2/3 of domestic U.S. Fortune 500 companies now use third party logistics companies to assist and manage their logistics and supply chain functions in some capacity according to a Nov 2006 study performed by Armstrong & Associates.
Armstrong which maintains an extensive database of 2,864 3PL customer relationships develops an annual report to provide insight into trends and changes in the 3PL, logistics outsourcing industry.
Another trend is large companies utilizing multiple 3PL providers to manage their supply chain. General Motors, Wal-Mart, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford Motor each use 30 or more logistics providers, which shows that larger companies are utilizing the services of many 3PLs rather than specifically using one global provider.
Armstrong estimates that the Fortune 500 3PL market was worth $158.1 billion in 2005.
The 3 primary logistics services outsourced in 05 include:
- Transportation Management at 20.5%
- Warehousing at 19.3%
- Value-Added Services at 18.5%