Lödige Industries announced that it would deliver an automated handling system for Cainiao Smart Gateway, Alibaba's logistics arm's smart logistics infrastructure and the third largest logistics centre in Hong Kong, to improve efficiency and reduce international shipping times.

The smart logistics hub at the Hong Kong International Airport is scheduled to open in 2023.

In the announcement, Lödige said Cainiao Smart Gateway would provide warehousing and distribution services under the Alibaba electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP), which was set up to lower trade barriers and provide more equitable access through global trade facilitation for businesses and consumers around the world.

Together with Cainiao's regional eHubs forming a smart logistics network, this up-and-coming facility in Hong Kong will make an important contribution to further improve global reach and increase delivery speed.

With the commissioning planned for Q3 2023, Lödige will provide Cainiao with an innovative air cargo handling system for the receipt, delivery, storage, retrieval, transhipment and sorting of air cargo.

"The pandemic has enhanced dynamism in the e-commerce landscape across countries, and long-standing consumer behaviours have been forever changed," said Nicholas Tripptree, managing director for Lödige Industries in Asia Pacific.

Tripptree noted that the logistics centres and warehouses are becoming engines of the supply chain.

"Therefore, we understand the unique pressures e-commerce operations face, and we are very pleased that we can support in achieving its goals with automation solutions from Lödige Industries to ensure processes are streamlined while productivity and efficiency remain high," the Lödige Industries executive added.