Five things to know about the Chinese logistics market

2. The flurry of mergers among third-party logistics players will probably continue

Freight forwarders and third-party logistics (3PL) providers have been eagerly searching for ways to quench the seemingly insatiable thirst for their services. Many companies have sought to lock in longer-term capacity, expand their digital capabilities, and move toward omnichannel integration. The value of M&A activity, IPOs, and start-up deals in China shot up by more than $7 billion in 2021 compared with the previous year. The lines between freight forwarders and contract logistics providers are being increasingly blurred.

In 2021, Cainiao bought a 15 percent stake in Air China Cargo and entered into long-term partnerships with LATAM Airlines Group and Atlas Air. Likewise, the express firm SF Holding bought a majority stake in Kerry Logistics, a $2.3 billion deal that would allow SF Holding to use Kerry Logistics as a platform for international business. SF Holding also added seven planes in the same year, bringing its total fleet size to 68 aircraft. One of the most significant deals was the birth of a new Chinese logistics juggernaut in December 2021. The China Logistics Group was formed by a merger of five state-owned companies and is the country’s largest logistics player by revenue. By bringing together the former China Railway Materials Group, China National Materials Storage and Transportation, CTS International Logistics, China Logistics, and China National Packaging, the newly formed China Logistics Group directly owns 120 railway lines, 42 warehouses, and 4.95 million square meters of other storage facilities. It also has a fleet of three million vehicles across the world.

Global companies have been looking to make bigger plays in the region too. The Danish shipping company Maersk bought LF Logistics, a Hong Kong-based contract logistics company, last December in a bid to shore up its omnichannel fulfillment capabilities in the Asia–Pacific region.

3. The express-delivery sector is beset by intense price competition

Once the bright spark in the Chinese logistics landscape, the express market has not fared so well during the pandemic. While the express market has continued its meteoric growth, expanding by 30 percent each year since the pandemic started, intense price competition has caused the average revenue per item delivered via express channels to drop by between 12 and 27 percent last year. It now costs $1.40 on average to send a parcel, which is much less than in the United States, where the average delivery cost is $9.

Many express players saw their margins shrivel to less than 5 percent, with some falling into unprofitability. While regulators have stepped in and introduced price floors as a temporary respite, we expect greater consolidation in the near future. In a market landscape where many logistics players are embracing omnichannel integration, not having direct control over assets can prove disadvantageous. The fierce price competition will probably continue to weaken the smaller players. We therefore see continued consolidation, with smaller logistics players being acquired by larger groups, such as domestic logistics players, international players, or e-commerce players looking to control their supply chains. If the international express market is any indication, greater consolidation could be more profitable for the players that remain. The top three companies in the international express-delivery market control around 90 percent of the market share and enjoy profit margins more than three times of those achieved by China’s domestic express providers.

4. Air-cargo demand is taking off, thanks to mass customization

Shifts in e-commerce patterns are fueling demand for air freight, an often underappreciated value driver in the logistics sector. Traditionally, e-commerce supply chains relied mostly on maritime shipping to transport products in bulk to destination countries in advance, before local express providers take over the final leg of the delivery to the end customer. This model is already—and will continue—shifting.

This shift is due to digital advances in e-commerce, which has empowered mass customization, especially in fast fashion. For example, Shein, one of China’s largest fast-fashion e-commerce retailers, uses data analytics to inform the production of a huge range of trendy apparel  at extremely low price points and small volumes. These items are then targeted and marketed to specific demographics around the world via social media. When customers buy a product, they get a sense that their purchase is personalized according to their specific preferences. While its manufacturing base is in China, Shein’s core markets are the United States, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East.

It’s more efficient to deliver such orders from the product supplier to the customer in what is termed the “direct line” model. This refers to transporting products in bulk via air freight to local postal companies in the final destination, empowering swift last-mile deliveries to the final customers. Before 2016, postal companies fulfilled the end-to-end deliveries of small parcels, which accounted for about 40 percent of China’s total outbound direct-to-customer market. But companies are increasingly turning to the direct-line delivery model.

Many Chinese companies including JD Logistics, Cainiao, SF Express, and YTO Express are actively growing their freighter fleets. This is a sign that the direct-line model is gradually replacing traditional postal and express delivery. Between 2016 and 2020, the demand for direct-line delivery has risen by 84 percent.

As the direct-line model becomes more ubiquitous in e-commerce, we expect it to drive the growth of air-cargo demand in China and account for 33 percent of total outbound air cargo by 2025. Additionally, air cargo is also projected to increase from 1.3 million tons in 2020 to nearly 2.0 million tons by the middle of the decade.

5. Warehouse and omnichannel are the next frontiers of automation technology

Despite an abundance of labor at relatively low costs, China has one of the highest degrees of logistics automation, especially in e-commerce. But there is much potential that is still untapped in omnichannel integration and warehouse technology.

New consumption trends and expectations are raising new logistical challenges, such as the effective coordination and management of omnichannel fulfillment. As more retailers pursue the direct-line delivery model for international fulfillment, warehouse operations need updating. Digitizing the end-to-end delivery chain can also help ameliorate the financial reality of rising labor costs in China. Logistics companies operating in large cities face the additional challenge of limited real estate for large warehouses. Investing in warehouse automation and other digitalization technologies could help them optimize the use of space and reduce unnecessary rental costs.

How should global investors, shippers, and logistics providers respond to these trends?

An awareness of the trends in the Chinese logistics landscape could help global investors, logistics providers, and shippers make more informed decisions regarding which areas to invest in, which Chinese market subsectors to enter, or how to plan for their supply chain.

Shippers. With China’s borders remaining highly constrained and belly capacity not returning in sufficient enough levels, it’ll be another tight year across supply chains. The risks of recurring COVID-19 outbreaks continue to threaten the supply of logistics services in air cargo, maritime shipping, and land-based deliveries. For shippers, diversifying suppliers and ports of export is a prudent solution. Some large shippers may consider expanding their ownership of logistics assets. We expect major e-commerce companies to buy air capacity and commit to long-term dedicated agreements for trucking.

Logistics providers. This will probably be another strong financial year, but one with significant operational challenges. Winners may be able to distinguish themselves by meeting their customers’ needs flexibly in times of constrained supply chains. Digitization and automation are critical, and logistics providers should double down their investments in these areas. We expect to see a rise in R&D investment into direct platforms with suppliers and with customers. While larger players may be able to manage this, smaller logistics players are at risk of being squeezed out. They might have to be extra entrepreneurial to seek out the financial backing they need to equip themselves with critical digital capabilities. Otherwise, they might find that the next best step would be to get their business ready for sale to clinch the best valuation.

Investors. 2022 presents a wide range of opportunities. For those that have previously bought logistics assets, 2022 could be a great year to sell to reap plump margins—many international and domestic logistics companies are on the lookout for consolidation opportunities in the market. There could also be select opportunities for investment. As mentioned earlier, smaller logistics players in the express market would likely be seeking financial support to digitalize their businesses.