Penn State Smeal College of Business

As the business world continues to reinvent itself, here’s a look at how supply chain executive education could evolve over the next year.

Supply chain leaders should prepare for additional disruptions in supply and transportation due to the coronavirus pandemic, but if you are a business chain leader, what are some things you could do right now?

The 2019 23rd Annual Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Study examines the global outsourced marketplace and leading trends for shippers and 3PLs in the logistics industry.

The results and findings of the 2017 21st Annual Third-Party Logistics Study provide current perspectives on the nature of shipper and 3PL relationships, why they are generally successful and some of the ways in which they could be improved.

The trend set over the past few years for mergers and acquisitions has hardly subsided, and a fresh injection of equity investment is transforming the marketplace, at the same time, shippers may expect to see 3PLs continue to purchase high-tech “solutions” and hire young professionals for implementation.

The 2017 21st Annual Third-Party Logistics Study shows that shippers and their third-party logistics providers continue to move away from primarily transactional relationships and toward meaningful partnerships.

The 2016 20th Annual Third Party Logistics Study shows continued collaborative and positive relationships between shippers and third-party logistics providers, which have been developing since the study began 20 years ago.

The study identifies trends and explores how both 3PLs and shippers are using these relationships to improve and enhance their businesses and supply chains, was influenced by industry executives and experts from around the world.

The Supply Chain Leadership Academy program helps supply chain leaders of tomorrow apply critical leadership concepts and best practices in holistic supply chain management.

In the wake of the recent acquisition of Norbert Dentressangle by XPO Logistics, the logistics community is bracing for even more major consolidation deals, and the third-party logistics provider (3PL) community is loving it, especially as their margins continue to widen - particularly throughout North America.

Nearly one-third of the respondents participating in the study said they are not prepared to handle omni-channel retailing and only 2% of respondents rated themselves as high performing in the omni-channel space.

“When you are through changing, you are through.” Bruce Barton (1886-1967), advertising executive, U.S. Congressman, Presidential advisor.

Corporate Sponsors help focus Center for Supply Chain Research efforts in ways that best help accomplish its mission as a bridge between academia and industry.

The goal of this article is not to take a strong stance on if or when the supply chain talent storm will occur; like the weather, that is hard to predict. Rather, consider this paper a “storm warning.”

For 18 years this study has documented the significant transformation of the 3PL industry. In that time 3PLs have evolved from tactical service providers to become, in the most evolved relationships, collaborative partners delivering in many instances a comprehensive suite of integrated logistics services.