China’s less-than-truckload (LTL) logistics market is worth almost a third of the value of the entire road freight market in China. The market has seen significant, recent growth—the product of a decade of rapid development, culminating in a period of accelerated growth through COVID-19.
McKinsey research suggests more growth is yet to come: China’s LTL market is likely to continue expanding into the medium term and beyond, at a rate slightly faster than GDP. In the short term, however, growth is less certain. Subdued international demand for China’s exports, combined with a challenging business environment, are two primary factors likely to limit growth in the national LTL market over the next six to 18 months. This may mean that short-term pain could precede long-term gains for national LTL networks.
