Growth Potential in China Cold Chain Market

Experts from China's logistics industry gathered on January 20th to learn of recent progress in China's cold supply chain sector from Mr Patrick Lin of HAVI Logistics. The presentation by Mr Lin was part of a logistics industry forum organised in Shanghai by online industrial platform, RightSite.asia.

The 6th Industrial Asset Management Forum (IAMF) was held in Shanghai at the Royal Meridien Hotel, and along with the presentation by HAVI Logistics included representatives from logistics service providers such as Worldwide Logistics Group, logistics developers AMB Property China, Plainvim International, Jiangsu Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area  (NETDA), and Blogis International Logistics Co. The event was also attended by managers from leading international property consultancies including Jones Lang LaSalle, CBRE, and Asia Pacific Properties, as well as representatives from management consultancies including Bureau Veritas and the Boston Consulting Group. The forum was organised by RightSite.asia, China's first online marketplace for industrial and logistics facilities.

Mr Lin, the Marketing Director of HAVI in China, shared lessons from HAVI's role as the cold supply chain provider for China's 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, as well as the progress the company has made in providing temperature controlled logistics services for companies such as McDonald's, Subway and Metro hypermarkets in China since 1993. According to Mr Lin, “Increasingly, not only is the Chinese government enforcing regulations on temperature controlled storage and transport for food products, but Chinese consumers are demanding such protections.”

With regard to China's cold chain market in 2010, Mr Lin predicted, “As international and local suppliers need to transport more food products over greater distances in China, there will be more and more demand for refrigerated storage and transportation. However, companies which have not already invested in creating the fleets and facilities necessary to implement these networks in this challenging environment will struggle to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Commenting on the success of the forum, RightSite's Managing Director, Michael Cole said, “We are glad to bring together the leaders of China's logistics sector at this event. RightSite's mission is to provide a platform for China's industrial and logistics sectors, and the Industrial Asset Management Forums are an important means of accomplishing this goal.”

About the Industrial Asset Management Forum

The Industrial Asset Management Forum was organised by RightSite.asia as part of its monthly series of forums on key issues facing China's logistics and industrial real estate communities. The forums are organised to foster the sharing of information and resources among members of the community and to provide industry professionals with additional tools for conducting successful transactions in China. Previous forums have focussed on strategies for green development, planning for lean processes during site selection and design, the macroeconomics of industrial cluster development in China, and the pending establishment of REITs in China.

The next Industrial Asset Management Forum will be held on March 17th, 2010 and will feature a presentation on protecting intellectual property while setting up manufacturing enterprises in China, by Dr Matthew Targett, Head of Innovation Management at Bayer Technology Services.