Twenty years of cold chain

Standardization is a recurring issue.

It exists in every link of the cold chain, and even in the field of radio frequency identification, it cannot escape the inherent constraints of the industry.

Li Zhou and Hu Shutong were having dinner together. Before even picking up his food, Li Zhou started talking about something he had been wanting to discuss with Hu Shutong for a long time.

"In the past two years, the number of companies engaged in cold chain RFID has increased significantly, and many people have seen the potential of this market. However, correspondingly, the problems have become quite prominent. The lack of unified standards and the incompatibility of products from different companies pose a major challenge for future interoperability. Furthermore, there are issues of data security and privacy protection—it's a long and arduous road ahead!"

"No matter what the problem is, I believe Dr. Li will be able to solve it sooner or later."

Li Zhou gave a half-smile, knowing he was there to find a solution and wasn't going to get tired of this kind of talk. "Why don't you put aside my problem and tell me yours?"

"My biggest challenge is how to manage the park well. I'm not even a complete novice when it comes to radio frequency technology."

"Wow! You're so self-righteous now that you have the park! Let me ask you this: the industry's food coding and quality standards are inconsistent. How can RFID technology thrive? If the codes aren't standardized, how can identification be standardized?"

This question really stumped Hu Shutong. Li Zhou's words hit Hu Shutong's "sore spot" deeply. It can be said that this is a topic that Hu Shutong is unwilling to mention or even think about, because every time he thinks about it, a mountain of pressure will fall on his back.

Food coding and quality standards are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also basic standards for the cold chain, technical and management regulations for cold chain logistics, standards for cold chain facilities and equipment, safety standards, hygiene standards, environmental standards…

For the standardization of this industry, we need more than a dozen categories of standards and hundreds or even thousands of detailed rules.

This is not just Hu Shutong's predicament; it is the primary challenge for everyone involved in this industry. The path is extremely difficult, but it is unavoidable. Only through standardization can there be a healthier industry, thereby bringing it greater vitality. Standardization and regulation—just three simple words, yet the road ahead is incredibly long.

Li Zhou's eyes widened as he saw Hu Shutong's expression darken instantly, as if she were back in the dorm, always sullen and unhappy about something. "Don't be like that! I wasn't talking about you, I was talking about all of you!"

Hu Shutong looked up and said, "I'd like to say something to you. Have you solved the accuracy problem? Have you solved the problem of water droplets interfering with operation due to large temperature differences? Have you figured out how to recycle and reuse labels?"

"You idiot! I offered you a way out, and you blew up my door, huh?!"

Hu Shutong laughed out loud, "Alright, alright, my problems aren't going to be solved today, but your technology..."

"We, from this moment on, are us."

"To unify our technology, I think we still need to collaborate. We should first develop standards and then submit them for approval. We should also learn from foreign standards that are beneficial to us. I should be able to find the relevant information, and I'll send it to you later. Another issue is the market share of enterprises. If Daye has a considerable market share in the industry, the subsequent progress will be smoother. Everything needs a leader."

Li Zhou kept nodding, but his eyes darkened as he nodded. "I came here with this mission. Daye wants to set up a branch in Qingyan and try to seize the huge market in Qingning."

"With a tech freak like you, we'll dominate the market when it comes to snatching things up."

"Hu Shutong, when did you become so obedient but not attentive? I mean, for example, where should we choose this location? How can we gradually capture the market? What are the market conditions like? Where is the breakthrough point? To put it simply, I'm completely unfamiliar with Qingyan City!"

"Dr. Li, is Da Ye asking you to go to the meeting alone?"

"Not really. They arranged several teams from different departments to assist me, but I didn't have them come this time. It was just a lot of back-and-forth discussion with them, which I'm not used to."

"I'm not used to it," Hu Shutong said, and immediately nodded. "What's there to worry about, PhD? I'm a native of Qingyan. To be honest, this park was built on connections. Don't worry, I'll be there for you!"

Li Zhou blinked. "I was thinking the same thing. If they give me a whole set of equipment for free and don't put in any effort, then I'll have wasted my time as a friend."

This equipment was quite valuable, and Li Zhou simply loaded it onto his truck and delivered it to me as he passed by. This is the first time they've discussed anything related to price, and it's only now that they've talked about giving it away for free. Of all the things happening at Tongxing, nothing has been more impressive than this. Li Zhou is like someone arriving at Tongxing with a locked suitcase; once opened, everything you need is there.

But this makes one wonder, what kind of person could do something like this? This is the power that technology brings, bypassing all procedures—that's precisely what Li Zhou is capable of. Because aside from technical matters, he doesn't think much, nor does he want to say too much like he did in the lab meeting room.

"You'll need to stay a little longer. Besides training, you also need to make some manuals or something to help everyone get started faster. When you're free, give me some advice. Goods come from the local area and eventually reach thousands of households, so please help me keep an eye on things like saving money and ensuring proper distribution."

"Why are there so many things to do? What are you doing then?"

"When I have some free time, I'll go to the city to look at office buildings, learn about the radio frequency market, compare product differences, and see if there's any connection I can use to kick something out of the market first."

"This sounds like a big deal. Go do your thing, leave this to me!"

Li Zhou's liveliness made Hu Shutong laugh, but before that matter—

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.