Alibaba, Bolloré to partner in series of high-tech joint endeavors

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and Paris-based Bolloré logistics have entered an agreement to share their best-practices and respective market knowledge, and potentially cooperate on projects in autonomous driving, cloud computing, and the creation of data management software.

Cainiao, Alibaba’s logistics network; Alibaba Cloud, its computing arm; and Bolloré Logistics’ battery-making division, Blue Solutions, are among the companies’ divisions subject to these future collaborations. In a statement from Bolloré, it said that, together, the three companies are exploring innovations in autonomous driving and “carsharing” that could be applied to the Chinese market.

“The sophisticated cloud services provided by Alibaba Cloud and the expertise of Bolloré Group will complement each other and create synergy in servicing our customers more effectively,” said Simon Hu, senior vice president of Alibaba Group and president of Alibaba Cloud.

Alibaba has been a powerhouse in the Chinese market for its e-commerce services, but this year its Cainiao network has been expanding outside of Asia to encompass the entire world, adding Dubai and Liège to its global network.

Bolloré has been expanding its international presence, as well. In January, the French 3PL opened a facility in Miami, which Tony Rodrigues, CEO of the company’s America division, described as a hub for international trade.