E-commerce major Lazada has rebranded its logistics arm to Lazada Logistics, while insurance major AIA Group Limited has teamed up with Singapore-based GLP for logistics and real estate investments.
Insurer AIA and SG’s GLP team up for logistics real estate investments
AIA Group Limited announced that it is investing in the global logistics real estate industry through a partnership with Singapore-based industry major GLP.
The global insurer said its foray into the global logistics real estate sector is part of its efforts to diversify its investment portfolio and enhance returns for its customers and shareholders.
Aside from investing in the logistics real estate industry, AIA and GLP will also be looking at other related opportunities, as per the announcement.
“AIA believes in the strong fundamentals that support the future development of the global logistics real estate market,” said AIA’s group chief investment officer Mark Konyn.
AIA was established in Shanghai in 1919. It has become a market leader in Asia (ex-Japan) based on life insurance premiums. As of June 30, 2021, the company has total assets of $330 billion.
GLP, on the other hand, is Asia’s biggest warehouse operator. It operates as a logistics real estate investor, developer, and operator that manages a total of 63 real estate & private equity funds with over $100 billion in total AUM.
Lazada consolidates eLogistics and Express delivery arms
Southeast Asia’s leading e-commerce platform Lazada announced that it is rebranding its logistics arm to Lazada Logistics, an entity consisting of Lazada eLogistics (LEL) and Lazada Express (LEX) which were two separate brand names.
Previously, Lazada eLogistics managed third-party providers while Lazada Express handled customer parcel delivery.
The company expects this move to make it a trusted, one-stop logistics solution for all buyers’ and sellers’ business needs.
With the rebranding, Lazada Logistics is also introducing multi-channel logistics (MCL) services, which help e-commerce enablers and brands fulfil across all e-commerce channels regardless of whether the consumer orders on Lazada or other e-commerce channels.
“MCL ensures that a consistent brand experience is delivered and solves many logistics pain points for brands and sellers, allowing them to focus on sales and marketing and scaling their businesses,” said Andy Huang, chief logistics officer of Lazada Group. This move, he says, frees businesses from maintaining warehouses and delivery fleets.
Lazada Logistics’ network consists of over 400 facilities made up of warehouses, sorting centers, and hubs. More than 85% of total first-mile parcels are handled at Lazada’s own facilities.
Last week, Alibaba’s logistics arm Cainiao Network announced it had enhanced the cross-border logistics efficiency of Lazada, which is also Alibaba’s subsidiary, by 50% with the launch of the distribution centres in China’s export-focused cities of Yiwu, Shenzhen and Quanzhou.