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Arid Land Geography ›› 2022, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5): 1671-1683.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2022.007

• Regional Development • Previous Articles    

Spatial differentiation and location choice of logistics enterprises in the central cities of inland northwest China: A case of Lanzhou City

ZHAO Xuewei(),ZHANG Zhibin(),FENG Bin,GONG Weimin,MA Xiaomin,GUO Yan   

  1. College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2022-01-05 Revised:2022-02-24 Online:2022-09-25 Published:2022-10-20
  • Contact: Zhibin ZHANG E-mail:15129020328@163.com;zbzhang@nwnu.edu.cn

Abstract:

The spatial distribution of logistics nodes determines the spatial pattern of urban logistics and affects the allocation of urban resources and production spaces. Taking Lanzhou City, located in the inland area of northwest China, as a case study, this paper describes the spatial distribution and type differentiation characteristics of logistics enterprises in Lanzhou City; this work is based on data related to micro logistics enterprises and the use of spatial analysis methods. This work further explores the factors that influence the choice of location via a negative binomial regression model. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution of logistics enterprises in Lanzhou City is unbalanced. The distribution shows a pattern that can be summarized by the phrase: “the center is dominant, the outer suburbs and the suburbs are supplemented, and gather along both sides of urban main roads”; the observed patterns can further be summarized as five spatial organization patterns: “polycentric agglomeration”, “monocentric agglomeration”, “polycentric dispersion”, “monocentric dispersion”, and coexist of “overall agglomeration” and “local dispersion”. (2) Logistics enterprises show spatial agglomeration characteristics that can be characterized as “having two center areas, two sub-central areas, and four groups”. Integrated and transportation-oriented logistics enterprises show patterns of “regional balance and typological diversification”, whereas freight forwarder, express delivery, and warehousing logistics enterprises show patterns of “regional agglomeration and typological clustering”. (3) The spatial differentiation pattern and type differentiation characteristics of logistics enterprises are influenced by multiple factors, such as transportation conditions, agglomeration factors, government policies, land prices, and urban-rural differences; among these factors, transportation conditions, agglomeration factors, and policy factors have the most significant impact on the location choice of a given industry. (4) The location choice of freight forwarder and integrated logistics enterprises are most significantly affected by agglomeration factors; express delivery and transportation-oriented logistics enterprises are more affected by transportation conditions; finally, warehousing logistics enterprises are more dependent on government policies factors. The results of this research not only enrich the location theory of urban logistics enterprises but also have important reference value for the optimization of spatial layout of logistics enterprises in the inland central cities of northwest China.

Key words: logistics enterprises, spatial differentiation, location choice, Lanzhou City