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Cargo Handling in China - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Millie Walker Millie Walker Beijing, China Last Updated: July 2025 5710

Revenue

$40.9bn

2025

$42.4bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

487k

Businesses

31,486

Wages

$X.Xbn

Cargo Handling in China industry analysis

Revenue for the Cargo Handling industry is expected to grow an annualized 5.7% over the five years through 2024, to total $40.9 billion. The industry was affected by the weaker logistics activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to lower revenue growth. In 2023, as the Chinese government liberalizes its control over the COVID-19 pandemic, the domestic market has resumed growth gradually. The total domestic freight volume in China has increased by 8.1% in 2023.
Due to the substantial number of small and provisional firms in the industry, profit margins are low. Industry profits will account for an estimated 6.5% of revenue in 2024. Companies with higher automation level and competent management often benefit from higher profit. In recent years, rising labor costs have resulted in some negative effects on industry profits.
Many local firms operate with low automation and machinery, and still rely on manual labor. To help address these problems, the central government has introduced several new policies to improve cargo handling services quality and increase professional development. More industry companies have introduced automation equipment and systems to improve operation efficiency and reduce costs.
The implementation of the One Belt and One Road strategy, and growing downstream market demand and support policies, industry revenue is anticipated to grow an annualized 4.0% over the five years through 2029, to reach $49.7 billion. The government's willingness to reduce social logistics costs will to some extent suppress the future growth of industry revenue.

Trends and Insights

  • Active logistics market in China has driven industry growth. Cargo handling are necessary activities that arise with transportation and storage. The industry has benefited from the consistent expansion of China’s logistics market.
  • Cargo handling for road transportation is the main revenue source. Road transportation plays an important role in China’s freight transportation, accounting for over 70% of total freight volume in China.
  • Industry operations are active in developed areas. The industry is concentrated in economically developed regions, like Jiangsu, Guangdong and Shandong provinces, generating approximately 40% of total industry revenue.
  • Industry concentration level is low. The industry has a large number of enterprises due to the low barriers to entry. The market is highly fragmented, and dominated by small and medium-sized firms.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 5.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $40.9bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Consistent expansion of China’s logistics market has driven industry growth

  • With the increase of commodity circulation activities, the development and improvement of manufacturing industries, and the continuous introduction of national support policies for the logistics industries, China's logistics market has been constantly expanding.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Cargo Handling in China
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Economic recovery and development of logistics industries will support future industry demand

  • The logistics industries have been severely affected during the COVID-19 epidemic, with a large number of companies shutting down and personnel being locked down, leading to disruptions and delays in the supply chain, posing challenges to cargo handling, transportation, and warehousing.

Biggest companies in the Cargo Handling in China

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue
2024

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Cargo Handling in China industry.

Products & Services Segmentation

Cargo Handling in China
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Cargo handling for road transportation, Independent cargo handling with yards and warehouses and Independent cargo handling in harbors, airports and train stations . Cargo handling for road transportation is the largest segment of the Cargo Handling in China.

Trends and Insights

Cargo handling for road transportation is the main revenue source

  • Cargo handling for road transportation include: bulk cargo handling for road transportation, special cargo handling for road transportation, container handling for road transportation, express cargo handling for road transportation, dangerous cargo handling for road transportation, etc.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Establishments in Cargo Handling in China provide cargo handling service in harbors, airports, train stations and warehouses independently, as well as road transportation, construction and other clients with needs for professional cargo handling services. However, cargo handling establishments associated with warehouses, harbors, airports and train stations as well as cargo handling services exclusively for loading and unloading ships, aircrafts and trains are excluded from this industry.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Cargo Handling industry in China include Cargo handling for road transportation, Independent cargo handling with yards and warehouses, Independent cargo handling in harbors, airports and train stations and Cargo handling and lifting services for construction projects and others.

Companies

Companies covered in the Cargo Handling industry in China include .

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Cargo Handling industry in China include total freight volume, forklift and automatic guided vehicle.

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Active logistics market in China has driven industry growth. Cargo handling are necessary activities that arise with transportation and storage. The industry has benefited fr...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Cargo handling for road transportation is the main revenue source. Road transportation plays an important role in China’s freight transportation, accounting for over 70% of t...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Industry operations are active in developed areas. The industry is concentrated in economically developed regions, like Jiangsu, Guangdong and Shandong provinces, generating ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Industry concentration level is low. The industry has a large number of enterprises due to the low barriers to entry. The market is highly fragmented, and dominated by small ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Cargo Handling in China industry.

Analyst insights

There are numerous industry firms. Most companies are small in scale with weak technology and non-standard operations. These enterprises are scattered in various regions, res...

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry is lightly regulated. The Chinese Government has a low level of regulation over this industry, mainly as part of the comprehensive regulation of the logistics in...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Industry profit margin has decreased. Increase in various costs and intense price competition lead to decline in industry profits. Profit accounts for an estimated 6.5% of in...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Cargo Handling industry in China in 2025?

The market size of the Cargo Handling industry in China is $40.9bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Cargo Handling industry in China in 2025?

There are 31,486 businesses in the Cargo Handling industry in China, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.4 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Cargo Handling industry in China?

The Cargo Handling industry in China is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Cargo Handling industry in China?

The Cargo Handling industry in China is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Cargo Handling industry in China grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Cargo Handling industry in China has been growing at a CAGR of 5.7 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Cargo Handling industry in China over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Cargo Handling industry in China is expected to grow.

What does the Cargo Handling industry in China include?

Cargo handling for road transportation and Independent cargo handling with yards and warehouses are part of the Cargo Handling industry in China.

How competitive is the Cargo Handling industry in China?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Cargo Handling industry in China.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in China include:

  • National Bureau of Statistics China
  • General Administration of Customs
  • People’s Bank of China

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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