Twenty years of cold chain

Yu Dajun glanced at Li Zhou, intending to let Li Zhou share the good news first, but once Dr. Li's expression turned indifferent, not even a glance or a thunderbolt could change it.

"Shutong, it's like this. The planning proposal for Panhu Fishing Port has been basically finalized, but as preparations proceed, in addition to the existing functional areas, a brand new cold chain logistics area will also be developed. At first, I didn't understand. Isn't the entire fishing port for cold chain logistics? After listening to what the people from the planning committee said, I realized that it was to develop a space for businesses."

As he listened, Hu Shutong's eyes lingered, and he seemed to be deep in thought. "Brother Dajun, it is certainly necessary to designate a special zone for enterprises. The other functions of the fishing port are either fishing or freezing, so naturally, we need to move outwards."

"You understand all of this now, but the problem is we have absolutely no idea what this area is. The higher-ups said it's neither a business district nor an industrial district, and it needs to be clearly distinguished from the two existing major districts, but it also needs to fully cooperate with the two districts and shoulder the mission of revitalizing the fishing port. Could you help me translate that?"

Hu Shutong said, "The business district of Panhu Fishing Port needs to take into account various departments such as customs, quarantine, industry and commerce, and taxation, while the industrial zone is mainly responsible for product manufacturing. Therefore, the cold chain logistics zone is very necessary. You can think of it as an enterprise park that brings together many cold chain logistics companies to jointly undertake the work of transporting goods out of Panhu Fishing Port."

"So, you mean this place should be integrated with the processing and storage areas as quickly as possible?"

"Shutong, is it really that simple? I still haven't figured out what kind of area this is supposed to be. Corporate office buildings? And how do you plan to develop this corporate park?"

"Different from the same source?"

For some reason, Hu Shutong suddenly fell completely silent, his eyes hardening as if he were lost in something he couldn't extricate himself from. Yu Dajun and Li Zhou exchanged glances, unaware that in that instant, Hu Shutong's thoughts were racing more than ever before!

Tongxing has been on this path for so long, and Hu Shutong has clearly seen the light at the end of the tunnel. The next step is to stabilize the existing business, expand into primary processing, and cooperate with e-commerce to embark on a longer journey. This is the ideal, but the word "expand" doesn't quite fit the reality. This is what lies beyond the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's what Hu Shutong has never been able to figure out.

The idea of ​​a nationwide unified cold chain is more of an aspiration than a realistic vision; it should be accompanied by the phrase "someday" to better reflect the current situation.

The Panhu Fishing Port Cold Chain Logistics Zone, comprised of businesses, sparked some ideas in Hu Shutong. He picked up a chopstick and first drew a triangle on the table, then traced it repeatedly. Hu Shutong saw three points: Tongxing, Panhu, and the southern suburbs!

Many strategies remain uncertain, but this does not prevent Hu Shutong from establishing a perspective, which is very important for Tongxing. Sometimes, planting a seed of an idea can yield an unimaginable towering tree, which is related to how far Tongxing can go and how big it can become.

Regardless, Hu Shutong had already decided in his mind that the company should join this cold chain logistics zone. It might mean facing fierce competition, vying with top cold chain companies from across the country, but it would also place Tongxing in an unprecedented environment of peers—competition coupled with cooperation. In reality, Hu Shutong had never truly interacted with any of the other companies in the industry; Qi Zhendong was merely a senior executive in the southern suburbs.

"Brother Dajun, if Pengcheng needs to submit a plan for this functional area, I suggest that it be built into an enterprise transportation operation area, purely for the purpose of external transportation. In an environment like a fishing port, other functions would only seem redundant."

Yu Dajun still only had a vague understanding. "Shutong, I'm currently in charge of the fishing port, and it's giving me a huge headache. Processing and warehousing are manageable, but this ambiguous thing is really giving me no clue. Why don't you draft a proposal for me, or at least write some professional and constructive suggestions? At least the group can help me out."

Hu Shutong smiled. Other people's matters could be dealt with hastily, but Yu Dajun's matter was not something that could be drafted. "Alright, give me three days."

Yu Dajun laughed and was about to raise his glass when Hu Shutong's phone rang. The caller was Zeng Zhaoda.

"Mr. Hu, I feel very guilty. One problem after another has arisen, and there's all sorts of talk in the industry. I'm lobbying the Refrigeration Society and the Meat Products Association. Please give me a few more days, and I'll definitely get it done!"

"President Zeng, if it's not going to work out, then don't force it. It's fine if Tongxing leaves on its own. Anyway, that's how we've always lived."

"Mr. Hu, I will continue to try." Zeng Zhaoda sighed and hung up the phone.

Zeng Zhaoda's sigh wasn't for himself, but for the entire industry. The crackdown on Qingyan Cold Storage had cost many cold storage companies a considerable amount of money, which many considered wasted and thus harbored ulterior motives. This matter could have been delayed; relevant departments were cautious due to the national meat reserve bidding process, and the issue wouldn't have escalated so much. Once the storm had passed, any further crackdown wouldn't have been as effective.

But no one expected that Tongxing would emerge and win the national reserve meat with its superior qualifications, so the cold storage storm in Qingyan City was inevitable.

Rumors and gossip abound, and people's hearts are unpredictable. Many people, thinking the opposite, decided to take advantage of the situation and seize the opportunity to profit from the national meat reserves at Pingcheng Mountain. This gradually became a consensus within the industry. If Tongxing was merely an outsider before, it suddenly became the mortal enemy of the entire industry.

Bao Xiaoyang's lack of activity is also due to recent rumors about Tongxing, which have created stronger resistance for him within the group.

For Hu Shutong, this phone call brought definite news. He put down the phone, letting out three long sighs, clenching his fist under the table, and looking up outside. The blow it dealt was entirely different from any business-related one.

Yu Dajun and Li Zhou could both tell that Hu Shutong suddenly became depressed, and it was not hard to tell from Hu Shutong's answer that Tongxing seemed to be isolated.

"Dr. Li, what's your good news?" Yu Dajun asked hurriedly.

Yu Dajun was overjoyed; what great news!

And look at Li Zhou, what a good roommate and good buddy!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.