Twenty years of cold chain

The restructuring of materials and equipment in the southern suburbs, the planning of the three areas of Panhu Fishing Port, and the improvement plan for Weihui vehicles were like three mountains weighing on Hu Shutong's shoulders. Each one was time-consuming and painstaking. Prioritizing them, he naturally had to deal with the hot southern suburbs first.

For Hu Shutong, this was his last major task in the southern suburbs, and it also served as repayment for Qi Zhendong's great favor. He wouldn't be able to handle any further complications.

Compared to the latter two tasks, the reorganization of materials and equipment was relatively simple, since he was the one who handled the initial steps; it just required a significant amount of time to organize. Facing a vast database, working tirelessly day and night for three days, Hu Shutong finally produced a new plan.

This plan combines the practicality of the materials with the company's supply capabilities. Given the current urgency in the southern suburbs, Hu Shutong predicts that from initial contact to final agreement, the arrival of all materials and equipment will not be a problem within a month.

Next, Hu Shutong focused on the Weihui Vehicles project. After thinking it over, he realized that he had made countless plans over the years, but this time it was truly for himself. In addition, he had enough say in this matter, and once he started to take action, Hu Shutong's whole mindset changed.

In the current domestic refrigerated vehicle market, used shipping containers converted into vehicles without independent refrigeration systems undoubtedly occupy the vast majority of the market share. These used shipping containers can be easily modified to exceed size limits, such as by widening or increasing height. Moreover, under the current circumstances, used shipping containers are not subject to regulations such as license plates and annual inspections. Some even use the guise of refrigerated shipping containers to seek preferential policies in areas such as road and bridge tolls.

Another major category is refrigerated vans with built-in refrigeration units, such as Bingneng, which are lighter and more fuel-efficient, but also more expensive.

In his continuous dealings with refrigerated trucks, Hu Shutong had long realized that the biggest problem in the industry was actually imbalance: good ones were unaffordable, and those that were affordable were of questionable quality; the refrigerated truck market lacked a healthy supply chain.

Due to the current market environment, the second-hand container truck market is so crowded that almost everyone who wants to enter this industry is taking an "open-book exam." By partnering with welding plants and cold-rolled steel plate suppliers, the whole process is already 80% complete. With ample experience and simple operation, who would be willing to take the risk of trying any iterative innovation?

Abandoning the indiscriminate splicing of discarded second-hand shipping containers from the sea and introducing original factory container production lines is Hu Shutong's bottom line, and installing independent refrigeration units powered by engine braking is also a necessary step. The former allows for uniform dimensions and a cleaner appearance, while the latter ensures the product's refrigeration endurance and achieves full-process temperature control.

It's worth mentioning that appearance is also a competitive advantage. In the future, as the cold chain becomes more modernized, refrigerated trucks will serve as a symbol for industrial parks, enterprises, and brands. For example, for a project of Panhu Fishing Port's scale, used refrigerated trucks not only cannot meet the temperature control requirements but also fail to convey the desired image.

It seems that Hu Shutong's reform plan has a direction, and that elaborating on these two points would suffice. However, it's actually far from complete. For him, the most crucial issue is—

Semi-suspended frame.

Because there are several sizes available, there isn't much room for maneuver. Refrigeration units are purchased, leaving only selection as an option. Weihui's competitive advantage can only be found in its semi-trailers.

With a single-layer beam, lightweight suspension, and a low saddle to increase the body height, Hu Shutong further optimized what he had initially discussed with Chambers. A comprehensive overhaul of the frame and chassis structure meant that the previous goal of reducing weight by one ton was no longer sufficient for Hu Shutong's requirements.

Next, he focused on the use of aluminum alloy structures and carefully demonstrated the feasibility of single-tire load-bearing. Reducing the weight by one ton would allow for a five-ton increase in load capacity, and fuel consumption would decrease by 8%. If this figure could be achieved to 1.5 tons, Hu Shutong was fully confident in taking this product to Panhu Fishing Port to bid.

Hu Shutong is already seriously considering this matter. Panhu Fishing Port only started construction in 06, and it won't be completed until at least 08, which gives him ample time to achieve this goal. As for the Panhu Fishing Port Economic Zone, he also has three planning proposals in hand, which means that he will have an unparalleled advantage in future refrigerated truck bidding.

Of course, the premise is that the product must be of high quality, Qian Guowei's investment must be bold, and the right timing, location, and people are all indispensable.

What appeared in Hu Shutong's mind at that moment, and what was written on paper, was the prototype of a major product series that would later become known as "Hu Shutong's Name"—

"Huichi".

The intense work and prolonged immersion over the past few days left him exhausted upon waking. Hu Shutong got up and went to the balcony, gazing at the twilight glow, his mind drifting into another layer of thoughts.

It must be admitted that the energy he unleashed when working on Weihui Refrigerated Trucks was even more astonishing than when he built cold storage facilities for the county, promoted cold storage facilities in Lianghuzhuang, or worked tirelessly in the southern suburbs.

He realized that if he wanted to achieve anything in the future, he needed to have something firmly in his grasp first. Knowledge is a person's strength, but his future calling card should never be "knowledgeable." He had experienced a lot of hardship over the past few years. The ice energy incident taught him that knowledge cannot intimidate people; instead, it can be used against him. Participating in various corporate meetings taught him what it means to have little influence or power.

The teacher also showed him through his actions that one cannot simply be a scholar on the path of cold chain logistics.

Thinking back to the county, Hu Shutong suddenly remembered something and quickly took out his phone to call Lei Xiaoxi. Not long ago, he received a call from home. According to his father, the previous Director Lei had been transferred to Qingyan City and was now the director of the Planning Management Office of the Qingyan City Planning Bureau.

In fact, Lei Xiaoxi had been waiting for Hu Shutong's call all along. She had a deep memory of all the achievements, from the promotion of the traditional fruit and vegetable warehouse in 00, to the promotion of the prefabricated warehouse in 02, and the successful holding of the Flower Culture Festival.

They didn't talk much on the phone. Hu Shutong congratulated Lei Xiaoxi on her promotion, and Lei Xiaoxi sounded happy and cheerful. She made a promise with Hu Shutong that she must visit his home for a good drink and a good chat when she passed through Qingyan during the Spring Festival.

Hu Shutong readily agreed, but as soon as he hung up, Luan Pingxin called again.

This time, it's even better news!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.