Upaya, a leading logistics company enabled by technology, has launched a third-party logistics (3PL) Warehousing project.
Aimed at filling the technology and infrastructure gap in Nepal’s logistics sector, Upaya Warehousing will be constructing its first 3PL warehouse on more than 18 ropani (almost 100,000 sqft) of land at Sanga, Kavrepalanchowk district, next to Nepal Police School adjacent to Arniko Highway.
The construction is set to begin in April and expected to complete by end of 2026. The total estimated cost of the 3PL warehouse project in Kathmandu is Rs 1.2 billion, according to the company.
At the event organized on Sunday, March 23, Upaya also announced the successful financial closure of the consortium debt financing of Rs 950 million for this project led by Citizens International Bank with participation of Macchapucchre Bank.
Dolma Impact Fund II and other investors, too, would be participating in the equity investment for this project.
Ganesh Pokharel, CEO of Citizens Bank International, said, “There is a huge potential of warehouse infrastructure. This project will be a milestone for the growth of new avenues within the infrastructure sector in Nepal.”
Upaya Warehousing will be a modern multi-client storage and handling facility capable of serving Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Fast Moving Consumer Durables (FMCD), e-commerce, Quick-commerce, retail chain stores, lifestyle goods like apparel/shoes/beauty products, electronics & white goods and auto-parts customers.
The built-up space or the ground coverage of the proposed warehouse would be 45,000 sqft with total storage capacity of more than 100,000 sqft.
“Upaya’s 3PL warehouse would be state-of-art futuristic warehouse made of Grade A Pre-Engineered Building (PEB) steel structure taking into safety consideration of seismic zone having High Density Racking (HDR) and Multi-Tier Shelving and shall include Built-to-suit (BTS) facility to the key anchor clients,” the company said in a statement.
It will be designed by leading Indian Company – Corescape Design LLP, in a sustainable manner, incorporating green energy, sustainable waste management and rainwater harvesting.
At the Sunday’s event, Co-founder and Director of Upaya, Ranjeev Shrestha said: “Logistics’ cost in Nepal is 20% of our GDP due to inefficiencies and lack of infrastructure. Upaya Warehousing will emerge as an Infrastructure Company enabled by technology and we plan to build more of these warehouses in other cities, so that we want to lead and demonstrate the path to bringing down the logistics cost through efficiency, technology and infrastructure.”
Similarly, CEO of Machhapuchchhre Bank and President of Nepal Bankers’s Association (NBA), Santosh Koirala, added that despite the current banking challenges of having a huge amount of investable fund but limited investable projects, such innovative concepts would definitely help in the economic development of the nation.
Upaya’s 3PL warehouse will bring scalable logistics solutions to businesses in Nepal by bundling the services that include storage, inventory management, invoicing and distribution and transportation facilities.
Co-founder & Managing Director Suman Rayamajhi added: “This Third Party Logistics warehouse allows our customers to focus and grow their business and allows them to completely handover the complication of logistics management.”
The event was attended by key personnel of Dolma Impact Fund - the lead investor of Upaya, the executives of Pragati Infra Solutions, one of the largest developers in India for constructing global standard warehousing solutions and industrial & logistics parks, logistics experts from India/ Nepal, personnel from Development Financials Institution, Investors and prospective customers of Upaya.
