Most outsourced services in global transportation and logistics industry 2021

In third-party logistics, a company outsources all or much of its operations related to the distribution and logistics to a specialized company. According to a global survey among logistics and supply chain executives which was carried out in July 2021, 63.5 percent of shippers were outsourcing their warehousing activities to 3PL providers.

Biggest 3PL markets

Along with China, the United States is among the biggest third-party logistics markets in the world. The gross revenue generated by the U.S. 3PL industry amounted to around 231.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. 3PL services may include transportation services, integrating operations, warehousing, cross-docking, inventory management, packaging, and freight forwarding. Transportation costs are typically the highest; in 2020, transportation costs in the United States amounted to just over one trillion U.S. dollars, more than two thirds of the total business logistics costs for that year.

Leaders in the U.S. 3PL market

3PL providers typically include: freight forwarders, courier companies, as well as other companies that integrate and offer subcontracted logistics and transportation services. Some of the leading domestic third-party logistics providers in the United States include: C.H. Robinson, UPS, and XPO Logistics. In 2020, C. H. Robinson and XPO Logistics generated over 16.2 billion U.S. dollars in revenue.