As Typhoon "Dolphin" lashed Yangzhou with heavy rain on August 10th, a conference titled "New Ecological Smart Connectivity, New Journey of Green Development – Jiangsu Logistics and Supply Chain Development Trends Cooperation Exchange Meeting" was held at the Jinling Grand Hotel. The event was co-hosted by the Yangzhou Express Association and featured representatives from the Gu Cang New National Product Research Institute, CATL, GEELY AUTO, and local logistics firms. In his opening remarks, Zhang Yunlei, Vice President of the Yangzhou Express Association, highlighted the industry's shift in focus. "We must move beyond our role as mere 'transporters' and become effective organizers of the modern supply chain," he stated.

Zhang Yunlei began with a set of data: In 2025, the average number of parcels sent per person in Yangzhou reached 160, with the city's total express delivery volume hitting 736 million items, a growth rate of 18.03%. Both metrics ranked first in the province. However, behind these impressive numbers lies the industry's inevitable transition from "scale expansion" to "quality improvement." "The national '15th Five-Year Plan' for postal industry development explicitly requires express delivery companies to integrate into pre-production, production, and post-production stages. It's no longer just about 'delivering fast,' but about the 'value of serving the manufacturing sector,'" he explained. He cited Yangzhou's efforts to build advanced manufacturing clusters, such as the "6 groups and 13 chains" for automotive parts and integrated circuits, which urgently need the express delivery industry to evolve from "simple delivery" to "comprehensive supply chain services."

Concrete examples of this shift are already in place. Last year, Yangzhou launched nine unmanned vehicle routes for village deliveries, and 32 towns and villages have established 24-hour self-service stations, handling over 4,000 items daily. "Previously, villagers had to wait for the convenience store to open to pick up their parcels. Now, unmanned vehicles drive directly to the village entrance, and residents can pick up their items with a simple facial recognition scan," Zhang noted. He added that this kind of technology, which prioritizes convenience over flashiness, forms the core of green and intelligent logistics. It includes the widespread use of electronic waybills, reusable transit bags as standard, and new energy logistics vehicles quietly navigating the ancient bluestone streets of Dongguan Street. "The parcels we deliver carry not just the fresh flavors of Huaiyang cuisine, but also a commitment to low-carbon environmental protection," he said.

In a session on changing mindsets, Cai Jun, a mentor on blockbuster product strategy from the Gu Cang New National Product Research Institute, addressed the shift from a "product era" to a "user era." He used the example of the "prepared food dispute" between Luo Yonghao and Xibei to illustrate his point: "What a company sees as 'compliant,' a user may not perceive as 'fresh.' Without understanding the user, you can't create a good product or service."

Cai Jun proposed a methodology of "finding pain points along the user journey." From awareness and selection to delivery and unboxing, then to use and maintenance, every stage presents opportunities for innovation. He cited the example of Shenchen Logistics Group, which abandoned its broad, comprehensive approach to focus on new energy batteries, automotive parts, and China-Europe cross-border logistics, achieving a single-track annual revenue of 600 million yuan. The company also integrated fragmented services like hazardous material packaging, multimodal transport, and full-tracking into a tangible, quantifiable "supply chain service package," giving customers a clear view of the value. "Every industry is worth rethinking with a user-centric approach," Cai Jun said. He urged the express delivery industry to shift from "calculating transport costs" to "calculating user value," such as addressing the pain point of rough handling, optimizing the unboxing experience, or even turning the technical advantage of "withstanding one ton of pressure" into a user-friendly brand label.

The technical response to these challenges was provided by Chen Ruwei, a product manager for the logistics division at CATL. He explained how the company's battery technology, with 7,000 quality control points, keeps the cell defect rate to one in a billion. An intelligent temperature control system ensures stable discharge in extreme environments ranging from -30°C to 82°C, maintaining consistent output even when the battery level drops below 10%. "During the heavy rain in Zhengzhou, a batch of vehicles equipped with our batteries operated normally even after being submerged for 48 hours," Chen noted. He also highlighted the 2C super-fast charging technology, which can save 40-70 minutes of charging time per day, potentially earning an extra 5,000 yuan a year. The Battery Management System (BMS) acts as the "brain of the battery," constantly monitoring voltage and temperature to prevent thermal runaway.

Zhang Long, regional manager for northern Jiangsu at GEELY AUTO's new energy commercial vehicle division, showcased a more tangible example of technological advancement. "Our unmanned delivery vehicles have been deployed in various locations across Jiangsu. Even in typhoon conditions with slippery roads and limited visibility, they can still navigate their preset routes stably," he said. He explained that the vehicles use multi-sensor fusion technology to identify obstacles in real-time and automatically adjust speed, working in tandem with a remote monitoring platform for "vehicle-road coordination." This directly aligns with the nine unmanned vehicle routes for village deliveries mentioned by Zhang Yunlei. "Currently, we only offer two battery options: our self-developed Xuanwu battery for high cost-effectiveness and CATL's Tianxing battery for long range, ensuring vehicle reliability from the source," Zhang Long said. The application of unmanned vehicles not only reduces labor costs but also eliminates the risk to drivers in extreme weather, ensuring deliveries continue without interruption.

Acting as the host, Starlight City Automotive Sales Co., Ltd. released a package of eight exclusive benefits at the event to provide "last mile" support for the industry's transformation. The package includes a 2,680 yuan decoration gift, six free basic maintenance services, one year of fleet management membership, charging card subsidies, tire replacement discounts, insurance policies with technology-based risk reduction, free replacement vehicles during the warranty period, and 24/7 free roadside assistance. "Through our full-cycle service, we aim to help logistics companies purchase with confidence and use with ease," said Wu Jiaqi, the company's marketing director.

From Zhang Yunlei's "industry proposition" to Cai Jun's "mindset shift," and from CATL and GEELY AUTO's "technical responses," the Yangzhou conference outlined a clear path for transformation. The path involves using a user-centric approach to reconstruct service logic, employing green and intelligent technology to strengthen the foundational infrastructure, and ultimately achieving a leap in value through industrial synergy. As Zhang Yunlei concluded, "The parcels we deliver carry not just the delicious flavors of Huaiyang cuisine, but also a city's confidence in moving forward with innovation."