Chinese courier industry sees rapid improvement in service capability.

International shipping of big live animals is one of the most difficult businesses in non-regular logistics. It is an important indicator for a logistics firm's competitiveness. Only a few transnational shipping corporations are able to complete such missions.

Recently, Japan-born giant panda Xiang Xiang returned to China on an airplane of Chinese express delivery services provider SF Express, which marked the first time for a Chinese express delivery firm to transport a big live animal between two countries. It also indicated that the industry's service capability and overall strength have reached a whole-new level.

This was not the first time for the Chinese courier industry to make a surprise.

Last August, the Qingdao Liuting International Airport in east China's Shandong province was closed and the new Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport put into operation. The move was assisted by courier enterprises, too. SF Express almost 'shipped' a whole airport, from gigantic facilities to insect specimens.

So far, the shipment of aero-engines, landing gear, airfoils and other parts has become a regular business of Chinese courier firm YTO Express, which makes the company a 'logistics manager' for many airlines.

The progress made by the courier industry is also felt by individual Chinese consumers. Agricultural products that need to be delivered in a very short period of time , such as waxberries, strawberries, lychee, Chinese mitten crabs and flowers, are now massively shipped with high efficiency and low loss. Consumers are able to enjoy commodities from across the world without stepping out of their houses.

The progress has led to new opportunities. Previously, courier enterprises were engaged in fierce competition in the shipment of e-commerce commodities as the courier industry's growth slowed, and even started a 'price war' that made the competition destructive.

Thanks to the enhanced service capability of the industry, more and more manufacturing enterprises are coming to courier companies today.

For instance, ZTO Express has reached cooperation with Foton Daimler Automotive, a joint venture between Chinese carmaker Foton and Daimler, which means the Chinese courier giant will provide whole-process supply chain services for the automaker. Besides, JD Logistics, the logistics arm of e-commerce platform JD.com has become a 'storage planner' of Wafangdian Bearing Company Limited.

From offering...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT