Welcome to the 17th Annual 3rd Party Logistics Study. This report identifies trends and explores how both 3PLs and shippers are working together to improve and enhance their businesses and supply chains. This year’s report explores the following topics:
- Current State of the Market: Explores trends in shippers’ use of outsourced logistics services and the dynamics of 3PL-shipper relationship.
- Supply Chain Innovation: A look at the drivers of supply chain innovation and extent to which 3PLs and shippers are collaborating to drive meaningful innovation.
- Supply Chain Disruption: Investigates the issues faced by 3PLs and their customers to develop strategies and operational capabilities to mitigate or eliminate sources of supply chain disruption.
- Talent: Identifies the role talent plays in realizing innovation goals, managing supply chain disruption, and ensuring CEO succession.
- The IT Gap: Examines what drives shippers’ expectations of 3PLs’ technical capabilities and where 3PLs can focus their investments.
- Strategic Assessment: A brief look at three topics that arose from the research:
- X-shoring, a term coined by the study team to describe shifting locational strategies for sales and sourcing.
- Global Trade Management and the complexities and challenges it poses for shippers.
- Big Data issues in supply chain management and 3PLs’ potential role in helping shippers extract value.