On April 16, Shanghai Electric officially released its 1.0 version of e-commerce platform—the SE E-platform. Amidst the pandemic outbreak, the platform will empower power plant service providers to precisely coordinate the demand of downstream power plants with upstream production activities, reduce person-to-person contact, and accelerate coordinated work resumption across the chain.

The platform, with an interface that resembles Taobao and JD, two popular shopping websites in China, offers an array of products and services to power plants in four categories: spare parts and components, repair and maintenance services, transformation solutions, and training sessions. About 90% of spare parts required in the main and auxiliary engines of power plants are provided through a more convenient transaction process at ex-factory prices.

Unlike traditional online trading platforms for industrial products, the SE E-platform is dedicated to creating and delivering value across the industry chain for power plant services. It aims to promote online transactions throughout the whole industry chain by incorporating the supply-side (factories) and demand-side (power plants) stakeholders and increasing their stickiness to the platform.

Factories (supply side):

The platform can serve as a unified platform for upstream factories to conveniently supply spare parts to hundreds of downstream power plants.

Power plants (demand side):

The power plants registered in the platform can establish long-term strategic cooperation with Shanghai Electric. Since its pilot run in last September, the platform has garnered 6 million yuan worth of new sales orders. A goal has been further introduced after its official launch—an annual sales turnover of 100 million yuan this year.

With a "four-step" roadmap for the platform, Shanghai Electric aspires to build a boundless, seamless Internet-based supply chain by linking up the industry chain through advanced technologies such as the IoT, Internet, and big data.

Step 1: To comprehensively improve the experience and value of end-users by delivering customized unit maintenance services.

Step 2: To further upgrade services along the upstream and downstream value chain, and realize complete online transactions and services between the supply and demand ends.

Step 3: To push forward international platform-based development, and open up the service market for the global energy industry via the Internet.

Step 4: To establish a unique Internet platform (ecosystem) that powers the digital and intelligent transformation of the global energy industry.

Besides the vertical sector, Shanghai Electric's SEunicloud IIoT platform has developed a brand new system for the construction industry. A series of intelligent services covering order placement, production scheduling, monitoring, and quality testing are provided for construction sites to alleviate their pressure of labor shortage during the outbreak.

Shanghai is quickly upgrading into a leading hub of the online new economy with global reach and national superiority, and the recently-published "Action Plans of Shanghai to Promote Online New Economy" has made it clear to build 20 national industrial Internet platforms.

With successful trial practice and policy guidance, businesses are better positioned to start Internet-oriented services. Next the platform will offer more intelligent customized products and services through big data collection and in-depth analysis.