On September 17, the 2026 Yunnan-Mongolia (YMM) Industry and Digital Logistics Integration Development Conference, themed "Upstream & Source Exploration," was successfully held in Gongyi, Henan—the country's largest aluminum plate, strip, and foil processing hub. The event brought together local government officials, the Henan Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, leading aluminum enterprises, and media outlets from across the province to analyze the logistics chains of Gongyi's 100-billion-yuan aluminum processing cluster from a freight transportation perspective. During the event, digital freight logistics platform YMM publicly released its inaugural report, "Aluminum in Freight Data," and simultaneously announced a million-yuan special service policy tailored for Gongyi's aluminum industry.

A 100-Billion-Yuan Cluster with "Two Ends External": Logistics as a Key Variable for Transformation and Upgrading

Gongyi is home to China's largest, most comprehensive, and best-supported aluminum plate, strip, and foil industrial cluster. Public data shows that one in every ten aluminum can bodies globally originates from Gongyi, and one in every three can lids domestically is produced there. The region hosts over 200 aluminum processing companies, four of the nation's top ten aluminum plate, strip, and foil firms, and more than a thousand upstream and downstream supporting enterprises. Currently, Gongyi's aluminum processed products capture over 30% of the domestic market, with output value exceeding 140 billion yuan in 2025, cementing its status as a core pillar of Henan's high-quality manufacturing development.

Lv Yan, deputy director of the Aluminum Processing Industry Division under the Henan Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, noted at the conference that due to domestic industrial layout adjustments, Henan's aluminum sector exhibits a "two ends external, large inflow and outflow" characteristic: raw materials are largely sourced from outside regions, while finished processed goods are sold nationwide. Logistics supply chains directly impact corporate costs, efficiency, and core competitiveness. "Cost reduction at the production end is narrowing, and digitizing the logistics supply chain is becoming a new frontier for developing new quality productive forces in the aluminum industry," Lv Yan commented.

Large aluminum enterprises with dedicated fleets can handle routine planned transportation, but they still face capacity gaps during order peaks or sudden surges in demand. Digital freight platforms do not replace a company's proprietary logistics system; rather, they serve as an effective supplement, filling capacity shortfalls during volatile periods and helping optimize overall industry logistics costs.

Industry Viewed Through Freight Data: "Aluminum in Freight Data" Maps the Nationwide Distribution Landscape

At the event, Ni Haixia, a senior analytics expert at YMM, presented the findings of "Aluminum in Freight Data," drawing on real freight orders from January to August 2026 on the platform to reconstruct a complete picture of aluminum goods flow across the nation and in Gongyi. The data reveals that Gongyi ranks first nationally among districts and counties for aluminum plate, strip, and foil shipments. On the raw material side, alumina and aluminum ingots flow into Gongyi from production regions such as Xining, Baotou, Changji, and Binzhou. On the finished goods side, aluminum products from Gongyi are dispatched to manufacturing powerhouse provinces including Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, and Hebei, with Shangqiu, Binzhou, Shanghai, Xuzhou, and Qingdao emerging as core receiving cities.

Platform data indicates that in 2026, the longest single aluminum product shipment from Gongyi traversed over 2,700 kilometers to reach Nyingchi, Tibet, showcasing the vast market reach of this central plains industrial cluster. In terms of transport vehicle types, freight for Gongyi's aluminum products is diverse, with 4.2-meter high-side, 13-meter high-side, 6.8-meter high-side, 13-meter flatbed, and 9.6-meter high-side trucks forming the main fleet, accommodating both small-batch transfers and bulk loads of tens of tons. The average shipping distance for aluminum goods stands at 629 kilometers. Different categories and sizes of aluminum materials demonstrate notably distinct vehicle requirements. As freight data serves as a barometer of the real economy, Gongyi's two-way activity of "raw material inflow, deep processing, and finished product outflow" vividly reflects how industrial clusters are deeply integrated into the national unified market.

Three Specialized Policies Launched to Address Bulk Logistics Pain Points in the Aluminum Sector

In response to industry challenges such as high cargo damage risks, complex scheduling, and fragmented systems in aluminum transport, YMM officially announced three specialized service policies for Gongyi's aluminum industry at the event, empowering local manufacturers across cost, digitalization, and dedicated services. First, over one million yuan in freight subsidies: YMM will invest directly to reduce logistics costs for aluminum enterprises, easing their freight burdens. Second, API system integration: the platform's full capacity will embed into a company's proprietary TMS/ERP systems, enabling everything from price inquiries, order placement, shipment, in-transit vehicle management, settlement, and invoicing to be completed within internal systems. This eliminates the need to switch between multiple platforms, driving further digital upgrades in aluminum logistics for cost savings and efficiency gains. Third, a dedicated aluminum industry service team will be established for full business management: clients will receive specialized liaison personnel offering end-to-end services, including shipment coordination, freight tracking, cargo damage dispute resolution, and transport assurance, safeguarding high-value aluminum shipments.

"Large aluminum enterprises' self-operated fleets and digital platforms are complementary and synergistic. Owned fleets secure stable planned transport, while YMM acts as a 'spot freight market' and intelligent dispatch hub, allowing companies to avoid heavy asset investments for peak demand and achieve optimal overall logistics costs," a YMM business leader explained during the roundtable forum.

Digital Tools Boost Efficiency: Shorter Truck Search Times, Reduced Empty Mileage

Under traditional models, manufacturers relied on acquaintances or information departments to find trucks, with dispatch times often stretching to days. After adopting digital platforms, shippers can have goods loaded and vehicles matched within minutes. Reportedly, an AI-powered smart truck-finding feature based on the Manbang large model is being piloted, saving an average of 30.5 minutes of communication time per order. Wang Weifeng, general manager of the supply department at local manufacturer Penglu Curtain Wall, has experienced this firsthand. Having used YMM for five to six years, his company dispatches two to three truckloads daily. "From small 3.8-meter vans to 13-meter high-side trucks, we need to coordinate various vehicle types on the platform. The fastest driver arrives about 10 minutes after ordering. With full transport route tracking available, shipping feels far more secure," Wang said, adding that efficient capacity matching has become critical support for the company's daily production and delivery operations.

From efficiency gains at individual enterprises to the broader road freight industry, digital freight is consistently driving improvements in overall transport efficiency. From 2020 to 2025, the "three-empty rate" (including empty driving rate, idle rate, and underloading rate) for trucks on the Manbang platform decreased from 38.97% to 34.88%, boosting vehicle utilization while generating substantial carbon emission reductions and socio-economic benefits.

Visiting Leading Enterprises On-Site: Real Freight Scenes from the 100-Billion-Yuan Industrial Belt

Following the conference, media representatives toured local aluminum enterprises for field research. At finished goods yards, gleaming silver aluminum coils were neatly stacked, with the full process of hoisting, cushioning, strapping, and loading visibly demonstrated. A company logistics manager on-site explained that every hoisting and securing detail for high-value aluminum coils cannot be overlooked, as even slight negligence can lead to cargo damage. The manager expressed hope that digital logistics will continue to deepen its presence in bulk manufacturing scenarios to solve real-world logistics challenges on the industry front lines.

According to reports, Gongyi is a key sample for YMM's "Upstream & Source Exploration" industrial traceability initiative. Moving forward, YMM plans to replicate this service methodology across more bulk manufacturing clusters, leveraging its nationwide freight network and API digital capabilities to continuously support the real economy and help more Chinese-made products reach broader markets.