Summary of the 18th Cold Chain Industry Annual Conference and the 2nd High-Quality Development Conference of the Cold Chain Logistics Industry in South and Southeast Asia in 2024

In the "New Cold Chain" era of 2025, how should our enterprises seize opportunities and achieve high-quality development?

I. Summary of Cold Chain Logistics Development in 2024

In 2024, China's cold chain logistics industry as a whole was in a fluctuating development trend of withstanding pressure and gradually stabilizing and recovering. The total demand for cold chain in China for the whole year is expected to be 365 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.3%; the total amount of cold chain logistics in 2024 is expected to be 9.26 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.0%; the total revenue of cold chain logistics is expected to be 536.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%; the number of refrigerated trucks is expected to be 484,500, a year-on-year increase of 12.15%; and the total amount of cold storage is expected to be 250 million cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 9.65%.

II. Development Suggestions for Enterprises in the "New Cold Chain" Era of 2025

1. Strengthening Fundamentals

Achieve high-quality development by strengthening infrastructure and improving service quality.

2. Long-Term Strategy

Leading enterprises should maintain long-term commitment, while small and medium-sized enterprises should focus on regional cultivation.

3. Innovative Development

First, we must innovate our thinking. Integrating industry chain and supply chain thinking to promote the innovation and upgrading of cold chain logistics. China's economy is shifting from a model dominated by traditional manufacturing to a growth model that relies more on services, high-tech industries, and consumption-driven growth. Correspondingly, innovative services, innovative technologies, and alignment with new consumption are new strategies to expand the development of cold chain business.

Second, we must innovate services. "New cold chain" is driven by channel sinking, refined division of labor, and professional specialization, representing innovation across all scenarios and industries from the main artery to the capillaries. This includes mobile combined pre-cooling at the origin, integrated commercialized processing, one-stop service in "cold chain logistics + food processing" integrated parks at the processing, circulation, and sales service ends, multi-temperature zone transportation, multimodal transportation, consignment, centralized warehousing and distribution, and BC integration and other new services.

Third, we must innovate technology. The trend and approach for the cold chain logistics industry to achieve comprehensive and in-depth innovation is equipment automation, informatization, and greening; biodegradable, recyclable, and lightweight materials; clean and sustainable energy; and precise, intelligent, and large-scale processes.

Fourth, we must innovate entities. The speed at which production processing, catering retail, and supermarket trading companies extend and merge cold chain logistics sectors is accelerating; the trend of technological advancement, clustering, large-scale development, and platformization of cold chain logistics companies is significant; large cold chain ecosystems are forming alliances among upstream and downstream companies to go global, which has become an international trend; and alliances, specialized division of labor, and shared collaboration among small and medium-sized enterprises are imperative.

Fifth, we must innovate systems. Continue to improve top-level design and policy support; strengthen the construction of a standard system, strengthen the implementation of standards, promote alignment with international standards, improve the regulatory system, and standardize the development of the cold chain logistics industry; explore the establishment of a credit system to promote fair competition and efficiency improvement.

4. Connecting Internationally

Expand new businesses by attracting investment and going global.

5. Talent Cultivation

Increase the training of compound cold chain logistics talents and improve a multi-level cold chain logistics talent training system that combines government, industry, academia, research, and application.

Looking forward to 2025, the "New Cold Chain" era will bring unlimited possibilities to cold chain logistics enterprises. Faced with multiple challenges such as technological innovation, market demand, enterprise competition, policies and regulations, and talent cultivation, enterprises need to actively respond and continuously innovate in order to remain invincible in the fierce market competition and achieve sustainable development!

In 2025, let us work together, set sail, and create new glories!

PS: Follow the official account: Shanxi Yongyou Refrigeration Technology Co., Ltd. for more information!