Technology

Cashless Transactions for Transport

Published

9 years ago

February 28, 2017

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The delivery of goods cannot be completed without the involvement of a transport agency, and cement is no exception. In the cement business, 35 per cent cost is attributed to distribution, out of which around 15 per cent is towards transportation alone.

The demonetisation exercise put the trucking business, one of the largest unorganised, cash-based sectors in the country, in great difficulty. Operators had no new cash to pay drivers, while clients were finding it difficult to pay transport operators in the new currency.

The use of cash on a daily basis is generally for local taxes, buying fuel/CNG and other consumables, payment of road tolls, salary and wages for loading and unloading of goods. That is the reason even the government compromised on the deadlines announced for toll payment and buying of petrol during the note ban. One must appreciate that this is one of the largest and most important sectors depending fully on cash transactions, and the cement industry is highly dependent on transport companies.

After the demonetisation announcement on November 8th, while many decided to look for ways to acquire accepted currency, truck drivers, single operators and many in the business found themselves at the receiving end. Hardships in getting the money exchanged quickly at fuel pumps or banks further added to their woes. Most end users passed on the discontinued notes to transporters.

At times, transporters were forced to accept old notes or give up any chance of getting their costs reimbursed. Many big transport operators also paid their driving crew and staff two months’ salary in advance.

‘One has to understand that plastic money penetration in India is at a minimum. We cannot expect drivers to indulge in cashless transactions at one go and neither will they understand how to make use of it all of a sudden. The question remains whether petrol pumps, food joints or truck repair centres in interior areas will have facilities for accepting card payments,’ says Manjinder Singh, Secretary, Maharashtra Tank and Lorry Owners’ Association.

The Way Forward
A Digital India is the smart solution for driving the logistics industry to go cashless. The demonetisation move has pushed the logistics industry towards accepting digitisation as a smart and safe mode of payment. The industry is now exploring payment options like online transactions, debit and credit cards, and leading mobile wallet choices like PayTM, PayPal, Freecharge, and Buddy, etc.

What is equally important is to develop fully-functional mobile based apps. For example, like Ola or Uber, there can be a truck aggregator customised to the requirements of a truck service user, the truck company and the truck driver. When an organisation looks for a lorry load booking and transportation of products to designated destinations, the truck booking app can be well-equipped to track the route and distance from a pick-up point to the destination and calculate the cost estimate accordingly. When the organisation selects the type of truck required, lorry loading point, destination and other necessary parameters, the truck and driver is allotted based on current availability.

Next, the app will display the estimate and the payment options available. Online transaction options displayed on the screen of the device ensure a safe, instant and hassle-free payment mode, apt for fighting the cash crunch post-demonetisation. These kinds of innovations will lead to cashless transactions in the transport sector. A new age logistics company like Rivigo (https://rivigo.com) is in the process of setting another benchmark It is a technology-enabled logistics company that aims to deliver reliability through its network and provide transparency to clients. The company claims to have a unique model for delivery where drivers spend less time away from their families.

The CEO of Rivigo, Deepak Garg, says that making road logistics cashless has a potential to reduce the Indian economy’s cash needs by 40 per cent and can drive demonetisation forward and revamp the entire sector, by making it faster, reliable and more efficient. Operations in the trucking sector can be made entirely cashless through use of E-POD (electronic proof of delivery) to get direct payment transfers from customers, automated bank transfers with the breakthrough same-day settlement for brokers, integrated payment solutions with fuel companies for dealer payments and toll payments through the NHAI initiative on FASTag through RFID tags and wallet solutions. Also, fleet owners can remunerate truck driver wages, reimbursements and incentive payments directly through the relevant Jan Dhan accounts.

Transporters, along with oil companies and manufacturers, will have to come together to drive cashless transactions for the transporter community as a long-term solution. However, we do not see that happening in the near future.

Technology

ARAPL Reports 175% EBITDA Growth, Expands Global Robotics Footprint

Affordable Robotic & Automation posts strong Q2 and H1 FY26 results driven by innovation and overseas orders

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics firm and a pioneer in industrial automation and smart robotic solutions, has reported robust financial results for the second quarter and half year ended September 30, 2025.
The company achieved a 175 per cent year-on-year rise in standalone EBITDA and strong revenue growth across its automation and robotics segments. The Board of Directors approved the unaudited financial results on October 10, 2025.

Key Highlights – Q2 FY2026
• Strong momentum across core automation and robotics divisions
• Secured the first order for the Atlas AC2000, an autonomous truck loading and unloading forklift, from a leading US logistics player
• Rebranded its RaaS product line as Humro (Human + Robot), symbolising collaborative automation between people and machines
• Expanded its Humro range in global warehouse automation markets
• Continued investment in deep-tech innovations, including AI-based route optimisation, autonomy kits, vehicle controllers, and digital twins
Global Milestone: First Atlas AC2000 Order in the US

ARAPL’s US-based subsidiary, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), received its first order for the next-generation Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklift from a leading logistics company. Following successful prototype trials, the client placed an order for two robots valued at Rs 36 million under a three-year lease. The project opens opportunities for scaling up to 15–16 robots per site across 15 US warehouses within two years.
The product addresses an untapped market of 10 million loading docks across 21,000 warehouses in the US, positioning ARAPL for exponential growth.

Financial Performance – Q2 FY2026 (Standalone)
Net Revenue: Rs 25.7587 million, up 37 per cent quarter-on-quarter
EBITDA: Rs 5.9632 million, up 396 per cent QoQ
Profit Before Tax: Rs 4.3808 million, compared to a Rs 360.46 lakh loss in Q1
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.1854 lakh, representing 216 per cent QoQ growth
On a half-year basis, ARAPL reported a 175 per cent rise in EBITDA and returned to profitability with Rs 58.08 lakh PAT, highlighting strong operational efficiency and improved contribution from core businesses.
Consolidated Performance – Q2 FY2026
Net Revenue: Rs 29.566 million, up 57% QoQ
EBITDA: Rs 6.2608 million, up 418 per cent QoQ
Profit After Tax: Rs 4.5672 million, marking a 224 per cent QoQ improvement

Milind Padole, Managing Director, ARAPL said, “Our Q2 results reflect the success of our innovation-led growth strategy and the growing global confidence in ARAPL’s technology. The Atlas AC2000 order marks a defining milestone that validates our engineering strength and accelerates our global expansion. With a healthy order book and continued investment in AI and autonomous systems, ARAPL is positioned to lead the next phase of intelligent industrial transformation.”
Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Pune, Affordable Robotic & Automation Ltd (ARAPL) delivers turnkey robotic and automation solutions across automotive, general manufacturing, and government sectors. Its offerings include robotic welding, automated inspection, assembly automation, automated parking systems, and autonomous driverless forklifts.
ARAPL operates five advanced plants in Pune spanning 350,000 sq ft, supported by over 400 engineers in India and seven team members in the US. The company also maintains facilities in North Carolina and California, and service centres in Faridabad, Mumbai, and San Francisco.

Technology

M.E. Energy Bags Rs 490 Mn Order for Waste Heat Recovery Project

Second major EPC contract from Ferro Alloys sector strengthens company’s growth

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kilburn Engineering Ltd and a leading Indian engineering company specialising in energy recovery and cost reduction, has secured its second consecutive major order worth Rs 490 million in the Ferro Alloys sector. The order covers the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of a 12 MW Waste Heat Recovery Based Power Plant (WHRPP).

This repeat order underscores the Ferro Alloys industry’s confidence in M.E. Energy’s expertise in delivering efficient and sustainable energy solutions for high-temperature process industries. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions by converting waste heat into clean power.

“Securing another project in the Ferro Alloys segment reinforces our strong technical credibility. It’s a proud moment as we continue helping our clients achieve sustainability and cost efficiency through innovative waste heat recovery systems,” said K. Vijaysanker Kartha, Managing Director, M.E. Energy Pvt Ltd.

“M.E. Energy’s expansion into sectors such as cement and ferro alloys is yielding solid results. We remain confident of sustained success as we deepen our presence in steel and carbon black industries. These achievements reaffirm our focus on innovation, technology, and energy efficiency,” added Amritanshu Khaitan, Director, Kilburn Engineering Ltd

With this latest order, M.E. Energy has already surpassed its total external order bookings from the previous financial year, recording Rs 138 crore so far in FY26. The company anticipates further growth in the second half, supported by a robust project pipeline and the rising adoption of waste heat recovery technologies across industries.

The development marks continued momentum towards FY27, strengthening M.E. Energy’s position as a leading player in industrial energy optimisation.

Technology

NTPC Green Energy Partners with Japan’s ENEOS for Green Fuel Exports

NGEL signs MoU with ENEOS to supply green methanol and hydrogen derivatives

Published

3 weeks ago

October 15, 2025

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NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL), a subsidiary of NTPC Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan’s ENEOS Corporation to explore a potential agreement for the supply of green methanol and hydrogen derivative products.

The MoU was exchanged on 10 October 2025 during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. It marks a major step towards global collaboration in clean energy and decarbonisation.
The partnership centres on NGEL’s upcoming Green Hydrogen Hub at Pudimadaka in Andhra Pradesh. Spread across 1,200 acres, the integrated facility is being developed for large-scale green chemical production and exports.

By aligning ENEOS’s demand for hydrogen derivatives with NGEL’s renewable energy initiatives, the collaboration aims to accelerate low-carbon energy transitions. It also supports NGEL’s target of achieving a 60 GW renewable energy portfolio by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to India’s green energy ambitions and the global net-zero agenda.