Twenty years of cold chain

On a morning in early winter, Hu Shutong and Luan Pingxin walked out of Mingyuan Airport.

Then I took a taxi to the city center, my destination—

Pengcheng Construction.

The two held hands tightly. Hu Shutong's hands were warm. He didn't speak for half the journey, sometimes looking ahead and sometimes gazing out the window. Luan Pingxin knew that Hu Shutong's quietness wasn't due to contemplation on a return visit, but rather that he was adjusting himself. He felt not only uneasy but also a kind of tension he rarely experienced.

Unlike any previous report, the gains and losses this time are hard to calm down.

"What's the name of that old street outside of Mingda University again?"

"Jincheng Lane was originally called Laowu Street, but it was renamed because it was next to a school."

"I want to go shopping first. That noodle shop is especially delicious. Then I'll browse the street stalls. Maybe I'll find some hidden gems."

"We'll go right away once we've finished our business."

"I won't go to Pengcheng with you. On-site, you need to be completely focused and only have the blueprints in your eyes. Besides, I already saw your ability to explain these things back in the assembly warehouse, so I have no expectations."

Hu Shutong smiled and said, "I'm afraid it will be a little late. Wait for me to have dinner together."

"If it's good news, buy me a bouquet of flowers before we meet."

"And what about the reverse?"

"You can't do it the other way around, or the money will be wasted."

The two parted ways downstairs at Pengcheng Building. In the conference room, Hu Shutong was greeted by a rather grand procession.

Pengcheng Construction Chairman Yu Ziyan sat in the center, flanked by a dozen senior executives and department managers. At this time, Yu Dajun was in charge of the work of the fishing port economic zone in Panhu City, but he had already prepared a report on the "Tongxing Cold Storage Case" within the group, summarizing Pengcheng Construction's key projects over the years and promoting Hu Shutong's plan.

The six sets of drawings that Hu Shutong brought this time all adhered to the same principle, except that the data for different capacities were analyzed independently. What he wanted to show Pengcheng was a more efficient construction plan.

To be precise, it's not just about showcasing, it's about selling!

That's right, Hu Shutong came this time to sell blueprints!

Before Tongxing was established, there were some things that Hu Shutong was unaware of. Later, influenced by his trip to Europe and the planning of foreign cold storage construction, he gradually summarized a more efficient cold storage construction plan, which is—

Warehouse and shelving are integrated.

The advantages of integrating warehouse and shelving are easy to understand.

If you build the large cold storage box first and then arrange the shelves and furniture inside, you'll never be able to make the most of the space. This inherent design flaw will force the subsequent layout to conform to the cold storage dimensions in every aspect, and this conformity will be influenced by too many factors.

Aisle width, forklift size, shelf spacing, warehouse traffic flow, product flow... When these factors are combined in a locked space, even the most professional person cannot make the most of it. But conversely, if all of the above are taken into account at the beginning of the cold storage design, it is equivalent to fitting a "mold" after everything is carefully considered.

At this point, all the leaders of Pengcheng are aware of this, and their understanding of the integration of warehouse and shelves is the same. Given their tastes, although it is novel, it is not outstanding.

What happened next was somewhat unexpected.

Because the six sets of drawings created by Hu Shutong were not just planning drawings, but also construction drawings. He not only showed people how to arrange cold storage facilities of different capacities, but also told everyone present how to build cold storage facilities of different capacities and how to make the cold storage structure and shelving "grow together"!

The construction was carried out outdoors, with cranes performing modular operations, installing shelving while the cold storage building was being constructed. Therefore, his drawings have two values: first, how to plan and lay out cold storage facilities of different sizes in the early stages; and second, how to incorporate the early planning into the construction process.

This involves a crucial issue—the project timeline.

In the past, cold storage facilities were built first, and then several months would pass.

The installation of the shelves is also time-consuming. They are not like the shelves in supermarkets. The shelves in cold storage are made of cold-rolled steel with a steel structure. Push-back shelves can bear more than 3000 kilograms, while pallet shelves can bear more than five tons! Installation and welding are a lot of work. As a result, several months have passed.

The integration of warehouse and shelving allows for a simultaneous approach to both internal and external operations. This also enhances the value of the initial planning of the six sets of drawings, moving from a gradual approach to a simultaneous one!

Gradually, the atmosphere in the meeting room changed. People with wandering eyes and a sense of control, people with furrowed brows and indifferent expressions, and people with arms crossed and leaning back and unconcerned, all unconsciously turned their gazes to the screen.

In their minds, whether the explanation is forceful or slow-paced, or whether it is logical or not, is not the issue. Past cases can be discussed freely, but future prospects are best left unmentioned; a mix of fact and fiction is essential, and each point must be carefully weighed.

Because whether or not one can gain benefits is the standard by which to measure success!

Hu Shutong understood this even more clearly. To gain the upper hand in this situation, the only way was to explain the blueprints more thoroughly and make sure everyone present could earn more money.

When it comes to proposals and reports, Hu Shutong is not afraid of anyone. He has experienced even grander occasions, such as Mingyuan and Qingyan. He has both experience and skills. Although each person's demeanor is different, he always keeps an eye on the general emotions at the table.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!

"Secondly, the integrated warehouse and shelving system increases the number of storage locations and saves storage space. My six sets of drawings, depending on the scale, improve space utilization by 10% to 20%. This means not only saving customers time in building warehouses, but also expanding storage space."

"Third, different refrigeration units are used to match cold storage facilities of different capacities. The larger the cold storage facility, the more obvious the cost advantage. This also means that we have a cost advantage from the very beginning of the construction of the cold storage facility."

Hu Shutong kept mentioning costs in every sentence—Pengcheng's costs, customers' costs. He broke down and explained to them the things that everyone present cared about most.

At this moment, the previously unnoticed air of confidence suddenly became palpable. Ultimately, this stemmed from the quality of the blueprint; it didn't merely describe possibilities, but rather answered practical questions. In other words, if Pengcheng didn't use it, he could simply move on to another project.

Only then did people realize Hu Shutong's true identity: he was not just someone who explained blueprints, but someone who had already started a business.

But Hu Shutong was sweating bullets. First, he refused; second, the price was too high. If it weren't for the price, Pengcheng wouldn't have had such a grand spectacle.

Yu Ziyan looked around. Those who had previously prepared extensively at the meeting, those who had expressed interest in discussing the matter and even hinted at asking questions in person, were now speechless. It must be said that Hu Shutong's "three-stage cost" had silenced many potential critics, and as a result, people dared not say much in front of Yu Ziyan.

But Yu Ziyan didn't feel embarrassed. On the contrary, the current situation made her chuckle. Putting everything else aside, Yu Dajun wasn't bragging.

Yu Dajun once patted his chest and guaranteed to her, speaking with the fervor of a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit. He said that as long as his brother stood on Pengcheng's platform, all the obstacles and barriers would be nothing but decorations!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.