Warehouse Management System and Its Effect on Efficiency

Abstract

Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has emerged as a strategic imperative for manufacturing organizations seeking to reconcile competitive performance with environmental stewardship and social responsibility. The packaging and specialty films industry — in which Cosmo Films Limited occupies a prominent position as one of India\'s leading producers of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), thermal lamination, and specialty films — is subject to intense scrutiny from regulators, brand-owner customers, and end consumers regarding the environmental credentials of its supply chain. This research paper investigates the SSCM practices adopted at Cosmo Films\' Waluj manufacturing facility in Chh. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), Maharashtra, examining the integration of sustainability principles across procurement, inbound logistics, manufacturing operations, outbound distribution, and end-of-life product recovery. The study draws on primary data collected through structured surveys and semi-structured interviews with supply chain managers, procurement executives, production supervisors, and environmental compliance officers at the Waluj plant, supplemented by secondary data from Cosmo Films\' published sustainability disclosures, industry reports, and academic literature on SSCM in the plastics and packaging sector. Findings reveal that Cosmo Films Waluj has achieved substantial progress in green procurement, waste minimisation, and carbon footprint monitoring, while identifying significant improvement opportunities in supplier sustainability integration, circular economy implementation, and employee sustainability competency development. The paper proposes an integrated SSCM maturity framework tailored to the specialty films manufacturing context and offers actionable recommendations for accelerating Cosmo Films\' sustainability transition.

Introduction

The study examines Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices at Cosmo Films Limited’s Waluj manufacturing facility in Chh. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), focusing on how a specialty films manufacturer can balance increasing demand for packaging products with environmental sustainability requirements. The packaging industry faces challenges such as plastic waste, regulatory pressure, carbon reduction goals, and customer expectations for sustainable products.

Cosmo Films, a leading manufacturer of BOPP films, thermal lamination films, and specialty packaging films, operates a complex supply chain involving raw material sourcing (mainly polypropylene), manufacturing, logistics, and product distribution. Since polypropylene is fossil-fuel-based and film production is energy-intensive, sustainable supply chain practices are essential for reducing environmental impact and maintaining competitiveness.

The research uses a case study methodology supported by surveys and interviews. Data was collected from 64 employees across different departments and 16 key managers, along with company reports and sustainability documents. SSCM practices were evaluated using maturity models and gap analysis.

Key Findings:

• Green Procurement: Achieved high adoption (91%) with strong supplier sustainability evaluation, including environmental certifications and carbon data tracking.
• Eco-design and Sustainable Packaging: Cosmo Films focuses on recyclable mono-material films, lightweight film designs, and reduced environmental impact through improved product development.
• Waste Management and Zero Liquid Discharge: Recorded the highest maturity level (94% adoption), with recycling of production waste and efficient water management systems.
• Carbon Footprint Management: The company monitors Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions and works toward reducing supply chain carbon impact.
• Renewable Energy: Solar energy integration is growing, with future plans to increase renewable electricity usage.
• Reverse Logistics and Recycling: Identified as the most challenging area due to limited plastic collection systems, contamination issues, and weak recycling infrastructure.

The study also identified gaps between management and operational employees. While managers rated sustainability practices highly, operational staff showed lower awareness, especially regarding sustainability training, daily implementation, and circular economy concepts.

Major Challenges:

• Limited sustainability capabilities among smaller suppliers.
• Difficulty obtaining high-quality recycled polypropylene (PCR PP).
• Lack of strong plastic recycling infrastructure in India.
• Low workforce awareness about advanced sustainability concepts.
• Financial pressure for investments with long-term benefits.

Proposed SSCM Improvement Framework:

The research suggests four major improvement areas:

1. Sustainable Sourcing Excellence
   • Develop stronger supplier sustainability programs.
   • Increase recycled polypropylene usage.
   • Improve supplier carbon data collection.
2. Circular Product and Process Design
   • Expand recyclable film development.
   • Use life-cycle assessment in product design.
   • Promote circular economy principles.
3. Operational Sustainability Integration
   • Include sustainability KPIs in daily production monitoring.
   • Improve digital tracking of energy, waste, and emissions.
   • Expand renewable energy adoption.
4. Workforce and Ecosystem Development
   • Provide sustainability training to employees.
   • Build industry partnerships for recycling and waste management.
   • Encourage employee involvement in sustainability initiatives.

Recommendations:

• Increase PCR polypropylene usage targets.
• Implement digital platforms for supply chain sustainability tracking.
• Accelerate renewable energy expansion.
• Establish supplier sustainability development programs.
• Improve employee sustainability skills.
• Participate actively in plastic recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiatives.

Conclusion

This research has provided a comprehensive empirical examination of Sustainable Supply Chain Management practices at Cosmo Films Waluj, revealing a facility that has achieved meaningful progress in green procurement, operational environmental management, and carbon monitoring while confronting significant development opportunities in circular economy implementation, supplier sustainability integration, reverse logistics, and workforce sustainability competency. The study\'s findings confirm that Cosmo Films Waluj currently occupies the \'proactive\' stage of the SSCM maturity continuum — characterized by systematic environmental management, proactive regulatory compliance, and emerging strategic sustainability integration — and is positioned to advance toward the \'value-seeking\' stage through the implementation of the SSCM Maturity Advancement Framework proposed in this paper. The transition to value-seeking SSCM requires not only technical and operational investments but also a cultural shift toward embedding sustainability thinking in every operational decision, from procurement negotiation to product design to production management. The specialty films manufacturing sector stands at an inflection point: the combination of EPR regulation, customer sustainability mandates, carbon pricing mechanisms, and growing consumer preference for sustainable packaging is creating an irreversible sustainability transformation of the packaging value chain. Organizations like Cosmo Films that invest systematically in SSCM capability today will be better positioned to capture the market opportunities, regulatory advantages, and cost reduction benefits of this transformation, while those that delay risk competitive displacement as the sustainability threshold for market participation rises. Future research should examine the financial returns on SSCM investment at Cosmo Films over a multi-year horizon, the effectiveness of specific supplier development programme designs in the Indian plastics sector, and the organizational change management approaches that most effectively translate SSCM strategy into operational practice in capital-intensive, technology-driven manufacturing environments.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Amol Jijaba Kawale, Prof. Savita Gayke. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.