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FUZHOU, China, Nov. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shengfeng Development Limited ("Shengfeng" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: SFWL), a contract logistics company in China providing customers with integrated logistics solutions, announced today a strategic expansion into the low-altitude economy in China. The Company believes this move will allow it to leverage its logistics expertise in an emerging field that integrates drone technology for streamlined, efficient logistics solutions across diverse sectors, particularly in high-demand and remote regions.
China's low-altitude economy—encompassing civil and commercial drone operations in airspace up to 1,000 meters—is projected to grow rapidly, with the total market value expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan (approximately 140 billion USD) by 2026, according to recent studies by CCID Consulting Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the China Center for Information Industry Development under China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Such studies indicate that within this sector, low-altitude logistics has emerged as a transformative tool for urban parcel delivery, medical supply transport, and agricultural management, providing timely, cost-effective solutions for essential services. The potential applications of drone technology within the sector are expected to be extensive, and are anticipated to offer solutions that reduce operational costs, optimize logistics networks, and enhance last-mile delivery capabilities.
As an experienced logistics provider in China, the Company is entering the low-altitude logistics sector with the expectation that it may be valued by industries that stand to benefit from what is anticipated to be capable of providing more agile and efficient logistics services, such as healthcare, e-commerce, and agriculture. The Company's planned low-altitude logistics services aim to complement existing supply chains with customized, drone-based delivery options that can reach previously underserved areas, by which it expects to improve connectivity and response times.
"Expanding into China's low-altitude economy is a natural step forward for Shengfeng as we continue to grow and innovate in response to market needs," said Mr. Yongxu Liu, the Company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our goal is to apply our logistics expertise and infrastructure to support critical industries in ways that enhance service capabilities and reach. We look forward to our role in advancing innovations in the low altitude economy. The low-altitude economy's growth is fueled by advancements in drone technology, regulatory support, and increasing demand for logistics solutions that serve remote regions. With nearly two decades of experience in China's logistics industry, we expect Shengfeng to be well-positioned to contribute significantly to the development of this sector and to expand its service offerings into new, high-potential markets."