted to be a part of this grand congress of air cargo exporters. With the launch of Emirates services to Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata and Bangalore, and increase of services to Kochi and Chennai, our Indian operations have truly expanded this year. India is rapidly emerging one of the world's most important major manufacturing hubs.
With multi-national corporates increasingly looking to India for these reasons, our interest in this sector is justified. Participation at an industry forum such as Air Cargo India is imperative to strengthen our foothold in the sector and demonstrate our service offerings to existing and prospective customers."
Speakers at the event included His Excellency Dr. S.S. Sidhu, Governer of Manipur and Former Secretary General of International Civil Aviation, Mr. V. Thulasidas, Chairman & Managing Director, Air India, Mr. Michael Profitt, CEO, Dubai Logistics City, among others.
Attended by the industry players, the forum facilitated a discussion about the many challenges of the emerging air cargo market, its fuel concerns, movement of perishable goods by air cargo, as well as issues during over the two-day that conference took place. The seminar also helped the industry to brainstorm on relevant matters like E-Freight, Supply Chain Management, and the importance of air cargo for low-cost airlines.
The congress hosted a concurrent exhibition at the same venue, for the benefit of participants to show case their products and capabilities in the fastest growing region of the air cargo market.
