Balmer Lawrie To Expand Rail, Third-Party Logistics Operations

Diversified public sector enterprise Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd is expanding its domestic logistics operations, including rail logistics and third-party logistics, while aligning its travel businesses with the growth in domestic tourism as geopolitical tensions and tariff protectionism disrupt global supply chains.

Addressing the company's 109th Annual General Meeting here on Monday, its Chairman Adhip Nath Palchaudhuri said the company was adapting its operations to an increasingly volatile global environment, where geopolitical developments and national security considerations were increasingly influencing global trade.

The company is expanding its supply chain touchpoints with greater emphasis on domestic logistics operations, including its new rail logistics and third-party logistics businesses, he said.

Balmer Lawrie's logistics business already provides integrated supply chain solutions through its network of container freight stations, warehouses and specialised cold-chain facilities. The new rail logistics foray is expected to be a key growth driver going ahead, according to the chairman.

The company is also aligning its Travel & Vacations business with the growth in domestic tourism. Its tour packages, retail vacations and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) capabilities have been aligned accordingly, Palchaudhuri said.

Domestic tourism has remained a major component of the travel sector, with visits rising nearly 52.7% between January and September 2025, according to the company.

The chairman said Balmer Lawrie was seeking to strengthen its resilience by catering to these areas of domestic economic activity rather than being solely exposed to disruptions in global trade.

Technology is another key focus as the company enters its 160th year. The chairman identified the company's long legacy of resilience, alignment with national priorities and adoption of technology as the three defining features of its next chapter.

In its other businesses, the chemicals division recorded its highest-ever turnover and profit in FY 2025-26, while the Industrial Packaging business continued technological upgradation across its six manufacturing plants. The Greases & Lubricants business is also working on eco-friendly and synthetic lubricants.

The company's Travel & Vacations division recorded a 25% increase in registrations on the exclusive Government of India employee travel portal, while ticketing volumes grew 15% year-on-year and its vacations, retail and MICE divisions recorded their highest-ever gross toplines.

Balmer Lawrie's approach comes against the backdrop of the Gulf crisis, rising global tariff protectionism and disruptions to established supply chains, which the chairman said had made uncertainty the "new normal".