Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

As June 18 shopping peak nears, JD.com opens vast “intelligent logistics park”

Chinese e-commerce giant’s JD Logistics arm offers 3PL services that generate 70% of its total revenue from external clients

JDcom Screen Shot 2023-06-14 at 2.39.23 PM.png

As Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com prepares for its mid-June 618 promotional sale, the company said today that its logistics division, JD Logistics, has launched phase 2 of a huge, automated package sorting facility in Jiangsu province, China.

With a floor area of 5.4 million square feet, the “Kunshan Asia No.1 Intelligent Logistics Park” is equipped with integrated warehousing and sorting capabilities with a capacity of sorting 4.5 million parcels per day.


The facility features more than 80 sorting lines and a fleet of 10,000 intelligent sorting robots. Running around the clock during peak seasons such as JD's 618 Grand Promotion shopping festival, the system delivers a sorting accuracy rate of 99.99% and a five-fold increase in efficiency compared to traditional methods, the company said.

JD.com did not disclose the specific type or vendor of material handling automation used in the center.

With the launch of Phase 2 of the Logistics Park, JD's logistics network now ensures over 93% of JD’s retail orders from the East China region, spanning Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Anhui can be delivered same-day or next-day, covering a population of 200 million people. And complemented by JD's network of over 1,500 warehouses, the company now guarantees the "211" promise: orders placed before 11:00 AM will be delivered the same day, while orders placed before 11:00 PM will arrive the following day, to almost every corner of China.

Most of the that fulfillment muscle handles inventory for external clients, not JD.com’s own online sales. During the first quarter of this year, JD Logistics posted a 59.8% year-on-year increase in revenue from external clients, who now account for 70% of its total revenue. The industries using JD Logistics’ network include electronics, industrials, apparel, medicine, and automobiles.

And JD Logistics is also replicating elements of its logistics operation in the U.S. In February, the company launched its third warehouse in California, growing its footprint in the state to over 1.3 million square feet of warehousing space.


 

 

 

Recent

More Stories

image of laptop against an orange background

Companies need to plan for top five supply chain risks of 2025

The five most likely supply chain events that will impact business operations this year include climate change/weather, geopolitical instability, cybercrime, rare metals/minerals, and the crackdown on forced labor, according to a report from supply chain risk analytics provider Everstream Analytics.

“The past year has been unprecedented, with extreme weather events, heightened geopolitical tension and cybercrime destabilizing supply chains throughout the world. Navigating this year’s looming risks to build a secure supply network has never been more critical,” Corey Rhodes, CEO of Everstream Analytics, said in the firm’s “2025 Annual Risk Report.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

cargo ships at port

Strike threat lingers at ports as January 15 deadline nears

Retailers and manufacturers across the country are keeping a watchful eye on negotiations starting tomorrow to draft a new contract for dockworkers at East coast and Gulf coast ports, as the clock ticks down to a potential strike beginning at midnight on January 15.

Representatives from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) last spoke in October, when they agreed to end a three-day strike by striking a tentative deal on a wage hike for workers, and delayed debate over the thornier issue of port operators’ desire to add increased automation to port operations.

Keep ReadingShow less
image of earth from space

Maersk offers 5 steps to make your supply chain “antifragile”

Companies worldwide faced waves of business disruptions throughout the past year, but as 2025 is predicted to be just as complex as 2024, global cargo carrier Maersk has listed five steps for making supply chains “antifragile.”

Maersk’s overall view of the coming year is that the global economy is expected to grow modestly, with the possibility of higher inflation caused by lingering supply chain issues, continued geopolitical tensions, and fiscal policies such as new tariffs. Geopolitical tensions and trade disruptions could threaten global stability, climate change action will continue to shape international cooperation, and the ongoing security issue in the Red Sea is expected to continue into 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
U.S. and China flags with a photo overlay of Ashray Lavsi

What happens to global supply chains if China attacks Taiwan?

For an island measuring a little less than 14,000 square miles (or about the size of Belgium), Taiwan plays a crucial role in global supply chains, making geopolitical concerns associated with it of keen interest to most major corporations.

Taiwan has essentially acted as an independent nation since 1949, when the nationalist government under Chiang Kai-shek retreated to the island following the communist takeover of mainland China. Yet China has made no secret of the fact that it wants to bring Taiwan back under its authority—ambitions that were brought to the fore in October when China launched military drills that simulated an attack on the island.

Keep ReadingShow less

Six logistics trends to watch

As we look toward 2025, the logistics and transportation industry stands on the cusp of transformation. At the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), we’re committed to helping industry leaders navigate these changes with insight and strategy. Here are six trends that we believe will form the competitive landscape of tomorrow.

1. Digital transformation and data integration: Technology continues to reshape every facet of logistics. Advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are becoming increasingly integrated into supply chain operations, driving efficiency, reducing costs, and enabling proactive decision-making.

Keep ReadingShow less