Cainiao Network (“Cainiao”), the logistics affiliate of Alibaba Group, today showcased New Logistics technologies at its 2018 Global Smart Logistic Summit. In addition, Cainiao unveiled plans to upgrade its global logistics network with initiatives to open five hubs around the globe.
Technologies and programs introduced by Cainiao today are part of its efforts to facilitate trade in China and around the globe, and to enhance services to merchants and consumers through a fully integrated online and offline experience.
Introducing “Future Park” solution
Cainiao today showcased its “Future Park” solution for a new state-of-the-art logistics complex that will house a smart warehouse, offices and shops. Named “Future Park”(video) located in the city of Wuxi, close to Shanghai in Eastern China, the Park has applied leading technologies including artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing and Long Range (LoRa)-IoT to its facilities, making it a highly intelligent complex with large-scale smart management system in place.
The smart warehouse (video) in the Future Park is equipped with automated assembly lines with robotic arms, as well as more than 500 AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicles) robots for rapid and efficient picking and packing of orders. The automation is expected to save warehouse staff some 50,000 steps per person per day. It also uses infrared sensors that can automatically identify the height of the inventory stacking, and cameras that calculate storage capacity in real-time, providing accurate and timely information for better inventory management.
In addition, Cainiao showcased other future technologies that address pain points in the logistics sector, including last-mile delivery and waste reduction. Cainiao Box will be able to receive package delivery through recognizing the facial ID of the delivery person when no one is at home; while the temperature of the smart box can be adjusted via a mobile phone app if there is a food item that needs to be kept hot or cold. Cainiao’s ET Lab’s G Plus robot (video) that has been recently launched is equipped with a multi-sensor navigation system for last-mile delivery. The Lab aims to put G Plus into commercial production by end of this year.
Enhancing Global Logistics Network
Cainiao also announced today the plans to open five new global hubs in Asia, Europe and Middle East to enhance its global logistics capabilities. Dubai, Hangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Liège (Belgium) and Moscow are among the first batch of cities being considered for building the global hubs. The global hubs will provide enhanced logistics infrastructure on a larger scale, so as to facilitate more inclusive trade for small businesses worldwide, enabling them to sell around the globe and delivering an enhanced consumer experience. More details of the global hubs expansion plan is expected to be announced at a later stage.
Cainiao already delivers to 30 overseas cities across six countries and regions in anything within five days. The aim of the hubs is to expand the speed and quality of service to 100 cities over the next three years, a significant ramp up of Cainiao’s overseas presence. Cainiao’s ultimate mission is to deliver anywhere in the world within 72 hours.
The 2018 Global Smart Logistics Summit attracted more than 5,000 attendees from across the logistics industry worldwide to hear about the latest innovations and views of sector trends from Cainiao and its partners. It helps to build the momentum of ‘New Logistics,’ a term advocated by Alibaba to describe its effort to provide a new end-to-end supply chain solutions that help all merchants consolidate their online and offline inventory to meet consumers’ rising delivery needs from new retail.
