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This research is based upon a 2013 survey of the CEOs of 15 of the largest third-party logistics companies serving the North American marketplace. The survey is the 20th iteration of this annual study, and it addresses such topics as the major dynamics operating in that marketplace and the opportunities and problems facing 3PLs in that region. It also addresses such issues as the movement toward near-shoring, 3PL actions with respect to environmental sustainability issues, 3PL services to the healthcare industry, and the industry's chronic problems related to finding and retaining talented managers. The CEOs also provide one- and three-year forecasts of company and regional 3PL industry revenue growth, while identifying the major changes they believe will occur in the regional 3PL industry during the next year. The implications of the data to 3PLs and their customers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the result of the 2011 surveys of the chief executive officers (CEO) of third-party logistics (3PL) serving North America. The survey covers revenues and profitability, mergers and acquisitions, consulting services and new services introduced, and customer response to fuel price volatility. The CEO were also asked about the effects of the Japanese earthquakes and tsunami on their companies, the use of social media and their perceptions on the future of the 3PL industry.

In this article the authors discuss the result of a survey conducted on twenty chief executive officers (CEOs) in the third-party logistics (3PL) industry in North America in 2007. They reveal that the average annual revenues declared by respondents ranged from 225 million dollars to 8.5 billion dollars. They also indicate that only 25 percent of the surveyed CEOs admit that their respective companies had exceeded revenue growth projections.

This article reports the findings of a survey of large American manufacturers concerning their use of third-party logistics services. Data generated in the survey show that the use of such services by this group of companies continues to grow and that the service providers continue to deliver logistics cost and service improvements to their customers, both domestically and internationally. Many of the users of third-party logistics services now share their service provider with their large vendors and customers, and this has contributed to supply chain integration. Few existing 3PL relationships were harmed by the recession as many providers and users collaborated to address related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides insights into the third-party logistics (3PL) industry by examining the results of a survey of the CEOs of eighteen of the largest 3PL companies in the U.S. Their responses to questions concerning current conditions in the industry and the industry's outlook are not only reported, but also analyzed and compared to the results obtained in previous surveys. Based on the data obtained, the authors raise important questions concerning the industry's prospects, as well as strategic initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a follow-up of a third party logistics (3PL) provider research undertaken by the authors during the past four years in the U.S. This research reveals the perspectives of chief executive officers (CEOs) of 1997 on the current status and future prospects of the 3PL service industry in the U.S. An annual survey of the CEOs of 25 of the largest U.S. corporations within the industry, based on annual sales volume, was conducted under the study. Most of these companies are subsidiaries of companies in the transportation or warehousing business, and they often engage in joint marketing and advertising activities with their corporate parents. While all 25 CEOs agreed to participate in the 1997 survey, only 21 completed questionnaires were returned. The responses indicated that industry practices vary widely, not only from company to company, but also from contract to contract. The most commonly reported format consists of a fixed management fee plus variable transaction charges. Among the other pricing formats reported were cost plus a performance incentive, and a variety of gain-sharing agreements.

The use of third-party logistics services by large US manufacturers continues to grow. Increasingly, those services are used to support international sourcing and sales activities. Use of these services is often triggered by specific events such as a corporate restructuring, a top management change or a benchmarking effort. Nearly two-thirds of users report they experienced significant impediments in implementing third-party agreements. After starting conservatively, the typical user buys a wide variety of logistics services. Users generally report that buying logistics services has had a positive impact on their organizations, particularly with respect to logistics costs and customer service. However, many also report negative impact on employee morale linked to downsizing the logistics workforce. More than two-thirds of users report cancelling at least one-third-party logistics contract. Nevertheless, if given complete responsibility to make the decision, >70% of users would increase their companies' use of such services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a survey on the comparison of the use of third-party logistics services by large American manufacturers. The survey consisting of a cover letter, questionnaire, and postage-paid return envelope was mailed to the chief logistics executive of each of the 500 largest manufacturers in the U.S. as identified by the journal "Fortune." The executives were selected from the Official Directory of Industrial and Commercial Traffic Executives as published by the K-Ill Directory Corp. In some instances, the data provided in the Directory were updated with information available in the Council of Logistics Management's membership directory. Of the 500 questionnaires distributed, 92 completed questionnaires were returned by those surveyed and 18 were returned as undeliverable. The effective response rate was 22%. Fifty-five of the 92 respondents indicated that their companies use third-party logistics services, and in subsequent sections of this paper they are referred to as "users." This represents a major increase in the usage rates reported in 1991 and 1994, which were 37% and 38% respectively.

The article reports the findings of a survey of the chief logistics executives of the 500 largest manufacturers in the United States concerning their use of third-party logistics services. One of the most widely discussed contemporary topics in the field of business logistics is the evolution of third-party logistics. Third-party logistics involves the use of external companies to perform logistics functions that have traditionally been performed within an organization. The functions performed by the third party can encompass the entire logistics process or selected activities within that process. The number of companies offering such services has expanded rapidly during the past several years. Those companies have tended to enter the industry through public warehousing, transportation services, or corporate spin-offs. While many third-party providers are small, a number of major players have entered the industry, including Federal Express, Roadway Express, CSX Transportation Inc., and United Parcel Service. The concept of third-party logistics has led to considerable debate within the logistics community. Those advocating the use of third-party services contend that manufacturers should concentrate on their core business, while allowing others to manage the logistics function.