Huawei and YCIH Logistics forge a new benchmark in smart supply chains

INJA International Supply Chain Demonstration Center: An Intelligent Campus

At the break of dawn, a cold chain logistics campus in Kunming, Yunnan, already hums with activity. It is a specialized hub designed to handle temperature-sensitive goods. A refrigerated truck with a local license plate enters the campus and is instantly recognized by a video device with computer vision powered by AI. The scheduling algorithm immediately assigns the truck a loading dock. This sets in motion a sophisticated process whereby automated warehousing equipment dispatches goods using a lossless, low-latency network while multiple Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) transfer goods under the algorithm's coordination. The AGVs are poised and ready when the refrigerated trucks arrive at the dock. AI vision issues real-time alerts of any thawing or other hazards.

The dispatch screen displays each vehicle and pallet as a vibrant, moving light. By leveraging real-time data, predictive algorithms forecast and orchestrate movements to prevent peak-hour bottlenecks.This is the INJA International Supply Chain Demonstration Center, operated by Yunnan Construction and Investment Holding (YCIH) Logistics Co., Ltd. YCIH Logistics has teamed up with Huawei to create a technological foundation for cold chain logistics by using Cloud, big data, IoT, blockchain, 5G, AI, and more to support efficient operations.

The YCIH Logistics facility has moved beyond the scope of a traditional logistics campus. It facilitates secure data sharing among various stakeholders, dynamically allocates resources across campuses, and enables smart O&M in diverse scenarios. Empowered by digital and intelligent technologies, every cold chain link radiates with new vitality.

"In collaboration with Huawei, YCIH Logistics has made proven and effective advancements in creating a highly efficient, unified, and intelligent supply chain operations system,” said Zhao Jun, General Manager of the INJA Digital Technology Division at YCIH Logistics. “These efforts have boosted management and operational efficiency throughout the supply chain, promoted digital synergy across multiple industries, and enabled value sharing within the supply chain ecosystem."

"1+N" = smart logistics

YCIH Logistics works in trade, logistics, e-commerce, supply chain finance, and information services. With over 50 years of development, it has established a supply chain ecosystem rooted in Yunnan Province, extending across China and the world.

YCIH Logistics is keenly focused on its digitalization build-out. A few years back, it collaborated extensively with Huawei on service cloudification and data governance, yielding positive outcomes. Starting in 2022, YCIH Logistics planned and developed a cold chain campus network focused on the INJA International Supply Chain Demonstration Center, which leverages the agricultural strengths of the Yunnan Plateau. YCIH Logistics is committed to building an efficient, unified, intelligent, and green food supply chain operations system and becoming a world-class supply chain ecosystem operator.

Even so, transitioning into the cold chain logistics business has posed significant challenges for YCIH Logistics, a company that had more experience with bulk commodities. To support YCIH in this transformation, Huawei use its expertise in digital and intelligent supply chain transformation. Through the deployment of its "1+N" Smart Logistics Solution, Huawei helped the company overcome the obstacles it faced.

The "1+N" Smart Logistics Solution uses one digital operations platform (Huawei Cloud) to combine a wide range of key technologies. This integration supports diverse applications across numerous logistics campuses and intelligently upgrades the entire cold chain.

• "1" digital operations platform: The platform removes supply chain bottlenecks and breakpoints and integrates supply chain services through digitalization, improving competitiveness and gross profit. The logistics cloud platform connects multiple campuses, warehouses, and transportation links, making the door-to-door logistics process visible, controllable, and manageable.

• "N" intelligent logistics campuses: Scenario-specific applications like smart warehousing and loading dock management boost the efficiency of smart logistics and slash labor costs. Showcases have been set up and the solution has been replicated to numerous large-, medium-, and small-sized logistics campuses in batches.

• "1+N" Solution endowed with cloud-edge synergy: The group centrally plans and builds digital and ICT-based campuses, reducing the expenses of independent campus construction. This also helps build logistics data assets to create new profit points.

In December 2024, the INJA International Supply Chain Demonstration Center and INJA Zhenxiong Campus began operations, marking the official launch of the "1+N" Smart Logistics Solution.

Smart ecosystem based on full-chain efficient collaboration

The "1+N" Smart Logistics Solution enhances efficiency in operations management by enabling standardized applications, platform-based data, network-based hubs, intensive investments, smart operations, and visualized management.

Thanks to this solution, traditional bustling logistics campuses have transformed into intelligent ecosystems powered by data and advanced algorithms.

YCIH Logistics has maintained strong momentum in its development in recent years, with its operating revenue exceeding CNY 40 billion, each year from 2023 to 2024 , setting new records. Behind these outstanding achievements lies its crucial foresight and strategic vision in digital and intelligent transformation. Following its digital blueprint to "enable comprehensive multi-industry digital collaboration, forge a digital brain, and create a smart ecosystem," YCIH Logistics is fast-tracking the establishment of a global smart cold chain logistics hub.

"Huawei excels in AI, algorithms, and cloud technologies,” said a business leader at YCIH Logistics. “We plan to engage with Huawei in digitalization, intelligent campus, intelligent finance, and smart logistics to drive business innovation and growth through digital tools, enhancing supply chain security and stability."

In the future, Huawei will further cooperate with YCIH Logistics to achieve significant breakthroughs in various domains. Both parties will work together to broaden AI application scenarios, enhance cold chain logistics management processes, and consistently boost operational efficiency and service quality. Leveraging innovative ICTs and profound industry expertise, Huawei looks to help more supply chain enterprises go intelligent and support the development of a smarter and greener supply chain ecosystem.