The Faridabad works had closed for the day. All officials had left for home after a hectic day of activity, barring one Sr. Sales officer who was coordinating distribution activity for late night dispatches and B shift of production.

An Army truck entered the premises and a JCO jumped out. He gives his identity as a member of Medical corps posted at Kargil. He had brought 68 empty cylinders of CMO for filling. The customer was new for us but he came from Kargil with letter from Head of camp Hospital at Kargil at a time when our soldiers were fighting to save our pride and country. The JCO stated that he had to return same night as the stock of oxygen was being rapidly depleted at the camp hospital at Kargil.

The criticality of situation was of concern to the officer present, who immediately consulted with the OM-FD, ASM-G and BM-DL and special efforts were made to fill up these cylinders.

Though they did not have an account with BOC at Faridabad and also had some cylinders, brought for filling, which were due for testing. Filling activity of service cylinders at Faridabad is carried out during the first shift only, and there was therefore little support available for testing and filling of these cylinders.

A team of available personnel, with the help of transporters at Faridabad, was formed and arrangements were immediately made to test and fill these cylinders. The computer system was rebooted to create a new customer account, and invoicing was done.

To the satisfaction of Faridabad unit the truck was out with 68 full cylinders within 3 hours.

BOC’s commitment to zero stock-out for its products has served hospitals around India well for many years, even when they have limited storage facilities due to constraints of space.