INSEE Cement integrates sustainable development across all its operations including sourcing and logistics in Sri Lanka, identifying and addressing issues across our value chain pertaining to the environment and our social responsibility towards all stakeholders.
In 2018, INSEE Cement commissioned Sri Lanka’s first cement bag palletizer at the Galle Cement Plant, a crucial investment in sustainably strengthening the INSEE Cement value chain, and an additional upgrade to the health and safety standards of cement bag handlers at the plant. The palletizer also enabled INSEE to respond faster to market demand fluctuations through buffer stock management, improvement of truck fleet utilization, reduced customer waiting-time and decreased bag breakages. Following the strong efficiency rates, a second palletizer was commissioned in 2019 for the Puttalam Cement Plant.
Each year, INSEE Cement invests in eco-friendly and efficient modes of transportation to haul hundreds of tonnes of raw material to our plants and finished product to the market. With expansions carried out at the Ruhunu Cement Plant in Galle over the past few years, the necessity of raw materials that need to be unloaded at Galle Port witnessed an increased. Galle Port naturally having a rock bed cannot increase the draft, which restricts maximum vessel capacity at 10,000MT. As an innovative solution to counter this logistics challenge, we introduced a Ship-to-Barge logistics model, where larger 50,000MT – 60,000MT vessels arrive at the Galle outer anchorage, as well as to the Hambantota/Colombo Ports, and transfer cargo into smaller barges of 2,000 MT for the shorter coastal voyage. Later, direct unloading to shore at Hambantota/Colombo deep draft berths and road transfer using high-capacity vehicles was implemented.
For our coal transfer operation from Trincomalee Port to Puttalam, we introduced a warehouse model where we unload coal from vessels into a nearby open yard using ten wheel tippers, and then transferring it to the plant using prime movers with open-top containers. This model has resulted in a transition to zero road accidents while reducing loaded KMs by 60% compared to the previous operation. With 160 vehicles and counting, this coal transfer operation has directly contributed to the creation of 350+ jobs.
We have established an island-wide logistics network with centres at Kelaniya, Piliyandala, Kurunegala, Trincomalee, Hambantota, Nuwara Eliya and Kadawatha based on consumer density to better service our customers. Identifying variables that are unique to cement logistics, we have equipped our network with cross docking and floating stocks on truck beds, enabling express logistics solutions to meet over 30% of the local cement demand through this operation. By partnering with third party logistics (3PL) companies across Sri Lanka to create better efficiencies across this operation, we have also directly created over 100 job opportunities through our logistics network.
We have made our end-to-end operation more lean and efficient by introducing delivery and pick-up channels for industrial customers. We have a near perfect delivery rate of almost 100% across our delivery channel, with a 90% on-time delivery rate to customer construction sites. With its remarkable success, the delivery channel has also been made available for retail bag deliveries to customer doorsteps, with 20% of all retail sales now being completed through the delivery channel.
Operating with 60 bulk carriers, 60 prime movers and 70 ten-wheelers, our rapidly growing delivery channel also provides milk run logistics in the local market, creating over 500 direct job opportunities for drivers, helpers as well as back office staff for partnering businesses.
Our pick up channel operates with a fulltime fleet of over 200 vehicles to enable customers with a direct pick up option from our logistics centres island-wide depending on their requirement and construction schedules. This operation has also created job opportunities for over 250 people.
A wide range of tests and equipment to assess fresh and hardened concrete properties
A wide range of tests and equipment to assess and ensure your aggregate grade meets the demand and requirement of your concrete.
A range of tests to assess properties of fresh concrete that go beyond the traditional ‘slump test’, improving the quality and consistency of concrete.
Advanced testing with durability indicators to optimize structural performance and extend the service life of concrete structures exposed to severe environments.