Third Party Logistics

In this second edition of the Logistics Trend Radar, jointly developed with the experts from Detecon Consulting, we share the latest trends with you, and are excited to invite you to review the new version with extended content and refreshed design.

New distribution center in Beijing adds to Chengdu and Shanghai facilities to reach B2B and B2C customers.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) began contract talks on May 12, with lots of contentious issues on the agenda.

Both shipper and logistics service providers want to stay ahead of the game and keep up with the rapidly evolving digital communications and data trends - the 4PL model offers a mechanism for achieving these goals.

Learning the difference between a third party logistics (3PL) and fourth party logistics (4PL) as well as 1PL and 2PL, and the rise of even Fifth Party Logistics (5PLs) is both confusing and highly debated among those in the supply chain industry.

CargoSphere, the leading, cloud-based global rate management solution and confidential Rate Mesh Network for the ocean and air transportation and logistics industries, today announces the completion of Dachser’s global implementation of CargoSphere’s contract and rate management solutions.

Third Party Logistics (3PL) providers make their living performing outsourced functions for their clients. They sell their clients on the value of focusing on one’s core competencies and leaving other functions to the experts. Historically, 3PL’s have not always practiced what they preach; many built and maintained their own IT systems with the thought being, “No software provider could possibly understand the complexities of our business model; therefore, a packaged solution will never meet our requirements.”

Kate Vitasek, Pete Moore, and Bonnie Keith, members of the University of Tennessee's center for Executive Education share their five steps and a series of tips to improve your outsourcing relationship right from the start.

Unless you hunt down and include all hidden costs in your TLC calculations, you’re basing supply chain decisions on incomplete data - the key is to bring those missing costs out in the open.

Making wise investments and thinking innovatively can help you establish and maintain a winning supply chain - instead of looking at rate per mile as the leading decision maker, think about total landed cost as a key metric in your supply chain success.

The rebound of the U.S. dollar against its Canadian counterpart has provided a welcome respite for many recession–weary U.S. businesses and manufacturers, desperate for a bright spot on the otherwise negative economic horizon.

When your fleet’s not moving smoothly, your business isn't either.

"We are carrying out an internal investigation into the circumstances and we are thankful that no-one was injured as a result of this accident." - Royal Mail

Mobile technologies offer fleet managers an advantage that their predecessors did not have, namely, enterprises now have the advantage of continuous connectivity with their drivers, assets and cargo.

Peeling the Layers of Perceived Protection.

The platforms built for Franchises in Logistics have been a strong entry point for many business professionals who experienced challenges in Agent Programs or are from outside the industry and see the opportunity in the fast-growing $150B industry.

CarrierDirect notes logistics agent programs dwindle as business owners move towards stronger platforms such as franchising.

To be resilient, global enterprises need new decision tools for supply chain risk assessment, monitoring and modeling. Cognizant of this, Exel has developed Resilience360, a web-based risk analytics software solution that maps a company’s supply chain risks, and identifies alternative options that either mitigate or eliminate risk entirely.

Is the longest run of supply/demand balance since deregulation ending? As balance/price tensions mount, shippers seek assured capacity and predictable costs.

Given the fluctuations in demand, many chemical companies have sought ways to better manage their overhead costs such as warehousing and distribution – arriving at flexible, volume-based solutions.