Third-Party Logistics of State of Logistics Oustsourcing

Description
Third-Party Logistics Study, based on research conducted in mid-2010, examines the current state of the global market for 3PL services, and explores in depth issues surrounding total landed cost calculation. The report also considers supply chain issues, including the role of 3PL s in two vertical markets, Life Sciences and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods.

The State of Logistics Outsourcing ? Results and Findings of the 15th Annual Study
2010THIRD-PARTY
LOGISTICS
©2010 C. John Langley, Jr., Ph.D., and Capgemini. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, displayed, modified or
distributed by any process or means without prior written permission from Capgemini. Rightshore
®
is a trademark belonging to Capgemini.
About the Images: Puzzling Logistics Challenges
A puzzle is a question, problem or contrivance designed for testing ingenuity. A brain-teaser is something (as a
puzzle) that demands mental effort and acuity for its solution. Supply chain executives are challenged to put their
puzzle-solving skills to the test to surmount the many issues impacting logistics and supply chain management in
2010 and into the future.
CONTENTS
Executive Summary
Life Sciences
About the
Study
About the
Sponsors
Credits
Fast-Moving
Consumer
Goods
Strategic
Assessment
Current State of
the 3PL Market
Total Landed
Cost
4
25
44
48
50
33
41
7
15
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
This 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study, based
on research conducted in mid-2010, examines the
current state of the global market for 3PL services, and
explores in depth issues surrounding total landed cost
calculation. The report also considers supply chain
issues, including the role of 3PLs in two vertical markets,
Life Sciences and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods.
The 2010 3PL Study affirms that shippers regard
logistics and supply chain management as key to their
success, and many credit 3PLs with helping them to
achieve critical service, cost, and customer satisfaction
goals. Results are based on responses from 1,133
3PL users and non-users, as well as 3PLs, which were
added for the first time to the survey group in 2009.
Significant uncertainty about the global economy
continues to impact logistics spending and use of 3PLs.
Respondents devote an average 11% of their companies’
sales revenues to logistics, and an average of 42% of that
is directed to outsourcing of logistics services. That is 10
to 15 percentage points lower than in recent years, and
may mean that on average, shippers were able to scale
back their expenditures for 3PL services faster than they
were able to scale back their total logistics expenditures.
At the same time, 65% of shipper respondents report
an increase in use of outsourced logistics services; these
shippers may have increased outsourcing in comparison
to insourcing, but their overall spend on 3PLs may have
decreased due to a number of factors. Both shippers
and 3PLs report some consolidation of 3PL usage.
A healthy 89% of shipper respondents view their
3PL relationships as generally successful. Leading
contributors to this success are openness, transparency
and good communication, agility and flexibility, and an
interest in “gainsharing” and collaboration. However, a
persistent gap between the ratings that shippers and 3PLs
assign to various aspects of the 3PL-shipper relationship
should be an eye opener for 3PLs. In contrast, 2010
marks the third consecutive year of a narrowing of the IT
Capability Gap – the difference between shippers’ view
of the extent to which IT is a necessary element of 3PL
expertise, and their satisfaction with 3PLs’ IT capabilities.
Shippers continue their tendency to outsource
transactional, operational, and repetitive activities and
less so those that are strategic, customer-facing, and
IT-intensive, despite the large portion of 3PLs offering
many or all of the 16 services covered in the survey.
TOTAL LANDED COST
In the 2009 Third-Party Logistics Study, 64% of shipper
respondents cited total landed cost (TLC) reporting
and analysis as a critical capability they would like to
see in their 3PLs. This strong interest in total landed
cost – the sum of all costs associated with making
and delivering products to the point where they
produce revenue – suggested we take a deeper look.
The myriad benefits of accurate TLC calculations
include more agility and confidence in decision-
making, better insight into the financial performance
of products and partners, and supply chain visibility.
Just under half (45%) of shipper respondents report
extensive use of TLC, although perceptions likely differ
on what constitutes extensive use. Lack of necessary
data or tools lead the list of reasons not to use TLC.
Shippers most commonly use transportation, unit
price, tariffs/taxes and warehousing costs as factors
in TLC calculation, and are most interested in adding
carbon impact. Spreadsheets and internally developed
tools are the most widely used TLC calculators, but
as TLC grows in importance, some shippers and
3PLs are moving to more sophisticated commercially
available TLC calculators and advanced supply
chain network modeling and optimization tools.
Just 23% of 3PL respondents reported extensively
providing TLC analysis/reports to their customers
and many express interest in engaging in TLC
efforts. However, 58% of these 3PLs say shippers
are hesitant to share information with them.
Transforming from basic to more sophisticated TLC
application requires C-level leadership, process change
and systems transformation, and must be approached
as an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, process.
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The State of Logistics Outsourcing in 2010
4
LIFE SCIENCES
The US $1.2 trillion global life sciences industry
produces medicines and devices essential to
restoring or maintaining good health. Careful,
expedient – and sometimes temperature-controlled
– handling can be critical for product safety.
Because of this, control and visibility is essential.
Life sciences supply chain challenges include
product integrity and compliance requirements, an
inherently complex trading partner ecosystem, and
demanding customer service and cost requirements.
Shipment visibility, quality and compliance procedures,
stringent inventory control, temperature control
capabilities and security are important steps to ensure
product integrity, prevent counterfeit and diversion
and to ensure safe passage. Fully 62% of life sciences
shippers cite ensuring product quality as a significant
challenge and rank quality procedures highly (70%)
as a service they want 3PLs to provide, although just
45% of 3PLs currently provide them. About half
of shipper and 3PL respondents agree that there is
a strong business case for RFID in life sciences.
Fifty-four percent of life sciences shipper respondents
say the complex supply chain model represents
a significant challenge, with 87% saying 3PLs
can add significant value by linking all parties
that interact in the life sciences supply chain.
The sometimes critical nature of life sciences products
accentuates the need for flexible and responsive supply
chains. Challenging shipper service requirements
include recall capability, next flight out/late cut-offs
and redundant stock locations. About a third of shipper
respondents indicate that maintaining high levels of
inventory to ensure availability is a top logistic challenge.
FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODS
Large volumes and low margins mean fast-moving
consumer goods companies must respond quickly to
deliver in-demand, on-trend products to increasingly
demanding shoppers. So after reducing costs, their
logistics top priorities include perfect order fulfillment
(87%), rapidly sensing and responding to changes in
consumer demand (83%) and shortening new product
time-to-market and supply chain integration (81%).
Consumers increasingly look for sustainability, driving
shippers’ interest in strategies such as improving
shipment density and load utilization (87%).
Fast-moving consumer goods shippers and 3PLs agree
on top logistics challenges, but have some divergent
views of the role 3PLs can play in helping shippers
address them. Both see 3PLs helping with shipment
density/load utilization, reducing logistics costs and
putting a supply chain disruption/mitigation strategy
in place, but shippers are less likely than 3PLs to
see 3PLs playing a role in shortening new product
time-to-market and supply chain integration.
Shippers are involving 3PLs in cost-reduction strategies
less often that one might expect, particularly in
improving forecasting and visibility and redesigning
the supply chain network. 3PLs perceive themselves
playing a much larger role in cost reduction efforts
– perhaps another sign of ongoing trust issues.
Fast-moving consumer goods companies’ efforts
to reduce logistics costs include warehouse and
transportation sharing. Two-thirds of those engaging
in these strategies have recognized cost savings,
but the level of savings have been limited (52% of
respondents recognize less than 5% cost savings).
STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT
Inclusion of 3PLs in the survey group for the Annual
3PL Study beginning last year was intended to help
explore both sides of the 3PL relationship, and
indeed, results reveal some disparate views. Most
notable is the 68% of shipper respondents, versus
95% of 3PLs, which indicate that 3PLs provide
shippers with new and innovative ways to improve
logistics effectiveness. But 3PLs say it’s difficult
to be more innovative unless shippers are more
open in sharing their challenges and strategies.
As economic conditions improve the time
has come to look back and consider the role
3PLs played in helping shippers weather the
storm. Increased use of outsourcing and high
satisfaction levels suggest that 3PLs can certainly
take some credit for their customers’ results; now
it’s time to document the lessons learned.
Another issue emerging as conditions improve is
the impact this will have on the non-asset owning
3PL sector (the majority of 3PLs), including
capacity limitations of asset-based providers and
consequential impacts on pricing and availability
of needed services. How will this affect 3PLs’ and
shippers’ ability to procure needed services?
Despite the challenges, 3PLs also have the opportunity
to continue to mature and grow by offering value-
added opportunities revealed in this report,
including acting as a clearinghouse for e-pedigree
and temperature tracking data, uncovering resource-
sharing opportunities for shippers and providing
total landed cost calculation as a service.
When shippers or 3PLs hesitate to share ideas of
a strategic or operational nature with each other,
they put up hurdles that are very difficult to clear.
The future growth and development of the 3PL
sector depends on both parties to approach their
relationships with an open and collaborative spirit
in order to conceptualize and implement innovative
solutions to logistics and supply chain problems.
5
6
Third-party logistics providers continue to provide
strategic and operational value to many shippers
throughout the world, as reaffirmed by the findings of
the 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study. Shippers
regard logistics and supply chain management as
key components of their overall business success,
and many of them credit their relationships with
3PLs with helping them to achieve critical goals
related to service, cost, and customer satisfaction.
These results are based on survey responses from
a total of 1,133 industry executives representing
users and non-users of 3PL services (referred to as
shipper respondents throughout this report), as
well as firms that provide 3PL services (called 3PL
respondents). 3PLs were added to the survey group
in 2009 to help obtain information from both sides
of the buyer-seller relationship. Please see About the
Study on page 44 for more information about survey
responses and the four streams of research used to
fully analyze the state of the 3PL market: a web-based
survey, desk research, focus interviews with industry
experts, and a facilitated workshop with shippers
held at the eyefortransport 3PL Summit in Atlanta.
CURRENT GLOBAL ECONOMIC
CLIMATE AND USE OF 3PLS
Over the past two to three years, shipper-3PL
relationships have been affected significantly by
the prevailing uncertainty and economic volatility
impacting global markets. Figure 1 includes data
developed by Armstrong & Associates that estimates
the magnitude of global 3PL revenues (US $507.1
billion) and provides breakdowns for the four
major geographies that are included in the 2010
3PL Study. Armstrong & Associates also reports that
3PL revenues in the US declined from US $127B
in 2008 to US $107B in 2009, but were expected
to increase to US $121B in 2010. While the past
couple of years have been challenging for the global
economic picture, the near-term outlook is for a
modest comeback to growth in the 3PL sector.
THE CHALLENGES CONTINUE
One major purpose of the 2010 3PL Study is to better
understand how shippers and 3PL providers are
continuing to adapt and improve, albeit within an
environment that still includes significant economic
uncertainty. Additionally, the challenges of supply
chain orchestration – rethinking supply chain choices
as conditions change – and of structuring and
sustaining successful 3PL-customer relationships are
still on the front burner. Overall, there is increasing
clarity on the extent to which competent logistics
and supply chain practices can lead to organizational
efficiency and effectiveness. It is also becoming
increasingly evident that the effective use of outsourced
logistics services can be a key to this success.
As one supply chain executive put it, “today’s businesses
are faced with significant economic volatility, and
the ability to be changeable and adaptable is clearly a
primary factor for success. Also included among these
factors is the ability to structure and improve supply
chains that can adapt and evolve as business needs and
environmental factors require. The use of 3PLs can be
a very useful resource to companies who are striving to
keep their supply chains current, flexible, and adaptable.”
CURRENT STATE
THE 3PL MARKET
Shippers Continue to Rely on 3PLs to Help Address Economic Volatility
of
FIGURE 1
Global 3PL Revenues for 2009
Region
2009 Global 3PL Revenues
(US$ billions)
North America 128.1
Europe 162.3
Asia-Pacific 136.7
Latin America 27.6
Other Regions 52.4
Total 507.1
Source: Armstrong & Associates, Inc., 2010
7
SPENDING ON LOGISTICS AND 3PL SERVICES
Shipper respondents to the 2010 3PL Study devote an
average 11% of their companies’ sales revenues to total
logistics expenditures (amounts spent on logistics
in 2009). The range among regions studied was a
fairly tight 9% to 13%. For purposes of this survey,
total logistics expenditures include transportation,
distribution, warehousing and value-added services.
Of this total, an average of 42% is directed to outsourc-
ing. In recent years this number was approximately
10-15 percentage points higher, depending upon the
region studied. One possible reason for this current
finding is that average expenditures for outsourced
logistics services may have decreased recently at a
faster rate than did total logistics expenditures – mean-
ing that on average, shippers were able to scale back
their expenditures for 3PL services faster than they
were able to scale back their total logistics expendi-
tures. Average percentage of logistics spending devot-
ed to outsourcing by region are: North America 35%;
Europe 49%; Asia-Pacific 51%; and Latin America 41%.
Longevity of 3PL Use: Figure 2 reveals how many
years shippers have used 3PL services. Shipper
respondents clearly have significant experience over
many years with outsourcing logistics services, with
an average of 13 years, and 52% have used 3PLs of
some type for 11-30 years. European shippers are
most likely to have used 3PLs for 11-30 years (57%),
and Latin American shippers are the least likely
(48%). Comparable figures for North America
and Asia-Pacific are 50% and 54%, respectively.
Changing Use of 3PL Services: A significant
number of shippers are shifting their use of 3PLs:
? Increasing use of 3PL services: Overall, 65% of
shipper respondents report an increase in their use of
outsourced logistics services, and 78% of 3PL respon-
dents agree this is what they are seeing from their
customers. Regionally, 57% of North America ship-
pers have increased use, as well as 65% of European
shipper respondents, 81% of Asia-Pacific and 69% of
Latin American shippers. One important point to
keep in mind is that shippers reporting an increase in
the use of outsourced logistics sources may have
increased outsourcing in comparison to insourcing,
but as reported earlier, the overall spend on 3PLs may
have decreased due to a number of factors. For
example, the fees some shippers are paying for 3PL
services may have declined, and some may be chang-
ing the mix of 3PL services they purchase and use.
? Returning to insourcing: An average of 24% of
shipper respondents are returning to insourcing
some of their logistics activities, and 36% of 3PL
respondents observe that some of their customers
are insourcing certain logistics activities.
? Reducing or consolidating the number of 3PLs used:
Nearly one-half (46%) of shipper respondents are
consolidating the number of 3PLs they use, and 73%
of 3PLs feel that customers in general are reducing
or consolidating the number of 3PLs they use.
Based on these results, it seems that while some
shippers are considering a return to insourcing of some
logistics activities, the predominant direction is to move
toward increased use of outsourced logistics services,
confirming findings also reported in the 2009 3PL Study.
3PL-SHIPPER RELATIONSHIPS: CONTINUED
PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT
Overall, 89% of shipper respondents view their 3PL
relationships as generally successful, compared with
97% of 3PL respondents; both figures are consistent
with previous years’ results for this study. Shipper
findings by region are: North America 92%; Europe
87%; Asia-Pacific 90%; and Latin America 83%.
Also, 68% of shipper respondents indicate that 3PLs
provide them with new and innovative ways to improve
logistics effectiveness, whereas 95% of 3PL providers feel
they provide customers with new and innovative ways to
improve logistics effectiveness. Again this year – the
second year 3PLs were included in the survey – there is a
persistent gap between the ratings that shipper
respondents assign to various aspects of the 3PL-shipper
relationship and somewhat more positive evaluations
provided by the 3PL respondents themselves. This gap
should be an eye opener for many 3PLs, and may be due
to a perceived lack of innovation and pro-active,
continuous improvement suggestions by 3PLs, explored
further in the strategic assessment chapter.
FIGURE 2
Shippers Report Significant Long-
Term Experience Using 3PLs
21-30 Years
17%
1-3 Years
10%
4-7 Years
15%
8-10 Years
23%
11-20 Years
35%
Average Number of Years = 13 Years
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
8
Success Factors: Survey findings suggest that a number
of elements make for the most optimal 3PL-shipper
relationships:
? Openness, transparency and good communication:
70% of shipper respondents and 64% of 3PLs report
they are satisfied with this factor as contributing to
successful experiences with each other. One important
observation is that 3PLs are less satisfied with these
attributes of relationships with shippers than shippers
are. This finding will be closely tracked in future
studies to see if 3PLs and shippers are able to achieve a
higher level of proficiency in meeting these objectives.
? Agility and flexibility to accommodate current
and future business needs and challenges:
Responses to this statement reveal a very striking
difference between how shippers and 3PLs perceive
one other. Specifically, 72% of shippers agree
their 3PLs are sufficiently agile and flexible to
accommodate their current and future business
needs and challenges, whereas 98% of 3PLs report
they are expected by their customers to be capable
on this dimension. One interpretation of these
results is that while 3PLs recognize the objectives
to be met, there is room for improvement.
? Interest in “gainsharing” between 3PLs and
shippers: Although the structure of this question
was modified somewhat for the 2010 3PL Study, just
over one-half of shipper respondents (56%) have
become more interested in “gainsharing,” and 52%
of 3PLs respondents agree that their customers
have become more interested in “gainsharing”
arrangements. Considering these percentages, and
given some of the discussions with industry experts
through the focus interview process, it appears that
recent economic events have resulted in a greater
interest on the part of shippers to share risk as an
important attribute of a successful relationship.
One retailer comments, “Negotiating, tracking,
and managing gainsharing agreements is
difficult. It may require significant investment by
the 3PL that is hard to recover, especially if that
capability becomes the new ‘what is expected’.”
? Interest in collaborating with other companies,
even competitors, to achieve logistics cost and
service improvements: Asked for the first time
about this issue, 68% of shipper respondents
and 80% of 3PLs expressed interest in these
strategies. Considering the potential benefits
to both shippers and 3PLs that can result from
collaboration, it is reassuring to see percentages
that suggest a true interest by both parties in
working with other companies, even competitors.
One possible explanation for this is that the
global economic recession has made it very clear
that companies of all types need to take whatever
steps are possible to reduce cost and enhance
service – and that the concept of collaboration
of people, process, and technologies can help
significantly in achieving these objectives.
Measurable Benefits: As seen in Figure 3, shipper res-
pondents report measurable benefits from 3PL services.
Metrics relating to logistics cost reduction, logistics
fixed asset reduction, and inventory cost reduction are
consistent with what was reported in 2009.
Users report improvements in order cycle time, order
fill rate, and order accuracy resulting from use of 3PLs,
however the absolute levels of these metrics are somewhat
lower than those reported in the 2009 3PL Study. Again,
the impact of the global economic recession may be
responsible here, and it will be important to look at
these changes once again in next year’s 2011 3PL Study.
Finally, 60% of the shipper respondents report that
their use of 3PLs has led to “year-over-year incremental
benefits,” however, only 52% of the 3PL respondents
agree. This result is actually a bit unusual, in that the
shipper average is higher than the 3PL average. One
possible explanation is that 3PL providers see greater
opportunities for improvement in year-over-year
incremental benefits, thus the lower average reported
for this question.
FIGURE 3
Shippers Report Measurable
Benefits from Use of 3PLs
Results All Regions
Logistics Cost Reduction (%) 15%
Logistics Fixed Asset Reduction (%) 25%
Inventory Cost Reduction (%) 11%
Average Order
Cycle Length
Changed From 17 days
Changed To 12 days
Order Fill Rate
Changed From 73%
Changed To 81%
Order Accuracy
Changed From 83%
Changed To 89%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
9
Information Technology: Figure 4 provides a nine-
year summary of shipper respondents’ opinions on
whether they feel information technologies are a
necessary element of 3PL expertise, and whether
they are satisfied with their 3PL providers’ IT
capabilities, known as the IT Capability Gap. Based
on the information included in Figure 4, in 2010
there has been improvement for the third consecutive
year in the percentage of shippers who indicate
satisfaction with IT capabilities from their 3PLs.
This IT Capability Gap has received considerable
attention in recent years. The narrowing of this
gap is consistent with the finding that 69% of
3PLs feel their customers are satisfied with the IT
services 3PLs provide. Although this figure is higher
than the 54% reported by shipper respondents
in 2010 it does indicate a positive development in
the relationships between 3PLs and shippers.
WHAT 3PL USERS OUTSOURCE AND WHAT
3PL PROVIDERS OFFER
Figure 5 shows the percentages of shipper respondents
outsourcing specific logistics activities. Following
are some general observations about the 2010 results
and the contrasts they reveal from previous years:
? The most frequently outsourced activities tend to
be those that are more transactional, operational,
and repetitive. These include domestic and
international transportation (83% and 75%
across all regions studied), warehousing (74%),
customs brokerage (58%), and forwarding (53%).
However, usage varies across each of the regions.
It is important when looking at these results not
to think of these activities as “commodities,”
even though they are sometimes thought to be
common, routine activities and processes. In
fact, some of these activities are provided by 3PLs
in a highly unique and differentiated manner
that makes them anything but commodities.
? The less frequently reported activities
indicated in Figure 5 tend to be somewhat
more strategic, customer-facing, and IT-
intensive. These include: IT services; supply
chain consultancy services; order entry;
processing and fulfillment; fleet management;
customer service; and LLP/4PL services.
? Again in 2010, the percentages of 3PL users
outsourcing individual logistics activities (versus
overall outsourcing) tend to be higher for
respondents from Europe and Asia Pacific than
for North America or Latin America. As has
been noted over the past several years, the Latin
American market continues to provide significant
latitude for increased use of 3PL services.
? Likely due to impacts of the globally volatile
business environment, the percentages of shippers
outsourcing international transportation declined
from a reported 84% in 2009 to 75% in 2010.
Over the same time frame, the use of customs
brokerage declined from 71% to 58% and the use
of forwarding services declined from 65% to 53%.
Transportation and warehouse operations
spend continue to dominate the total logistics
expenditures managed by third parties.
? On average transportation spend represents 54%
of total logistics expenditures. By region these
percentages are North America 41%; Europe
64%; Asia-Pacific 67%; and Latin America 54%.
? Warehouse operations spend represents an
average 40% of total logistics expenditures. By
region, it’s North America 39%; Europe 44%;
Asia-Pacific 48%; and Latin America 27%.
Average expenditures for outsourced logistics
services may have decreased recently at a
faster rate than did total logistics expenditures.
10
FIGURE 4
The Gap Continues Between Shipper Expectations and Experiences
of 3PL IT Capabilities
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
? IT Capabilities a Necessary
Element of 3PL Expertise
? Shippers Satis?ed with 3PL
IT Capabilities
2010
IT
“Gap”
89%
85%
91%
90%
92% 92% 92%
88%
94%
54%
42%
37%
42%
35%
40%
42%
33%
27%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
FIGURE 5
Shippers Continue to Outsource a Wide Variety of Logistics Services
Outsourced Logistics Service
User Percentages
All Regions
North
America
Europe
Asia
Pacific
Latin
America
Domestic Transportation 83% 75% 94% 89% 80%
International Transportation 75 62 89 86 74
Warehousing 74 73 82 77 63
Customs Brokerage 58 57 54 68 65
Forwarding 53 47 54 70 48
Cross-Docking 38 33 47 42 34
Product Labeling, Packaging, Assembly, Kitting 36 32 41 41 34
Reverse Logistics (Defective, Repair, Return) 35 27 47 46 25
Transportation Planning and Management 31 32 32 30 26
Freight Bill Auditing and Payment 28 40 22 23 15
Information Technology (IT) Services 20 20 15 19 25
Supply Chain Consultancy Services Provided by 3PLs 18 20 11 25 17
Order Entry, Processing and Fulfillment 16 17 11 21 14
Fleet Management 15 15 17 14 20
Customer Service 13 9 10 21 15
LLP/4PL Services
13 9 13 16 19
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
11
Figure 6 offers a summary of the types of logistics
services provided by 3PLs participating in the 2010
survey and reveals that many 3PLs provide a wide range
of services to meet the needs of their customers. To
provide some insight into this thought, Figure 7 shows
how many of the responding 3PLs offer a total number
of logistics services from one through 16. This data
indicates that it is very common for 3PLs to offer many,
or even most, of the sixteen services included in the
question – and that the typical model is for a 3PL to
offer a substantial range of services in order to respond
effectively to their customers and their logistics needs.
THE VOICES OF NON-USERS
OF 3PL SERVICES
The annual 3PL survey also reaches a substantial
number of organizations who do not currently use 3PLs.
These respondents are asked why they do not choose to
outsource at the present time. As indicated in Figure 8,
among the most common reasons are: logistics is a core
competency at our firm (19%); cost reductions would
not be realized (15%); control over the outsourced
functions would diminish (14%); logistics is too
important to consider outsourcing (13%); service level
commitments would not be realized (11%); and we have
more logistics expertise than 3PL providers (10%). In
addition, 8% of respondents indicate their reason for
not outsourcing is that it is too difficult to integrate
their IT systems with the 3PL’s systems.
CURRENT STATE OF THE 3PL MARKET:
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Key findings regarding the Current State of the
Market for the 2010 15th Annual 3PL Study include:
? 3PLs Are Critical: Again in 2010, companies
across industries and around the globe regard
logistics and supply chain management as key
components of their overall business success,
and many credit their relationships with 3PLs
with helping them achieve critical goals related
to service, cost, and customer satisfaction.
? Share of Logistics Spending is 11%: Across
all regions included in the 2010 survey,
shipper respondents report that total logistics
expenditures represent an average of 11% of
sales revenues, and they spend an average 42%
of total logistics expenditures on outsourcing.
? 3PL Use is Long-Term: Generally, most shippers
have used 3PLs for a significant time, an average 13
years, and many report significantly longer 3PL use.
? 3PL Use Increasing: A majority of shipper
respondents, 65%, are increasing their use
of 3PL services, while 24% are insourcing
some 3PL services and 46% are reducing or
consolidating the number of 3PLs they use.
? 3PL Relationships Seen As Successful: Most
shipper respondents (89%) and most 3PL providers
(97%) view their relationships as successful, though
as indicated in last year’s study, 3PLs tended to
provide more positive ratings of relationship
success and lower ratings of problems that may
creep into 3PL-customer relationships. Two-thirds
of shippers say 3PLs provided them with new and
innovative ways to improve logistics effectiveness –
whereas 95% of 3PL providers feel this is the case.
? Many Factors Account for Success: The 2010 3PL
Study provides insight into several factors that
relate to the success of 3PL-shipper relationships:
openness, transparency, and good communication;
agility and flexibility to accommodate current
and future business needs and challenges;
interest in “gainsharing” between 3PLs and
shippers; and interest in collaborating with
other companies, even competitors, to achieve
logistics cost and service improvements.
? 3PLs Have Measurable Impact: Metrics
including logistics cost, fixed asset and inventory
reductions due to use of 3PLs, and order
cycle time, order fill rate, and order accuracy
validate the cost and service improvements
resulting from successful use of 3PL services.
? Shipper Outsourcing Choices Consistent: The
logistics activities most frequently outsourced
continue to include those that are more
transactional, operational and repetitive,
while those less frequently outsourced are
those that are more strategic, customer-facing
and IT-intensive. In the future customers may
continue to be more receptive to strategic
services that may be available from 3PLs.
? Transportation Is Most Outsourced: On
average, transportation spend represents 54% of
shipper respondents’ total logistics expenditures;
warehouse operations represent 40%.
? IT is Key: Information technology remains a
key component of 3PL-shipper relationships,
and the 2010 3PL Study results indicate that a
larger number of shipper respondents, 54%,
are satisfied with 3PL IT capabilities, indicating
a narrowing of the traditional IT capability
gap, but continuous investment is needed.
? Some Choose Not to Outsource: Among the
most prevalent reasons why some firms choose
not to outsource logistics services: logistics is a
core competency at our firm; cost reductions
would not be realized; control over the outsourced
functions would diminish; logistics is too
important to consider outsourcing; service level
commitments would not be realized; and we have
more logistics expertise than 3PL providers.
12
FIGURE 7
Most 3PLs Offer a Substantial Number of Services
Number
of 3PLs
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
10
0
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
25
18
21
25
36
47
55
54
63
74
65
71
70
53
59
67
Number of Logistics Services Offered
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
FIGURE 6
3PLs Provide a Wide Range of
Outsourced Logistics Services
Outsourced Logistics Service
3PL Provider
Percentages
All Regions
Domestic Transportation 86%
Warehousing 85
Transportation Planning and Management 76
Customer Service 71
Cross-Docking 70
International Transportation 67
Product Labeling, Packaging, Assembly, Kitting 67
Supply Chain Consultancy Services Provided
by 3PLs
65
Order Entry, Processing and Fulfillment 65
Reverse Logistics (Defective, Repair, Return) 62
Information Technology (IT) Services 58
Forwarding 56
Customs Brokerage 54
LLP/4PL Services 45
Freight Bill Auditing and Payment 40
Fleet Management 31
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
FIGURE 8
Why Non-Users Do Not Use 3PLs
Reason
Percent in
Agreement
Logistics is a Core Competency at Our Firm 19%
Cost Reductions Would Not be Experienced 15
Control Over the Outsourced Function(s)
Would Diminish
14
Logistics Too Important to Consider Outsourcing 13
Service Level Commitments Would Not Be Realized 11
We Have More Logistics Expertise Than Most
3PL Providers
10
Corporate Philosophy Excludes the Use of
Outsourced Logistics Providers
9
Too Difficult to Integrate Our IT Systems with the
3PL’s Systems
8
Global Capabilities of 3PLs Need Improvement 6
Issues Relating to Security of Shipments 5
We Previously Outsourced Logistics, and Chose
Not to Continue
5
Inability of 3PL Providers to Form Meaningful and
Trusting Relationships
3
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
13
14
In last year’s 2009 Third-Party Logistics Study, a
substantial number of shipper respondents (64%)
cited total landed cost (TLC) reporting and
analysis as a critical capability they would like to
see in their 3PLs. This suggests a strong interest
in total landed cost both as a useful supply chain
metric and as a 3PL value-added service.
We define total landed cost as the sum of all costs
associated with making and delivering products
to the point where they produce revenue.
Total landed cost is an attractive metric because it
enables companies to capture both obvious and hidden
costs associated with product movement, revealing the
true cost of sourcing and logistics decisions. See the
box below for an example of the potential impact of
total landed cost.
TOTAL LANDED COST
A Powerful but Challenging Metric
The Impact of Total Landed Cost
A Swiss industrial company is considering sourcing of a
product from three possible distributors, in China,
Vietnam or in Europe.
At first glance the buying price of the Vietnamese
distributor seems to be the cheapest. However, the cost
of transportation in this case is more expensive than out
of China, and the trade agreement between Vietnam and
Switzerland incurs higher customs charges for products
imported into Switzerland (VAT of 7.6% and duties based
on the imported weight).
The European distributor’s price is much higher. But
sourcing from Europe means lower transportation cost and
no customs fees, making the total landed cost better than
those of the international distributors. Product quality,
replenishment time, and inventory carrying cost were not
quantified for this example, but the European supplier’s
higher quality product and shorter lead times were also
considered factors in its favor.
Country of Origin
Price Components China Vietnam EU
Net purchasing price for a
specific volume of the product
from 3 different suppliers
CHF 10,000.00 8,000.00 12,000.00
Total transportation cost to
Switzerland - Ocean freight
from China/Vietnam - Road
freight within Europe
4,000.00 6,000.00 1,200.00
Customs according to trade
agreement
1,000.00 1,500.00 0.00
VAT (Switzerland 7.6%) based
on value of goods
1,140.00 1,178.00 1,003.20
TOTAL Landed Cost CHF 16,140.00 16,678.00 14,203.20
This example reveals the types of unforeseen costs
that can quickly increase the total delivered cost of
a shipment. Without considering all relevant costs
before the purchase is made, a shipper may have
excess product or materials that may be sold at a loss
or that otherwise may prove to be unprofitable.
However, calculating the total landed cost of
materials and finished goods is not always an
easy task. Difficulty in defining all of the factors
contributing to total cost, and then obtaining all of
that data, can be challenging. Because of that, too
many businesses rely on partial data or inaccurate
estimates that can lead to incorrect results.
Conversely, having the means to quickly and
accurately compute total landed cost enables
shippers to realize important benefits, including:
15
Decision-Making
? More agility and confidence in decision-
making, with the realization that all
relevant costs are being included.
? TLC calculation can also help build a solid
business case to justify to management decisions
that appear to increase transactional or
functional costs but actually minimize TLC.
Cost Insight
? Better understanding of cost tradeoffs. For
example, it may sound sensible to use low cost
ocean freight instead of air freight, but for high
value/short product life cycle products the
inventory carrying cost might be excessive.
? Earlier insight into liabilities by estimating
accrued costs in advance of receiving
suppliers’ and service providers’ invoices.
? Tighter inventory control when inventory carrying
costs are used as a component of total landed cost.
For example, longer lead times typically equate to
higher inventory carrying cost for both in-transit
inventory and DC safety stock. Overall, higher
levels of supplier risk can impact total landed cost.
? Correct cost declarations to ensure accurate tax
calculations and exclusions, including the ability
to adhere to country-specific value documentation
in support of import duty calculations.
Price and Margin Insight
? More accurate price-setting and a better
understanding of which product groups or
items are driving the most margin as well as
improved insight the financial performance
of customers, providers and other partners.
? Higher profit margin. A retailer, for example,
might be willing to expend greater supply chain
costs to get a “fast fashion” item into stores quickly
to sell at a disproportionately higher price and
support a strategy to increase store traffic.
? Enabling reverse engineering of a supplier’s price
quote to understand if the price is competitive.
In other words, by modeling the supplier’s supply
chain and estimating the supplier’s total landed
cost relative to their price to you, you can make
a better, more informed sourcing decision.
Communication
? Supply chain visibility, as a result of
integrating accurate cost data from relevant
data sources (including third parties),
potentially available in near real time.
? Improving communication among separate
organizations such as finance, logistics and
manufacturing, which sometimes operate as silos.
Accurate TLC can deliver significant competitive
advantage. “In the absence of TLC you still can
make valid supply chain decisions – but not optimal,”
says Pascal Gielen, Director EMEA Transport at
Philips General Purchasing. “Therefore you need
end-to-end visibility. TLC can be perceived as the
next level for supply chain cost optimization.”
Transitioning to TLC is a challenging undertaking,
but an increasingly important one as the dynamic
global economy throws old assumptions into
question. For example, 53% of 3PLs respondents
note a trend toward their customers manufacturing
or sourcing closer to home to reduce total landed
cost. Indeed, 21% of North American manufacturers
said they’ve returned some production to North
America from low-cost countries in the second
quarter of 2010 and 38% were researching this
strategy for the third quarter, according to a
survey by MFGWatch. This decision requires some
method of accurately determining such costs.
Often 3PLs need
to prove that they
are meeting certain
service levels and
have built a long and
stable relationship
before going into TLC.
16
CURRENT USE OF TLC
Just under half (45%) of shipper respondents report
extensive use of TLC to make decisions (Figure 9). It is
likely, however, that perceptions differ among respon-
dents as to what constitutes extensive use. Another 41%
use TLC just somewhat for this purpose, suggesting
there is plenty of room to enhance TLC efforts and
apply TLC calculations in a more disciplined fashion.
A minority, 11%, are making minimal use of TLC and
another 3% are not using this metric at all to make
business decisions. Figure 9 notes the major reasons for
these responses, with “necessary data is not available”
and “do not have the right tools” leading the list.
Fragmented IT resulting from acquisitions and func-
tional silos impedes the collection of global data essen-
tial for TLC calculation. Obtaining the right data can be
challenging even within a single platform. “Although
some shippers are using ERP systems, data often is not
structured very well and in different databases that are
not linked to each other,” says Ramon Veldhuijzen,
Principal Consultant at Capgemini Consulting. Another
impediment, Veldhuijzen adds, is a lack of deep supply
chain understanding among some C-level executives.
“Most companies don’t have a corporate supply
chain manager who owns TLC,” says Sven
Hoemmken, Corporate Head of Supply Chain
Management for Panalpina. “TLC is mostly dispersed
amongst various functions in the company.”
According to Mark Holifield, Senior VP, Supply
Chain, at The Home Depot, the reality is that,
“everyone wants to get there – not everyone can.”
Vertical industries differ in their use of total landed
cost calculation. According to Erin Johansson,
Product Strategist, Global Trade Management– Oracle
Landed Cost Management, Oracle Corporation,
mature industries with margin sensitivity such as
retail, distribution and process industries, as well
as industries with large import volume such as
some high tech companies, may be heavier users of
TLC. Manufacturer interest is increasing as those
organizations seek to lower costs and upgrade systems.
Despite the relatively high number of shipper
respondents reporting some level of use
of TLC, the precision and level of detail
of those calculations differs widely.
According to Capgemini’s Veldhuijzen, “In general
most companies don’t know how to do it; especially
TLC calculations on a more strategic level are
difficult. On an operational/tactical level, if we
talk about customer profitability, they are using
so called activity-based costing methodologies.”
FIGURE 9
Nearly Half of Shipper Respondents Use TLC Calculations
Somewhat
41%
None
3%
Minimally
11%
Extensively
45%
49%
48%
31%
27%
Necessary Data is Not Available
Do Not Have the Right Tools
Do Not Have Suf?cient
Time for Analysis
Not Sure How to Calculate
or Apply Total Landed Cost
% Respondents by Reasons Why They Are Not or Are Minimally Using TLC
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
17
Interestingly, shipper respondents express a high level
of interest in factors that are currently little-used,
particularly the financial impact of carbon footprint.
This may be because green is quickly transitioning
from an area of concern to one of regulation. The
European Union has been more proactive in emissions
controls, as evidenced by their adoption of both the
Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Accord. In the US
new regulations in California require oil companies to
report the carbon intensity of their gasoline and diesel
fuel products and as of 2011 these companies must
start reducing intensity or buy a credit that may lead
to higher costs for customers, indirectly affecting their
transportation costs. In addition, the US Securities and
Exchange Commission has approved a requirement
for publicly owned companies to disclose their carbon
risk exposure as a material impact to their financial
performance. These developments imply carbon-
based fees will be reflected in some of the largest
logistics expense categories such as transportation.
THE TIP OF THE TLC ICEBERG
The real value in total landed cost calculation comes
by combining commonly known costs – the proverbial
tip of the iceberg – with less obvious sources of cost. As
seen in Figure 10, transportation, unit price, tariffs/
taxes and warehousing costs are the most often used in
TLC calculations.
In our results, however, some factors seem to be cited
by a higher percentage of respondents than one would
expect, such as inventory carrying costs. Several
other studies completed over the last three years have
reported a much lower use of inventory carrying
costs in TLC calculations. This high percentage may
be because survey respondents “consider” inventory
carrying cost at some level, but don’t necessarily apply
this metric in a consistent and disciplined fashion.
Identifying factors that contribute to TLC can be
difficult. “The big question is, how far up and down
supply chain should you go?” says Dr. Chris Caplice,
Executive Director, MIT Center for Transportation
and Logistics.
FIGURE 10
Common and “Hidden” Factors Contribute to TLC
Transportation Cost
Supplier / Manufacturer Unit Price
Warehousing Cost
Tariffs, Duties, and Taxes
Currency Exchange Rate
Sales Revenue / Margin
Inventory Carrying Costs
Transfer Pricing / Corporate Income Tax
? Currently in Use
? Would Like to Use
4%
9%
95%
84%
82%
11%
79%
72%
71%
64%
57%
49%
46%
13%
15%
14%
14%
27%
24%
36%
39%
60%
Financial Impact of Carbon Footprint
Order to Cash Cycle Time
Risk / Quality / Service Related Costs
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
18
Other factors worthy of consideration in TLC calcula-
tions include fuel price volatility, currency exchange
rates, labor cost volatility, and political uncertainty.
For example, China’s recent decision to float its cur-
rency will most certainly be felt in product and supply
chain costs. Such significant but difficult-to-quantify
factors are feeding the need for tools to test multiple
TLC scenarios and perform sensitivity analysis.
APPLYING TECHNOLOGY
The most common TLC calculators in use today are
spreadsheets and internally developed tools (Figure
11). Another 16% of respondents use commercially
available applications to calculate total landed cost,
while 27% of shipper respondents employ supply
chain network optimization and modeling tools.
TLC calculators can be fashioned by leveraging
a variety of tools and approaches:
? Activity-Based Costing is a costing model
that identifies activities in an organization
and assigns the cost of each activity resource
to all products and services according
to the actual consumption by each.
? ERP Systems. Companies often draw data
from various Enterprise Resource Planning
modules to support TLC calculation.
? Global Trade Management. These
applications provide duty/tariff data
and possibly transportation data, but
usually lack other cost factors.
? Transportation Management Systems
(TMS), which can be used to compute
the freight cost component of TLC.
? Business Intelligence on top of ERP and/
or Supply Chain Management systems. BI
enables analysis, but since these systems rely
upon an historical view of data, they may lack
the real- or near-real-time dynamic view useful
for short-term tactical decision making.
As the number of factors contributing to total landed
cost calculation multiplies and the importance of
TLC increases, some shippers are moving to more
sophisticated commercially available TLC calculation
tools. Oracle Landed Cost Management (LCM),
for example, pulls together the data that would
otherwise be distributed across multiple ERP modules,
adding value by integrating this information.
Finally, some organizations are taking TLC one step
further by deploying advanced supply chain network
modeling and optimization tools. The significant
advantage of these tools is their ability to perform
optimization, helping users identify both strategic and
tactical changes to a supply chain network to minimize
total landed cost. They can also perform total landed
cost modeling and simulations based on various
scenarios. For example, what is the lowest cost method
to source a product offered by multiple vendors? Does
the answer change if fuel price increases by 25 percent?
FIGURE 11
Spreadsheets Lead as Current TLC Cost Calculators
Spreadsheets
Internally Developed Total
Landed Cost Calculator
Supply Chain Network Modeling
and Optimization Tool
? Shippers
? 3PLs
76%
68%
44%
51%
27%
41%
20%
15%
16%
16%
Support From a Third-Party Organization
(Consultancy, 3PL, Other)
Commercially Available Tool to Compute
Total Landed Costs (No Optimization)
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
19
The newest generation of supply chain network
modeling and optimization tools add visualization
and dashboard capabilities to TLC calculation,
enhancing understanding of how factors contribute
to cost. IBM’s LogicNet Plus, for example, (Figure
12) features Landed Cost Visualization, which allows
the user to choose any location and product within
a supply chain network and shows how costs build at
each successive node within the network, according to
Ronan O’Donovan, Product Manager, ILOG Supply
Chain Applications, for IBM. Green bars indicate
the relative amount of cost at each node so one can
quickly identify the critical elements. Clicking on any
individual node reveals the details of that node.
Today’s use of sophisticated computer models to analyze
the performance of supply chains is a requisite for
continued improvement in a competitive marketplace.
FIGURE 12
Use of Visualization and Dashboard Tools for TLC
The Landed Cost Visualization will allow the user to choose any location and product and see the entire supply chain and the costs
added at each step of the chain. The green bars indicate the relative amount of cost at each node so one can quickly identify the critical
elements. By clicking on any individual node, you can see the details.
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M
Malaysia Port (22)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 108K
Total Landed Cost ($) 122M
Taiwan Port (18)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 828K
Total Landed Cost ($) 124M
Taiwan Line (6)
Charger (4)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 8.55M
Total Landed Cost ($) 8.51M
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M
Seattle Port (7)
Charger (4)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 40.1K
Total Landed Cost ($) 9.8M
Seattle Line (11)
Laptop Package (1)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 4.04M
Total Landed Cost ($) 228M
Chicago DC (1)
Laptop Package (1)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 615K
Total Landed Cost ($) 231M India Line (2)
Keyboard (6)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 20.2M
Total Landed Cost ($) 20.2M $
Malaysia Port (2)
Keyboard (6)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 111K
Total Landed Cost ($) 20.6M
Taiwan Port (18)
Keyboard (6)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 83.8K
Total Landed Cost ($) 21.8M
Philippines Line (4)
Screen (5)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 184K
Total Local Cost ($) 7.01M
Total Landed Cost ($) 7.01M
Philippines Port (16)
Screen (5)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 184K
Total Local Cost ($) 67.3K
Total Landed Cost ($) 7.08M
Malaysia Line (1)
Screen (5)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 321K
Total Local Cost ($) 12.2M
Total Landed Cost ($) 12.2M
India Port (2)
Screen (5)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 321K
Total Local Cost ($) 21.6K
Total Landed Cost ($) 12.5M
Taiwan Port (18)
Screen (5)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 116K
Total Landed Cost ($) 20.3M
Taiwan Line (6)
Battery (3)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 19.2M
Total Landed Cost ($) 19.2M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M
Taiwan Line (2)
Computer (6)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 19.7M
Total Landed Cost ($) 186M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M $
India Line (2)
CPU (7)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 121M
Total Landed Cost ($) 121M
302
925 205
$
$ $
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$ $ $
$
$
657
321
574
192
123
805
741
852
821
421
568
392 671
505
912
208
Taiwan Line (6)
Computer (2)
Entire Span (1)
Units (Items) 505K
Total Local Cost ($) 19.7M
Production Cost 19.7M
Tooling Cost 0
Total Landed Cost ($) 186M
Duty & Tariff Cost 0
Production Cost 180M
Shipping Cost 1.84M
In Transit Holding Cost 3.54M
Tooling Cost 0
Warehouse Holding Cost 0
Warehouse Variable Cost 595K
$
Source: IBM
20
3PLS’ ROLE IN TLC
While 64% of shipper respondents to the 2009 Third-
Party Logistics Study cited total landed cost (TLC)
reporting and analysis as a critical capability they would
like to see in their 3PLs, this year’s results show just
23% of 3PL respondents reported extensively providing
TLC analysis/reports to their customers, 47% are doing
so “somewhat,” and 30% do so minimally or not at all.
3PLs express interest in engaging in TLC calculation
services to add value to their shipper relationships,
solidify their relationships with customers, differentiate
their businesses and enhance customer satisfaction. As
the responsible party for many supply chain operations,
3PLs would seem well-positioned to contribute
significantly to TLC calculation. This is particularly
the case for small- and mid-size shippers, which may
not have internal resources to undertake internal
calculation, or for those that have complex international
supply chains and/or outsource a substantial portion
of it. In the workshop held at eyefortransport, one
shipper remarked that his company “needs the
outside expertise of the 3PL to help validate what
we’re doing as an organization, help supplement
our efforts, and provide data in a format that can be
utilized, such as integrated into an ERP system.”
The vast majority of 3PL respondents agreed with these
statements: It is important that 3PLs articulate their value
proposition in terms of their net effect on TLC; and, It is
important for 3PLs to provide tools and capabilities that
support an accurate view of total landed cost.
“Often 3PLs need to prove that they are meeting certain
service levels and have built a long and stable relationship
before going into TLC,” says Panalpina’s Hoemmken.
In addition to the inherent benefits of TLC, in a 3PL-
shipper relationship, TLC “can be of benefit when
analyzing bids, and also to help monitor success of
relationship,” says MIT’s Dr. Caplice.
Considerable discussion is required among 3PLs and
their customers to better understand factors, roles and
KPIs to be used in a shared end-to-end cost calculation
effort. This level of interaction demands a high level
of trust, usually the result of a long-term, successful
3PL-shipper relationship. Ben Cubitt, VP Supply Chain
at Rock-Tenn Company, notes, “use of TLC creates a
need and an opportunity for more senior people from
customer firms and from LSPs to work together.”
However, 58% of 3PLs respondents report that ship-
pers are hesitant to share information with them, and
a third say shippers are fearful that the information
they share with the 3PL for TLC calculation will be
used to increase their prices.
As indicated in Figure 11 on page 19, like shippers,
3PLs are most likely to employ spreadsheets (68%) in
their TLC calculation efforts, followed by internally
developed tools (51%). However, a significant number,
41%, are using supply chain network modeling and
optimization tools and 16% employ commercially
available tools to compute total landed costs. Just
29% of 3PL respondents agreed with the statement
that their customers have the internal integration
required to take advantage of TLC analysis.
“In the absence of
TLC you still can
make valid supply
chain decisions –
but not optimal.”
21
Surprisingly, despite the strong level of shipper
interest uncovered last year, 3PL respondents’ chief
reason (70%) for not providing TLC analysis/
reporting is a lack of expressed interest from
customers (Figure 13). More than two-thirds
(69%) of 3PLs find those shippers to be more
focused on the price of their services than on how
their services might impact total landed cost.
A significant 43% of shipper respondents admit
that they procure 3PL services based on lowest
transactional cost, while 57% say they use a holistic
approach that considers the net impact of 3PL
selection on total landed cost. To find the lowest
TLC, it is critical to view supply chain cost as the
sum of many potentially interdependent cost
elements. 3PLs will contribute to certain costs,
such as transportation and warehousing, but they
may help mitigate other costs through improved
efficiency, such as offering or introducing cross-
dock, consolidation, and other value-added services.
The key point is to weigh all of these costs in
assessing the value of a 3PL to the organization.
TOTAL LANDED COST
TRANSFORMATION ROADMAP
A majority of shippers are currently using
spreadsheets and homegrown tools to calculate
the total landed cost of their products and shape
decision-making. To gain the considerable benefits
of a more sophisticated approach requires an
evolution of commitment, process and technology.
Commitment: C-level leadership and organization-
wide commitment, including adequate financial
resources, are essential to the success of the
transformation effort, as well as to the TLC-
enabled culture that follows. The enterprise must
move away from siloed thinking and adopt a
holistic mindset. For example, salespeople must be
trained and incented to base price quotes on TLC
to preserve margin. Key performance indicators
should change to reflect the importance of reducing
total landed cost, which sometimes may cause an
increase in a particular functional area, such as
transportation. If everyone is looking to reduce
cost just in their own local silos, the result may not
create a global reduction in total landed cost.
FIGURE 13
Lack of Customer Interest and Commitment Causes 3PL Inactivity in TLC
70%
35%
26%
11%
10%
My Customer is Not Asking for It
My Customer Does Not Provide
Me the Right Data
I Have Not Discussed This with
My Customer Yet
I Do Not Have the Right Tools
I Do Not Have the Expertise
Total Landed Cost - Reasons Why 3PLs Are Not or Are Minimally Providing TLC Calculation
Somewhat
47%
None
10%
Extensively
23%
Minimally
20%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
22
Process Change: The process of defining and
implementing an advanced TLC solution brings
people together that wouldn’t normally be a part of
one group. This approach is critical for developing
the TLC calculator and catching factors that might
otherwise be overlooked, for example, the costs of
demurrage, which for one workshop participant were
incurred by one department but covered by another’s
budget. It is important to take baseline measurements
in order to measure progress. Outside consultants
or facilitators can be valuable in overcoming
such process and change management issues.
Technology: Systems transformation is often required
to deliver all of the data necessary in a newly defined
TLC calculator, including data cleaning, synchroniza-
tion and validation, as well as software integration to
centralize all cost elements. Master data management
can be an invaluable element toward normalizing data.
Timeliness of data can also be an issue, to enable
real-time decisions in the wake of fluctuating market
conditions. Training is often necessary both in use of
a TLC calculator and in how to apply TLC outputs to
decision-making.
According to Oracle’s Johansson, when shippers
transition to using an advanced tool such as the
company’s Oracle Landed Cost Management model,
“the piece that takes a long time is to determine what
cost method to use: standard cost, or an average cost
method (FIFO, LIFO, Weighted Average or Period
Average), which is more appropriate to TLC. Other
time-consumers are determining which buckets to
track and to what level of granularity, how to estimate
costs, and systems integration for data sources. Usually
companies start off with big goals on granularity, scale
back a bit, and then build maturity and start adding
more integration points and refining estimates.”
While the importance is high, because of the
complexities, TLC adoption must be approached as
an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, process.
TOTAL LANDED COST: KEY TAKEAWAYS
? A substantial 64% of shipper respondents
consider total landed cost reporting and analysis
as a critical capability they would like to see
in their 3PLs, according to our 2009 report.
The ability for total landed cost calculators to
capture both obvious and hidden expenditures
and reveal the true cost of sourcing and logistics
decisions is critical in a fluctuating economy,
delivering benefits including more agile and
confident decision-making, more accurate
price-setting and better operational control.
? A substantial 45% of shipper respondents report
extensive use of TLC, although respondents
may differ in their interpretations of the term
extensive. However, difficulty in defining all of
the factors contributing to total cost, and then
obtaining and integrating all of that data, can be
challenging. Because of that, too many businesses
rely on partial data or inaccurate estimates that
can lead to poor decisions. That’s evident in the
heavy use of spreadsheets and internally developed
tools for TLC calculation by shippers and 3PLs
alike. Technology issues may be one of the reasons
that just 23% of 3PL respondents report they are
extensively providing TLC analysis/reports to their
customers. Trust issues are also interfering with
provision of more advanced TLC cost calculation
services by 3PLs. To gain the considerable
benefits of a more sophisticated approach to TLC
calculation requires strong commitment and a
steady evolution of mindset, process and technology.
23
24
In early 2010, a major pharmaceutical manufacturer
shut down production and recalled 43 over-the-counter
children’s medicines made by a subsidiary, after federal
investigators found several manufacturing deficiencies
at a production facility. The recall affected more than
100,000 bottles of medicine and at least 12 countries,
and led the US Congress to launch an investigation.
This prominent recall highlights just some of the
challenges facing those participating in life sciences
supply chains. Highly in demand medicines and
devices produced by this US $1.2 trillion industry
have the power to transform health, so when errors
and poor practices occur, they can impact not
just balance sheets, but human lives. Handling is
often critical; 11% of global healthcare products
are inherently temperature-sensitive and can lose
efficacy or cause adverse effects if they are not
maintained at the right temperature or stored in
inventory too long. Because of this, control and
visibility is essential throughout every node and
mode that makes up the life sciences supply chain.
“It’s very difficult for individuals to understand
how ‘precious’ the product is; they’re irreplaceable
in some ways,” says Mick Sutherland, Director
of Logistics – Americas for CSL Behring.
Life sciences industry supply chain challenges fall
into three major buckets: product integrity and
compliance requirements, an inherently complex
trading partner ecosystem, and demanding
customer service and cost requirements.
Life sciences shippers and 3PLs serving the life
sciences market who participated in the 2010
Third-Party Logistics study were asked to respond
to specific questions about their supply chain
challenges. Shipper respondents mainly represent
pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers
and healthcare services providers. (Figure 14)
3PL respondents came from a somewhat more
diverse array of life sciences industry segments.
LIFE SCIENCES
Managing Precious Cargo
FIGURE 14
Life Sciences Survey Respondents Were Mainly Manufacturers and
Service Providers
Life Sciences Shippers Types of Customers of 3PLs Serving Life Sciences
3%
3%
56%
25%
6%
Pharmaceutical
Manufacturer
Medical Devices
Manufacturer
Pharmacy
Wholesale
Distributor
Healthcare
Services Provider
Pharmaceutical
Manufacturer
Medical Devices
Manufacturer
Pharmacy
Wholesale
Distributor
Healthcare
Services Provider
Pharmacy
Bene?ts Manager
Health Insurance
Carrier
69%
64%
45%
30%
22%
3%
3%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
25
PRODUCT-RELATED CHALLENGES
Many pharmaceutical products are of high monetary
and treatment value, and that makes them tempting
targets. Both counterfeit drugs and drug diversion
are believed to have doubled globally over the past
five to six years, threatening patients’ health and
manufacturers’ reputations. The World Health
Organization defines counterfeit medicines
as those that are deliberately and fraudulently
mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source.
Diversion occurs when a pharmaceutical product
approved via a manufacturer trade agreement or
government regulation for sale in one country or
sales channel is intercepted and sold in another.
A multi-faceted approach is required both to prevent
counterfeit and diversion and to ensure safe and
secure passage from point of manufacture to patient
administration. This includes product visibility, quality
and compliance procedures, stringent inventory
control, temperature control capabilities and security.
Product Visibility: The need for visibility is driving
serialization – the process of uniquely identifying
one unit of a product so it can be distinguished
from another – and e-pedigree, an electronic
documentation of a product’s chain of possession
as it passes through the supply chain. Many
countries including Australia, Japan and Turkey
have introduced their own requirements to promote
serialization. In the US, California has legislated
a phased approach to e-pedigree implementation
starting in 2015, and the federal government is
working out the specifics of its own serialization
requirements. Due to their complexity and
financial implications, serialization and e-pedigree
legislation has been subject to multiple delays.
While linear bar codes can be used for serialization,
some countries including Italy and Belgium are
requiring higher density solutions such as 2-D
symbologies, which can encode additional data
such as lot number, manufacturing date, make
and expiration date. Momentum is moving toward
use of RFID tags, which transmit the identity of an
object wirelessly without requiring line-of-sight.
RFID requires significant investment and the
technology is continuing to evolve, but this technology
has special applicability to life sciences given the
accurate and real-time traceability of products
required by e-pedigree. Business cases developed
by McKesson
1
and Warner Chilcott (formerly
Procter & Gamble’s prescription drug business)
2

proved the benefits of serialization through RFID
including increasing visibility and reducing costs.
In the P & G/Warner Chilcott test, increased asset
visibility led to an improved returns process, recall
process, and decreased cycle times, which reduced
inventory and holding costs. About half of shipper
and 3PL respondents to our study agree that there
is a strong business case for RFID in life sciences.
Regardless of its potential benefits, a third of shipper
respondents agree that e-pedigree is a challenge.
3PLs can be key enablers in providing the visibility
critical for life sciences products, particularly in
biologics (products created through biologic processes
from natural sources), vaccines and APIs (Active
Pharmaceuticals Ingredients). As the industry moves
toward e-pedigree, 3PLs have an important role to
play not just by scanning product as part of the chain
of custody, but by potentially offering a managed
business service for e-pedigree data. 3PLs may also
offer services to label and package to individual
country e-pedigree requirements. As seen in Figure
16 on page 28, shipment visibility is the service
shippers would most like to receive from 3PLs.
1
“Data Sharing in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Series of Case Studies,” Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, June 3, 2009
2
“IDEAS IN ACTION: A Case Study AIT Business Process Model for Procter & Gamble: Forecasts Opportunities and ROI,” July, 2008
Control and visibility is
essential throughout
every node and mode
that makes up the life
sciences supply chain.
26
IT is also critical to both assure and document quality
and compliance. “If quality is 1-A then IT systems
are 1-B” in importance, says Kevin Hickman, Senior
Manager (NADC) for CSL Behring, with systems that
are “well designed, very robust, and simple to use. The
IT system has to help manage the quality aspects.”
Concern about quality and compliance is evident
throughout the survey responses of life sciences
shippers. However, differing rankings to survey
questions between life sciences shippers and 3PL
providers that serve life sciences companies suggest
a possible disconnect between the two on the
importance and value of ensuring product integrity
through the supply chain. In Figure 15, for example,
62% of life sciences shippers cite ensuring product
quality as a significant challenge, second only to
compliance, while 3PLs rank this fourth, with only
41% noting this challenge. In Figure 16, shippers
also rank quality procedures highly (70%) as a
service they want 3PLs to provide, while just 45%
of 3PLs currently provide them. Similarly, 60% of
shippers would like to see 3PLs offer processes to
ensure compliance with state and federal regulations,
while just 44% of 3PLs currently offer these.
Quality, Compliance and Risk: Life sciences
companies devote substantial resources to developing
and manufacturing safe products to benefit the
health of their ultimate customer, the patient.
Governments also want to ensure the safety of drugs
and other healthcare products and continue to
implement additional stringent regulations to ensure
public safety. With so much at stake, life sciences
shippers are highly concerned about the proper
handling of products as they make their way from
production line to patient, to ensure product integrity,
regulatory compliance and risk management.
The World Health Organizations’ Good Distribution
Practice (GDP) guidelines have been adopted globally
to guide the proper handling of medical products,
including import, temperature control and distribution
control practices. The GDPs cover everything from
security to monitoring devices to data sharing to
reverse logistics procedures, seeking to bring the same
rigor first created for manufacturing quality systems
to product distribution. According to a supply chain
executive who closely monitors Good Distribution
Practice applications, there are more than 30 different
interpretations of life sciences GDPs across the world.
FIGURE 15
Government Regulations Top the List of Supply Chain Challenges
Life Sciences Shippers 3PLs Serving Life Sciences
Ensuring Compliance with
Government Regulations
Ensuring Product
Integrity
Accommodating Sudden,
Large Spikes in Demand
Complicated Supply
Chain Model
Ensuring Compliance with
Government Regulations
Accommodating Sudden,
Large Spikes in Demand
from Customers
Ensuring Product
Integrity
Controlling Inventory
and Order Accuracy
Complying with
E-Pedigree Requirements
High Levels of Inventory
to Ensure Availability
Complying with
E-Pedigree Requirements
55%
70%
45%
44%
41%
31%
62%
54%
44%
34%
33%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
27
FIGURE 16
What Life Sciences Shippers Would Like Life Sciences 3PLs to Offer
Vs. What 3PLs Currently Offer
? Life Sciences Shipper Respondents
? Life Sciences 3PL Respondents
87%
88%
70%
45%
68%
66%
62%
52%
60%
44%
59%
47%
52%
47%
49%
35%
46%
39%
46%
35%
46%
60%
38%
44%
37%
19%
30%
58%
27%
30%
27%
24%
25%
12%
24%
22%
21%
24%
8%
15%
Shipment Visibility
Quality Procedures
Inventory Control
Temperature-Sensitive Capabilities
Processes Ensuring Compliance with
Federal and State Regulations
Security
Rapid Order to Delivery Cycle Time
Internal Audit Capability
Employee Training Programs
Electronic Records Retention
Reverse Logistics
After Hours Emergency Order Processing
Deviation Management
Customer Order Management
Sample Management
Controlled Substances License
E-Pedigree / Serialization Support
RFID Based Product Tracking
Redundant / Contingency Stocking Locations
Product Test and Con?guration
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
28
In pharmaceutical logistics, “The challenge is getting
the providers to truly understand the customer’s
business,” says CSL Behring’s Sutherland. “It really
takes a good solid year to understand the requirements.
3PLs tend to be too confident with the sales process as
opposed to understanding the business.”
Ronald van Zitteren, UCB Pharma, Director Global
Warehousing & Logistics, recommends 3PLs “hire people
from pharma companies that have a background in
quality and logistics.” 3PLs seeking success in life sciences
need to “build up a network with GDP-controlled [Good
Distribution Practices] warehouses at strategic points to
be able to hold and store Pharma products,” says Corné
van Raak, Manager Transportation, Abbott Logistics B.V.
Perhaps the desire to maintain more control over product
handling is the reason life sciences respondents are less
likely than the overall survey shipper respondents to use
3PLs for warehouse services (59% versus 74%). Life
sciences shippers spend just 27% of outsourced logistic
budgets on warehousing compared with 40% overall.
Balancing Quality and Price: In Figure 17 on page 30,
73% of shippers say quality, compliance and risk
mitigation are significantly more important than price
in selecting 3PLs, while just 49% of 3PLs agree that
their customers prioritize these over price.
“Cost is not a minor thing; sometimes you have to
pay for quality,” says one pharmaceutical supply
chain executive. “You have to meet a minimum for
quality, security, and then cost can come into play.”
Inventory Control: Inventory control in life sciences
is more than just ensuring adequate inventory levels
to meet demand. Processes are also required to
quarantine goods, including notification, record
preparation, segregation and distribution processes.
Temperature Control: More than three-fifths of
shipper respondents list temperature-controlled
capabilities as an important 3PL selection criterion.
3PLs must be knowledgeable about the complex
interplay of product, packaging materials,
transportation methods and compliance with an
evolving regulatory landscape while working to limit
costs. Temperature control capabilities continue
to grow in importance; the most expensive drugs
tend to be temperature sensitive. The loss of a
single LD3 (about 3 meters cubed) container of one
type of cancer-fighting antibodies would generate
additional costs of approximately US $34 million.
Consider this potential scenario: a temperature-sensitive
pharmaceutical arrives at a distribution facility prior to
receiving government approvals to market the drug to
the public. This inventory must be isolated both
logically and physically, and data must be collected
from temperature loggers within the shipment and
communicated back to the manufacturing plant. The
product cannot move from quarantine area to a
primary storage location until the plant indicates that
temperature readings were okay, assuring product
safety and compliance, and government authorities
have approved the product for sale.
Temperature logging is important and could increase
many fold if rumors prove true and new regulations
emerge requiring a temperature monitor inside every
package, regardless of package validation. Feedback
requirements for temperature deviations in transit
could increase many times and this may cause the need
to interact with small customers, not just wholesalers.
However, life sciences companies’ priorities differ
according to industry sub-category. Biologics companies
highly value a 3PL’s network of temperature-controlled
capabilities, while these are only of medium importance
to small molecule (many drugs are small molecule) and
vaccine companies and of low importance, on average,
to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients companies.
3PLs’ assets and experience in managing temperature-
controlled services for other industries has the
potential to help shippers avoid capital-intensive
investment. They also allow shippers to take advantage
of better pricing on commodities like validated
containers, and take advantage of 3PL temperature-
controlled expertise. 3PLs can offer additional services
related to temperature tracking as requirements
become more granular and more parties are involved
in the process. Dr. Thomas Lenhard, Head of Quality
at Sanofi-aventis Distribution Platform Frankfurt,
notes that in the future, “We not only want to know the
position of the shipment on the map but also product
quality related transport KPIs like online temperature
tracking and remote control of quality parameters.”
Security: Safe passage of products from sourcing
through manufacture to consumption or waste
management also requires stringent logical and
physical security practices and compliance with
government security regulations, from prescribed
handling processes to container locking procedures.
Both life sciences shippers and the 3PLs that serve
them regard ensuring compliance with government
regulations as the top challenge facing life sciences
supply chains (Figure 15).
29
A COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM
Products, information and cash all flow via separate
but related paths through the life sciences supply
chain. This supply chain is characterized by stringent
rules, specialized handling needs and multiple players,
including drug and device manufacturers, wholesale
distributors, pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers,
healthcare insurers, myriad types of healthcare
providers, and patients. Fifty-four percent of shipper
respondents say the complex supply chain model
represents a significant challenge (Figure 15).
One example of the complex life sciences ecosystem
is the existence of companies that operate both as
wholesalers and as 3PL service providers. Is there a
conflict of interest in using a 3PL for logistics services,
so that they are your vendor, and selling them product,
so that they are your wholesale customer? If, for
example, the 3PL side needs to get pricing information
to carry out order fulfillment with customers,
potentially the wholesale side of the company could
obtain this information and use it to their advantage.
In our survey results, 41% of shipper respondents
would have concerns with using 3PL services
associated with a wholesaler that is also a customer.
Despite such challenges, shippers seeking to manage
the complexities of supply chains see a role for 3PLs.
A significant number, 87%, of those surveyed indicate
that 3PLs can add significant value by linking all parties
that interact in the life sciences supply chain. (Figure
17). 3PLs feel strongly that differentiating through
breadth of capability is key to gaining customers.
“Providers should look at the implementation of extend-
ed SOPs, Standard Operating Procedures, in order to
have a link between the different parties involved,” says
Ludovic Ménédème, Director Transport & Distribution
Services EMEA for Baxter World Trade SA.
CHALLENGING CUSTOMER
SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
Never is having the right product at the right place
at the right time more important than when that
inventory can preserve health or save a life. That
requirement accentuates the need for a flexible and
responsive supply chain for life sciences products.
Requirements include:
Flexibility: Life sciences production and supply
chain activity must accommodate spikes in demand,
such as the need to quickly distribute seasonal
flu vaccine. Temperature-sensitive products may
also require timely handling; often, for example,
manufacturers don’t want these products to ship
out on a Friday to avoid weekend delays, so shipping
is compressed into to a four-day period each week.
In such cases a 3PL may offer more staffing and
operational flexibility to accommodate these spikes.
Forty-four percent of shipper respondents cite
the need to accommodate sudden, large spikes in
demand as a supply chain challenge (Figure 15).
New Markets: Entering new markets, such as in the
fast-growing BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India,
and China, is a costly and complex endeavor for life
sciences companies. 3PLs can play an important
role in facilitating logistics for these efforts.
FIGURE 17
Life Sciences Shippers’ and 3PLs’ Views on Supply Chain Issues
Life Sciences Shippers 3PLs Serving Life Sciences
3PLs can add signi?cant value by
linking all the parties that interact
in the life sciences supply chain
Quality, compliance, and risk
mitigation are signi?cantly more
important than price in 3PL selection
There is a good business case
for the use of RFID in the life
sciences industry
I would have concerns with using
3PL services associated with a
wholesaler that is also my customer
3PLs can add signi?cant value by
linking all the parties that interact
in the life sciences supply chain
Differentiating our services
through breadth of capability is
key to gaining customers
There is a good business case
for the use of RFID in the life
sciences industry
Customers are more concerned with quality,
compliance, and risk mitigation than price
when selecting a 3PL partner
87%
73%
50%
41%
90%
87%
53%
49%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
30
Recall Capability: A newly discovered contaminant
in heparin products sourced in China and sold
by a leading pharmaceutical company in 2008
led to sickened patients and a recall that spread
to include medical devices such as catheters. The
ability to enact reverse logistics, including recalls,
in an organized fashion is critical to containing
the potential damage from such an incident;
products not properly reclaimed and destroyed
may end up being resold by an unscrupulous
party. Sixty percent of 3PL respondents that serve
life sciences provide reverse logistics services.
Inventory: Balancing the desire for high fill rates
with the cost of carrying inventory is a challenge
for any industry. When the product in question
can save lives, the pressures increase; some of
these live-saving medications are very expensive.
About a third of shipper respondents indicate that
maintaining high levels of inventory to ensure
availability is a top logistic challenge (Figure 15).
Redundant Locations: Life sciences companies
with life-saving products often maintain redundant
stocking locations, either themselves or via a 3PL,
to ensure availability in the event of an operational
failure or natural disaster at a primary location.
Next Flight Out/Late Cut-offs: Some life-saving
products need to ship on short notice, even
outside of normal operating hours. One major
pharmaceutical company reports using a 3PL that
is close to a major airport in order to provide life
saving transport-next flight out (NFO) service. The
3PL maintains validated, medical-grade coolers
that store a small amount of life-saving drugs. 3PLs
may offer more staffing and operational flexibility
to accommodate such extraordinary needs.
Sustainable Supply Chain: Sustainability concerns
have survived and even grown through the recession.
Life sciences shippers are interested in 3PLs’ ability to
help reduce their environmental impact in everything
from transportation emissions to packaging design.
“Environmental aspects will become more and more
important,” says Richard Groenenboom, Head of
Global Logistics (PTSL), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
“If a provider can guarantee efforts in the direction
of green logistics, this can be seen as a clear bonus.”
On-time Delivery/Responsiveness: On-time delivery/
pickup and responsiveness are also important 3PL
requirements for life sciences companies. One
pharmaceutical supply chain executive sees issues
with responsiveness as inherent to the business model:
“3PLs must balance competing client priorities,
which inhibits or slows down their ability to make
changes or serve customer-specific needs” due to
contractual and legal considerations, he says. “It is
easier to implement changes within network 3PLs
where the clients are all in the same industry. It is
important for Pharma companies that the majority
of the 3PL’s clients are Pharma companies as well.”
Size can be a factor in the level of responsiveness,
but this can be ameliorated in part through
strong, industry-aware account management.
Employee Training: Life sciences shippers are also
concerned with ensuring the right level of training
for 3PL employees to address industry-specific needs,
such as ensuring drivers understand the sensitivities
of their cargo and adhere to prescribed handling
processes. “As the name supply chain suggests, this is
a chain and it will always break at its weakest point,”
says Robert Müller, Head, Global Warehousing &
Distribution, Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics. “Most
of these weak points are the people. So we need
training and also better payment for some of them.”
LIFE SCIENCES: KEY TAKEAWAYS
? The medicines and devices produced by the
life sciences industry support life and health.
Product sensitivity, security concerns and network
complexity make moving this precious cargo from
point of manufacture to point of consumption
continually more challenging, with errors and
poor practices exacting a high price. Life sciences
companies’ supply chain challenges lie in three
major areas: product integrity and handling, an
inherently complex trading partner ecosystem, and
a demanding set of customer service requirements.
These challenges command a multi-faceted
approach that includes product visibility, quality and
compliance procedures, stringent inventory control,
temperature control capabilities and security.
Regulation is a key consideration, with emerging
serialization and e-pedigree requirements adding to
the list. About half of shipper and 3PL respondents
to our study agree that there is a strong business
case for RFID in life sciences to address these needs.
? Products, information and cash all flow through the
life sciences supply chain, which is characterized
by stringent rules, specialized handling needs
and multiple players, some playing seemingly
conflicting roles. A significant 87% of shipper
respondents indicate that 3PLs can add significant
value by linking all parties that interact in the
life sciences supply chain. The critical nature
of many life sciences products accentuates the
need for a flexible and responsive supply chain,
including the ability to accommodate emergency
needs and quickly and efficiently enact recalls.
Quality, compliance and risk mitigation are
essential in life sciences, but shippers and
3PLs have different views on their relative
importance to price in securing 3PL services.
31
32
A more cautious, less loyal shopper has emerged in
the global recession, challenging consumer goods
manufacturers and their supplier and retailer partners
to become more demand-driven and responsive. A
value-conscious customer is particularly challenging
for producers of fast-moving consumer goods, defined
as products replaced or used up in a short period of
time – such as trendy apparel, toiletries, and groceries
– that are non-durable and sold directly to the end
consumer. With large volumes and low margins,
fast-moving consumer goods companies (FMCG)
must respond quickly to deliver in-demand, on-trend
products to shoppers when and where they want them,
to avoid getting stuck with undesirable merchandise.
TOP LOGISTICS CONCERNS
It’s not surprising that manufacturers of fast-moving
consumer goods cite a long list of high-priority
concerns for their supply chains. Reducing logistics
costs is the perennial number one goal across all
industries in the Annual 3PL Study (Figure 18), but
other priorities speak to the particular challenges
of the fast-moving consumer goods category,
including perfect order fulfillment (87%) rapidly
sensing and responding to changes in consumer
demand (83%) and shortening new product time-
to-market and supply chain integration (81%).

FAST-MOVING
CONSUMER GOODS
Demanding Consumers Increase Supply Chain Pressures
FIGURE 18
Reducing Logistics Costs is a Top Concern for FMCG Companies
? % of FMCG Shippers Who Think
That This is Relevant
? % of FMCG 3PLs Who Recognize
This as an Issue for Customers
Reducing Logistics Costs
98%
99%
87%
88%
87%
88%
83%
86%
82%
81%
81%
82%
81%
84%
66%
76%
65%
68%
63%
67%
Shortening New Product Time-to-Market
and Supply Chain Integration
Ensuring Perfect Order Ful?llment
Improving Shipment Density / Load Utilization
Rapidly Sensing and Responding to
Changes in Consumer Demand
Building Sustainability into the Supply Chain
Having a Supply Chain Disruption / Mitigation
Strategy in Place
Accommodating Sales Promotions
Gathering and Utilizing In-Store Data on Products
Growing Market Share in Emerging Economies
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
33
Swedish manufacturer Oriflame Cosmetics, for
example, delivers direct-to-consumer within 24 to 48
hours of when the order is placed; in some markets
that means home delivery or delivery to one home on
behalf of several customers, while other markets favor
pickup at a kiosk or service center. That’s challenging
the manufacturer to increase order accuracy and
work to avoid out-of-stocks while coping with the costs
incurred by operating so many delivery models.
Fast-moving consumer goods manufacturers are
acting on growing global awareness of the need to
mitigate the environmental impact of manufacturing
and logistics processes, with 82% placing priority on
building sustainability into the supply chain. Green
is no longer leading edge or pioneering; it is now a
normal part of a company’s operations, driving the
need for manufacturers and others to develop cohesive
and comprehensive earth-friendly sourcing strategies.
Improving shipment density and load utilization is one
of these strategies (87%), enabling manufacturers to
maximize use of shipment capacity to reduce emissions,
wasted capacity and potentially costs as well. Limited
Brands Logistics Services, for example, continues to
work on new configurations of its carton proportions to
fit as much merchandise into containers as possible.
“Sustainability is a mandate to do a better job in the
logistics area,” says one FMCG executive, whose
company has been testing hybrid electric delivery trucks
and working to comply with emerging sustainability
regulations in jurisdictions such as California. “Because
only 160 to 170 miles is the usual length that our
products travel to get to their final destination, it’s
difficult for us to take advantage of multimodal
alternatives, like truck/rail or truck/ship,” he says.
3PLS AND SHIPPERS SHARE PERSPECTIVE
Fortunately, fast-moving consumer goods manufacturers
and the 3PLs that serve them are remarkably aligned in
their assessment of these top concerns. These results seem
to imply a much closer agreement between the two groups
than there might have been ten to fifteen years ago.
The only slight deviation occurs in accommodating
sales promotions, where 3PL respondents are more
likely to consider this a top priority than shipper
respondents (76% vs. 66%). Perhaps this is due to
fast-moving consumer goods companies’ often heavy
reliance on promotions; for many in this category,
much of the business is promotional, so the inventory
spikes promotions create are simply business as usual.
Additionally, accommodating the spikes in volume
generated by a promotion requires speed, visibility and
IT connections. One shipper says bringing their 3PLs
into the planning of promotions “allowed an extra set
of hands and eyes beneficial to getting products to the
shelves faster. Our 3PLs assist in expediting shipments
through changing ocean moves to airfreight or cross-
docking at the destination to reduce handling time.”
While fast-moving consumer goods shippers and
3PLs may agree on the issues, they view differently
the role 3PLs can play in addressing them. Figure
19 reveals what issues fast-moving consumer goods
shipper respondents see 3PLs helping them to
manage, versus the types of issues 3PLs think
shippers will implement along with them.
Fast-moving consumer goods shipper respondents are
closely aligned on their view of 3PLs’ role in helping
to improve shipment density/load utilization, reduce
logistics costs, and put a supply chain disruption/
mitigation strategy in place, as well as on perfect
order fulfillment and sustainability projects.
“Sustainability is very important to our company,”
says Frits Voortman, Director, Corporate Supply
Chain at FrieslandCampina. “We will be coming
out with new, improved sustainability program
post-merger and we will expect 3PLs to help.”
Bringing 3PLs into
the planning of
promotions “allowed
an extra set of hands
and eyes beneficial
to getting products to
the shelves faster.”
34
But shippers are less likely than 3PLs (46% vs.
62%) to see 3PLs playing a role in shortening new
product time-to-market and supply chain integration.
This is another area that, like sales promotions,
requires speed, visibility and a strong shipper-3PL IT
connection; issues of trust and collaboration may also
be at play. “Shippers likely see a goal of shortening new
product time-to-market as a broadly cross-functional
effort that requires the shipper to manage activity
among internal functions (from design to production
to logistics to sales to marketing) and external
partners,” including the 3PL, says a leading retailer.
The disparity seen earlier in sales promotion occurs
again here, with just 42% of shipper respondents
seeing a role for 3PLs, while 60% of 3PLs see one.
At one FMCG shipper, for example, creation of a
3PL joint venture with a sister company means high-
velocity and high-volume – and presumably more
heavily promoted – goods are handled internally, while
3PLs are used for not-core business, such as products
that are low volume or not fast moving, or where
the company has not migrated to new IT systems.
But others rely on 3PLs precisely for the excess
capacity demanded by things like promotions. For
example, Oriflame Cosmetics, which conducts
as many as 40 promotional campaigns each year
for each of the eight European countries being
served from its Warsaw DC, shares its forecast
with its 3PL a year in advance to jointly plan labor
and other needs. “This joint planning certainly
brings us benefits in the warehouse operation,”
says Gokhan Cakmak, Logistics Manager, Global.
“In transport this is more difficult where we
need to sometimes find up to three times more
capacity. The 3PL assists to then bring in more
capacity, working with other companies.”
FIGURE 19
FMCG Shippers and 3PLs See 3PLs’ Capabilities Differently
% FMCG Shipper Respondents
by Type of Issue 3PL is
Seen as Helping to Manage
% FMCG 3PL Respondents
by Type of Issue 3PLs Think
Customers Will Implement with Them
Improving Shipment
Density / Load Utilization
Reducing Logistics Costs
Having a Supply Chain Disruption /
Mitigation Strategy in Place
Building Sustainability
into the Supply Chain
Ensuring Perfect Order Ful?llment
Shortening New Product Time-to-
Market and Supply Chain Integration
Accommodating Sales Promotions
Rapidly Sensing and Responding
to Changes in Consumer Demand
Gathering and Utilizing
In-Store Data on Products
Growing Market Share in
Emerging Economies
Improving Shipment
Density / Load Utilization
Reducing Logistics Costs
Having a Supply Chain Disruption /
Mitigation Strategy in Place
Building Sustainability
into the Supply Chain
Ensuring Perfect Order Ful?llment
Shortening New Product Time-to-
Market and Supply Chain Integration
Accommodating Sales Promotions
Rapidly Sensing and Responding
to Changes in Consumer Demand
Gathering and Utilizing
In-Store Data on Products
Growing Market Share in
Emerging Economies
74%
69%
68%
65%
62%
46%
42%
35%
32%
29% 26%
76%
73%
70%
70%
65%
62%
60%
43%
34%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
35
COLLABORATING ON COSTS
Despite the priority placed on reducing logistics costs
and the fairly close alignment in how fast-moving
consumer goods shipper respondents and 3PLs see
the 3PL’s role in helping to reduce logistics costs,
shippers are involving 3PLs in cost-reduction strategies
less often that one might expect (Figure 20).
Improved Distribution Center Processes: Seeking
strategies to improve warehouse processes and
attain better KPIs is the most-used cost-reduction
strategy (87%) by fast-moving consumer goods
shipper respondents. Beverage distributor Ben E.
Keith Company, for example, is using its warehouse
management system to better track manpower
and hours and is bringing in temporary workers
to address spikes in volume. However, just 53%
of shipper respondents are implementing DC
process improvements in partnership with a 3PL,
despite the fact that 73% of this group outsources
warehousing to a 3PL. One possible interpretation
is that these process reform efforts are focused
more often on those warehouse operations retained
internally rather than those outsourced.
Renegotiated Rates for Logistics Services: A high
number of shipper respondents use renegotiation of
rates as a method to reduce logistics costs (86% for
logistics services and 74% for warehouse services).
Shippers also have the opportunity to use 3PLs to
help them renegotiate rates with other supply chain
vendors, but more than half of the respondents
do not report doing this. This could mean that
these negotiations are one-sided, or shippers
question 3PLs’ capabilities or availability for this
service. It is possible that joint negotiations could
drive increased savings and improve collaboration
and relationships between the parties.
Improved Forecasting and Inventory Visibility: A
great number (83%) of fast-moving consumer goods
shipper respondents are seeking to improve forecasting
and inventory visibility to reduce costs, but a limited
number of respondents have implemented solutions
with 3PLs (16%). During interviews several shippers and
3PLs noted the increased importance and reliance on
reliable forecasting and visibility; this requires increased
collaboration and trust among 3PLs and shippers to
drive improvements. One shipper comments, “We
FIGURE 20
FMCG Shippers’ Most-Used Cost-Reduction Strategies Don’t Always
Involve 3PLs
Improved Distribution Center Processes
? Method Used
? % of Methods
Implemented
with 3PL
Improved Forecasting and Inventory Visibility
Redesigned Supply Chain Network
Renegotiated Rates for Warehouse Services
Switched to Multimodal Transport
Implemented or Improved Logistics-Related Information Technology
Tools or Enablers
Instituted Internal Training Programs to Encourage
Cost-Effectiveness / Lean Behaviors
Rationalized or Decreased the Number of SKUs
Improved Returns Management / Reverse Logistics Policies
Employed More Fuel-Ef?cient Transport
Increased Outsourcing
Improved Pallet Distribution and Reclamation Process
Improved Direct Store Delivery Processes
Transitioned from Direct Store Delivery to Customer
Warehouse Delivery
Leveraged a Multi-Vendor Consolidator
Renegotiated Rates for Logistics Services
Improved Shipment Density / Load Utilization
87%
53%
86%
48%
83%
16%
80%
56%
75%
32%
74%
46%
74%
62%
73%
40%
68%
30%
67%
11%
60%
43%
59%
59%
59%
48%
52%
44%
45%
35%
42%
38%
36%
47%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
36
understand the importance of improved forecasting
and visibility and continue to invest in initiatives that
drive productivity and operating improvements. A
current project will improve forecasting and inventory
visibility across our trading partners and enable us
to improve visibility and availability of product to
our 3PLs for scheduling and movement of goods.”
Some 3PLs and carriers are looking to push shippers
for more sharing of forecasts to even out the peaks
and troughs that put extra costs into the supply
chain. The recent economic crisis and subsequent
shipment recoveries put increased pressure on 3PLs
and carriers who either sat on empty space or sat
with too much cargo to move. Uncertainty leads to
increased costs in the supply chain for both shippers
and 3PLs. 3PLs are anxious to work with shippers to
increase their forecasting visibility and accuracy and
have started looking at implementing reward/penalty
systems to achieve a more reliable supply chain. The
challenges we are seeing now used to be evident over
shorter and more anticipated peaks (for example,
summer peak season, Christmas or Chinese New
Year). This year there has been a more tidal capacity
challenge, says one 3PL provider, which is causing
carriers and 3PLs to cap commitments and consider
penalizing significant short shipment/no-shows.
Redesigned the Supply Chain Network: Three-quarters
of fast-moving consumer goods shipper respondents are
employing supply chain network redesign to reduce
logistics costs, but just 32% are doing so with a 3PL. For
example, to support its retail operations, Limited
Brands offers 3PL services to other retailers aggregating
volume to more than 40 nodes around the US and is
maximizing its use of a delivery agent network. Limited
is also increasing shipments into Canada to support the
company’s growth in the Canadian market. It may be
the case that shippers don’t view their 3PLs as having
the strategic or IT expertise necessary to carry out this
type of initiative.
Interestingly, 3PLs perceive themselves playing a much
larger role in fast-moving consumer goods shipper
respondents’ logistics cost reduction efforts. Figure 21
reveals what methods 3PLs believe their shipper
customers are using to reduce costs and the percentage
of those efforts implemented with a 3PL.
FIGURE 21
3PLs Perceive Themselves Playing a Much Larger Cost-Reduction Role
Improved Distribution Center Processes
? Method Used
? % of Methods 3PLs
Think Shippers Will
Implement with Them
Improved Shipment Density / Load Utilization
Renegotiated Rates for Warehouse Services
Redesigned Supply Chain Network
Improved Forecasting and Inventory Visibility
Switched to Multimodal Transport
Increased Outsourcing
Instituted Internal Training Programs to Encourage
Cost-Effectiveness / Lean Behaviors
Improved Returns Management / Reverse Logistics Policies
Improved Direct Store Delivery Processes
Employed More Fuel-Ef?cient Transport
Leveraged a Multi-Vendor Consolidator
Rationalized or Decreased the Number of SKUs
Improved Pallet Distribution and Reclamation Process
Transitioned from Direct Store Delivery to Customer
Warehouse Delivery
Renegotiated Rates for Logistics Services
Implemented or Improved Logistics-Related Information
Technology Tools or Enablers
86%
70%
79%
72%
77%
73%
73%
71%
72%
68%
71%
74%
70%
59%
68%
75%
67%
65%
65%
52%
60%
68%
57%
71%
53%
61%
50%
62%
48%
51%
46%
56%
44%
64%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
37
This study has consistently found that trust issues
impede the progress of 3PLs and shippers toward
more strategic and collaborative relationships,
and that phenomenon could be at work here.
3PLs have the responsibility to demonstrate
their capability to take on a more strategic role
and convince users to accept them as strategic
partners. In the 2009 Third-Party Logistics Study’s
chapter on Supply Chain Orchestration, 38% of
shipper respondents said 3PLs lack the business
expertise that would coax them to increase
outsourcing to 3PLs. Both sides have to be ready.
As a retailer involved with both fast-moving consumer
goods companies and 3PLs put it, “Shippers
outsource what they cannot do well – i.e., their
problems. They want the 3PL to make the problems
go away. To the extent the problem requires skills,
assets and technology that the shipper does not
have, the relationship can work. But to the extent
the problem is an underlying economic or market
condition, the problem is still there, but less
immediate to the shipper via the outsourcing.”
FMCG AND TOTAL LANDED COST
Fast-moving consumer goods shipper respondents
are slightly more likely than the overall 3PL
survey respondent base to use total landed cost
calculation extensively in their businesses. As with
the overall population, these users most often
use spreadsheets for total landed cost calculation,
followed by internally developed tools.
However, among those who use TLC minimally or do not
use TLC calculation at all, their reasons for not doing
so differ. While just 31% of minimal/non-users from the
overall respondent base do not do so due to a lack of
sufficient time for analysis, 61% of fast-moving consumer
goods shipper respondents cite this, the biggest reason
for non-use, perhaps reflecting the high-velocity nature
of this vertical, where decisions must be made within a
shorter period of time than spreadsheet-based analysis
would permit. Lack of available data is the largest
obstacle for overall users, a problem experienced equally
by fast-moving consumer goods shipper respondents.
TRANSPORTATION AND WAREHOUSE SHARING
Some shippers are sharing transportation and warehouse
capacity to reduce logistics costs and improve sustainabil-
ity. Figure 22 illustrates the various types of sharing
initiatives and frequency of use.
Warehouse sharing is the most commonly used strategy,
with 28% of fast-moving consumer goods shipper
respondents engaging in this practice with supply chain
partners, 26% doing so with other FMCG companies,
FIGURE 22
Many FMCG Shipper Respondents are Undertaking Transportation or
Warehouse Sharing
? With Supply Chain Partners
Primary Shipping (Long Haul)
? With Other FMCG Companies ? With Non-Competing Users
Supply Chain Scorecarding
Secondary Shipping (Freight to Customer)
Warehouse Sharing
Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment
Multimodal Shipping
28% 26% 19%
26% 17% 12%
26% 24% 12%
19% 12% 12%
38% 6% 4%
39% 9% 9%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
38
and 19% with non-competing shippers. Some of
this sharing, however, may be attributable to the use
of 3PLs who maximize their assets by maintaining
multiple customers’ inventory in one facility, rather
than an arrangement made at the shippers’ direction.
One retailer notes that the organization’s 3PL selection for
outsourced distribution operations did consider the 3PLs’
other customers as a potential benefit. However, “To the
extent that cost savings were the result of sharing resources
managed through a 3PL, we would expect that the 3PL
would prefer not to fully share that information, as the
leverage of shared resources is part of their profit model.”
Shipping is also a popular place for resource-
sharing. Secondary shipping (freight to customer)
is the most widely used, and the most likely to be
undertaken with another fast-moving consumer
goods company. Primary shipping (long haul) is
slightly less used, followed by multi-modal shipping.
“We collaborate on transportation with other, but
non-competitive, food and beverage manufacturers
-- not commingling, but sharing lanes,” says one FMCG
manufacturer. “It seems to work for us and for those
participating.” However, the company has resisted others’
overtures to share warehouse space. “We feel it adds
more touches (and cost) to the supply chain,” he adds.
About half those shippers and 3PLs who have a
transportation or warehouse sharing arrangement
work with a 4PL to carry out the arrangement.
While two-thirds of those involved with warehouse
transportation sharing initiatives have recognized
cost savings, the level of savings has been limited
(52% are less than 5%), 13% saw no savings, and
21% do not know the savings. This would suggest
that KPIs need to be improved or supplemented
to capture results from this type of initiative. KPIs
used in the past to measure the supply chain are not
necessarily the ones that will bring success in the
future. Figure 23 reveals a breakdown in the level of
savings experienced by those fast-moving consumer
goods shipper respondents that saw a savings.
FAST-MOVING CONSUMER GOODS:
KEY TAKEAWAYS
? The high-volume, low-margin fast-moving
consumer goods manufacturer must become
more demand-driven to serve a less loyal, more
cautious post-recession shopper whenever and
wherever they are motivated to buy. Those
pressures are putting perfect order fulfillment
(87%), rapidly sensing and responding to changes
in consumer demand (83%), and shortening
new product time-to-market and supply chain
integration (81%) at the top of their list of supply
chain priorities alongside reducing logistics costs.
Fast-moving consumer goods manufacturers
and the 3PLs that serve them are closely aligned
in ranking top concerns, reflecting 3PLs’ solid
understanding of their customers’ businesses.
? But they have some diverging views on the role 3PLs
can play in helping shippers address these concerns.
Shippers want 3PLs to help improve shipment
density/load utilization, reduce logistics costs and
establish a supply chain disruption/mitigation
strategy, but they consider them less often for goals
such as shortening new product time-to-market and
supply chain integration. Shippers are also involving
3PLs in cost-reduction strategies less often than one
might expect, with the biggest gaps in improved
forecasting and inventory capabilities, rationalizing
SKUs and redesigning the supply chain network.
3PLs see their role as much larger in these and
other services. The trust issues that have consistently
slowed the evolution of shipper-3PL relationships
may be a factor in these gaps. Some shippers have
tested sharing warehousing and transportation
as a green and cost reduction strategy, with
most reporting savings of less than 5%.
FIGURE 23
More Than Half the Savings
Levels Experienced through
Sharing Are Under 5%
7 to 10%
14%
More Than 10%
14%
Less Than 1%
6%
1 to 3%
16%
3 to 5%
36%
5 to 7%
14%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
39
40
For the last nine years the Annual 3PL Study has
documented a gap between the importance shippers
place on 3PLs’ IT capabilities and their satisfaction with
those capabilities, known as the IT Capability Gap.
Ironically, as that gap shows signs of narrowing, another
is emerging. The inclusion of 3PLs in the survey group
beginning with the 2009 3PL Study revealed a disparity
between how shippers and 3PLs view 3PLs’ ability to
deliver innovation. Is there an Innovation Gap?
Evidence of 3PLs’ more positive perception of their
performance is found throughout this report. Most
notably, 68% of shipper respondents, versus 95% of
3PLs, indicate that 3PLs provide shippers with new
and innovative ways to improve logistics effectiveness.
This thought has frequently been expressed by
shippers participating in workshops for the Annual
3PL Study, who want 3PLs to draw from their
experiences within their own and other industries
to offer new ideas. Budgetary restrictions resulting
from the economic crisis may also be dampening
some shippers’ and 3PLs’ capacity for innovation.
But 3PLs see another side to this story: roadblocks
erected by shippers that inhibit innovation. For
example, in considering collaborating on total landed
cost calculation, 58% of 3PLs respondents report that
shippers are hesitant to share the required information
with them. Shippers’ reticence to share strategy and
data is a consistent finding in the annual 3PL studies;
for example in the 2007 12th Annual Third-Party
Logistics Study, in a chapter on Collaboration, some
shippers reported feeling uncomfortable trusting
the 3PL with maintaining the customer relationship
or making sure there is enough inventory in stock,
either of which can directly impact revenue. This was
despite the fact that shipper respondents to that study
ranked inventory management and customer order
management as the business processes that would
most benefit from improved collaboration with 3PLs.
Insight into shippers’ strategies enables 3PLs to
leverage best practices and industry knowledge from
their own and other industries. As with the IT gap,
both sides must be open to change: 3PLs have to
ask the right questions to probe for what the client
needs and then offer innovation. Customers must
be willing to share enough information to make this
possible and worthwhile for the 3PL to pursue.
How long can 3PLs and shippers afford to neglect the impor-
tance of driving innovation to stay competitive in the future?
RETROSPECTIVE ON 3PL ROLE
The title of the CSCMP’s 21st Annual State of Logistics
Report sums up the dismal conditions of 2009 quite
clearly: The Great Freight Recession. In the 2009 3PL
Study, a major theme was the role 3PLs may be able
to help shippers play in an environment of significant
economic instability and volatility. Now that things
appear to be improving, the question arises: did
the 3PLs actually play a substantial role in helping
shippers throughout these turbulent times?
In the 2009 3PL Study, the strategies shipper
respondents said they would use in response to
economic volatility that would increase their use
of 3PLs included:
? Reducing operating costs because 3PLs have
more scale in operations or sourcing and/
or better processes and/or technology.
STRATEGIC
ASSESSMENT
Economic and Trust Issues Challenge 3PLs’ Forward Momentum
41
? Restructuring supply chain networks – 3PLs have
the tools to help design new networks and can
provide operating assets (DC and transportation
capacity) to make it happen. Leveraging 3PL
assets under a transactional fee structure can
reduce risk by converting fixed costs to variable.
? Reducing order to cash cycle time; our findings sup-
port the opinion that 3PLs do help reduce cycle time.
? Expanding to new markets or helping to support the
launch of new products.
Shippers also suggested that 3PLs could help them
by increasing resource-sharing among customers,
setting mutual supply chain optimization targets,
offering flexible service menus based on delivery
date requirements, and proactively communicating
suggestions for improvement.
The discussion of the Innovation Gap above is evi-
dence this last point has not succeeded to the extent
expected by shippers.
But if 65% of shipper respondents have increased
outsourcing, and if overall spending on 3PLs as
a percent of total logistics expenditures is down,
perhaps the strategies referenced above were not
only enacted, but succeeded in reducing costs.
In addition, shipper satisfaction levels remained
consistent, as did metrics documenting improvements
in costs, cycle times and fill rates resulting from
3PL services. In fact, 60% of shipper respondents
report that their use of 3PLs has led to year-over-year
incremental benefits. Something clearly worked well.
What are the lessons learned that will help 3PLs and shippers
work together to weather future economic volatility?
The lack of innovative solutions provided by 3PLs
indicate that there is still a substantial improvement
potential for 3PLs to help shippers by delivering
pro-active solutions for continuous improvement of
logistic efficiency.
THE CIRCLE OF STRIFE
A related question might be, what lessons apply as
the global economy emerges from recession? One
of the hardest-hit segments in the logistics sector
was asset-holders: those companies that own the
trucks, ships, warehouses and other real property
essential to the efficient functioning of supply chains.
Most 3PLs are non-asset owning, and contract with
these asset-owning companies to provide services
to their customers. During the recent period of
economic volatility, when business volumes in many
parts of the world were adversely impacted, these
asset-based companies responded to decreases in
demand by idling assets and reducing rates.
Now that things are improving, the asset-owning
companies are in a better position than they had
been recently, and are now beginning to call the
shots again. Is this simply the circle of strife – a
cycle the industry is stuck with? Or do the economic
realities we see today require all parties to step
back and find a way to remove the uncertainty and
waste? Already, transportation rates are creeping
up in some sectors, and are increasing significantly
in areas such as international air and ocean. There
are signs that shippers are starting to feel the shift,
and are seeking strategies to mitigate their supply
chain risk, which grows with rising rates, tightening
capacity and a smaller number of surviving asset
holders still in operation as a result of consolidation.
As reported on page 38, some fast-moving consumer
goods shippers have begun sharing transportation
and warehouse capacity to reduce logistics costs and
improve sustainability – steps which also help contain
their risk, especially if these shippers are using their
own assets to do so. In mid-2010, retail publication
RIS News was already sounding a warning to retailers
to make themselves more attractive transportation
customers by increasing capacity utilization, tapping
carriers’ backhaul routes, helping carriers fill empty
trucks and improving communication with carriers,
to survive the upcoming Christmas season.
As explored in the Current State of the 3PL Market
chapter, 3PLs are already seeing some shippers becoming
more involved in insourcing certain logistics activities
and/or consolidating the number of 3PLs they use.
Taking the cost-saving measure of consolidation one step
further, the question is: Will shippers also take the
initiative to form communities to achieve horizontal
collaboration, or will 3PLs/4PLs step in and take the lead?
There are opportunities for both asset-owning and
asset-light suppliers to offer shippers alternative
solutions to reduce additional costs caused by the
global economy’s circle of strife. In addition, shippers
and 3PLs should spend more time discussing alterna-
tive sourcing and shipping opportunities to lower the
risk exposure and costs caused by uncertainty.
When will asset-light 3PLs and shippers start working
together to strategically mitigate the supply chain risks
(rising rates, tightening capacity) by developing alternative
shipping opportunities?
42
3PL VALUE-ADDS
3PLs seeking to respond to shippers’ calls for
increased 3PL innovation will find several high
value-add opportunities, both general and industry-
specific, in the pages of the 2010 3PL Study.
For 3PLs serving life sciences, two evolving regulatory
areas are driving the need for data management:
e-pedigree and, potentially, temperature tracking.
A database recording movement of drugs, required
to comply with emerging e-pedigree regulations,
will have to reside somewhere. If not within the
government, then 3PLs, as the glue that ties together
many stages of the supply chain, are well-positioned
to operate as e-pedigree clearinghouses. As noted
in the Life Sciences chapter, 87% of those surveyed
indicate that 3PLs can add significant value by linking
all parties that interact in the life sciences ecosystem.
3PLs can serve a similar role for industries requiring
temperature tracking, particularly if speculation
proves true and tracking becomes a requirement even
down to the individual package level. For example,
a 3PL could potentially track a package containing a
temperature-sensitive drug all the way to a physician’s
office and then provide support for office personnel
to upload temperature monitor data to a 3PL-
maintained web site. The 3PL could then provide an
alert to the drug’s manufacturer or distributor, who
would review in-transit temperature data to confirm
whether or not the drug is safe to use. The 3PL would
then advise the physician’s office accordingly via an
e-mail, or even a phone call if there is a serious issue.
The resource-sharing explored in the chapter on
Fast-Moving Consumer Goods suggests another
3PL value-add opportunity. As coordinator of
multiple transportation modes and warehouse
assets, 3PLs are well positioned to help merge
shipments across multiple companies, even
leveraging the transportation assets owned by those
companies (e.g., trucks, air, ocean, rail, etc.).
As the responsible party for many supply chain
components, 3PLs are similarly well positioned to
provide Total Landed Cost calculation as a service,
particularly if indicators of improving 3PL IT
capabilities are correct.
Will 3PLs seize these innovation opportunities to drive both
revenue and enhanced customer relationships? And if they do,
will shippers embrace these innovations?
KEYS TO FUTURE SUCCESS
FOR 3PLS AND SHIPPERS
As discussed earlier in this chapter, the presence
of innovation in 3PL-shipper relationships will be
a major factor in the success of those relationships.
Allowing for the fact that a certain portion of
the shipper community will always choose to
retain the most strategic aspects of supply chain
operations and then tactically use 3PLs to help
accomplish the desired objectives, there will also
be a large element of the shipping community
that will rely on 3PLs for innovation in the
design and execution of those same services.
The future growth and development of the 3PL
sector will be highly dependent on the ability of
the providers to work effectively with their shipper-
customers to conceptualize and implement innovative
solutions to logistics and supply chain problems. Key
to the relationship between shipper and 3PL are:
? The trust required to meet agreed-upon quality
standards, for example, in service level agreements.
? Willingness to share the information essential
to developing a supply chain strategy and for
understanding how total landed cost can be
improved to optimize the supply chain.
The total landed cost calculations as illustrated on
page 15 are very powerful, but shippers continue to
underestimate their power in helping to evaluate
supply chain costs and return on investment, for
example, when entering emerging markets. But to
the extent that either shippers or 3PLs continue to
withhold information of a strategic of operational
nature from each other, the full benefit of total
landed cost calculation will remain unrealized.
Only when both parties commit themselves to work
together effectively, will the power of a meaningful
3PL-shipper relationship become a reality.
Are shippers and 3PLs willing to commit to the more open
information and strategy-sharing essential to advance the
value of their relationships?
43
This report presents findings from the
2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study,
which was conducted in mid-2010.
With this report, the Annual Third-Party Logistics
Study observes its 15th year in documenting
the growth and evolution of the third-party
logistics (3PL) industry. The study has evolved
and expanded over its tenure, with questions
modified, added and deleted and topics and
formats changing to reflect current times. That
continues with this report, which marks the second
year that the study has included the viewpoints
of both shippers and providers of 3PL services.
The 2010 3PL Study includes four streams of research:
a web-based survey, desk research, focus interviews
with industry experts and a facilitated shipper
workshop. Respondents represent a broad range
of industries and are predominantly from North
America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America,
in addition to other locations throughout the
world such as South Africa and the Middle East.
This broad array of perspectives and research
streams provides a well-rounded, diverse sampling
of attitudes, trends and results experienced by
3PL users, non-users and 3PL providers.
2010 STUDY OBJECTIVE
Discovering and exploring 3PL industry trends, issues,
and opportunities is the overall objective of the 2010
Third-Party Logistics Study. Considering the global
economic uncertainty that has prevailed recently,
the 2010 study also provides some perspectives
on what shippers and 3PLs are doing to improve
and enhance their businesses and their business
relationships to cope with these conditions.
Each year, the study results as well as greater industry
and global economic developments suggest trends
that warrant closer examination. Included in the
2010 study are special topic reports on total landed
cost, life sciences and fast-moving consumer goods.
Goals for each portion of the study include:
Current State of the 3PL Market
? Understand what shippers outsource
and what 3PL providers offer.
? Identify trends in shipper expenditures
for 3PL services and recognize key
shipper and 3PL perspectives on the use
and provision of logistics services.
? Update our knowledge of 3PL-shipper
relationships, and to learn how both types of
organizations are using these relationships
to improve and enhance their businesses.
? Quantify the benefits reported by shippers
that are attributed to the use of 3PLs.
? Examine why companies outsource or elect
not to outsource to 3PL providers.
ABOUTtheSTUDY
44
Special Topics
? Examine key issues that are of relevance to
relationships between shippers and 3PLs, including
an in-depth look into the topic of total landed cost.
? Conduct in-depth analyses of two key industry
verticals, life sciences and fast-moving consumer
goods, to identify key issues relating to shippers
and their 3PLs and how they work together to
achieve individual and mutual objectives.
Strategic Assessment
? Based on the results and findings of the 2010 3PL
Study, to provide an introspective view of the future
of the 3PL industry and shipper-3PL relationships.
2010 STUDY METHODOLOGY
Evolving economic conditions, rapidly changing
global and industry dynamics and the maturing of
the industry suggest the capabilities and uses of 3PLs
have evolved considerably over the fifteen years of
this study. To assess these changes, the study team
uses four complementary channels of research.
Web-Based Survey
During the spring and summer of 2010, a web-based
survey was sent to logistics and supply chain executives
in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin
America, as well as other regions and geographies
of the world. In addition to shippers, surveys were
sent to executives from companies providing 3PL
services in order to gain their perspectives on many
of the issues and topics included in the user survey.
Capgemini’s Strategic Research Group assisted with
web-based survey implementation and results analysis.
Executives were contacted by email. Those willing
to participate were asked to click an Internet link
that led them to an on-line survey. The survey
was available in English, Spanish, Portuguese,
French and German. To ensure confidentiality
and objectivity, 3PL users were not asked to
name which specific 3PL providers they used.
The contact database of logistics and supply chain
executives represented a wide range of industries,
including automotive, chemical, construction
building, consumer products, food and beverage,
high-tech and electronics, industrial manufacturing/
defense industry, life sciences and healthcare,
retail, telecommunications, and 3PL/4PL.
Survey recipients were asked to think of a “third-
party logistics (3PL) provider” as a company
that provides one or more logistics services for
its clients and customers and a “fourth-party
logistics (4PL) provider” as one that may manage
multiple logistics providers or orchestrate
broader aspects of a customer’s supply chain.
3PL Users: Figure 24 indicates the survey responses
received from logistics and supply chain executives
(shippers) in various regions of the world. These totals
reflect the numbers of users and non-users of 3PL/4PL
services who responded to the web-based survey.
Figures 25 and 26 on page 46 provide information
on the industry and revenue levels of the respondents
who identified themselves as users of 3PL/4PL services.
Most of the 3PL/4PL user survey respondents held
corporate positions including Manager/Director,
VP/SVP, and Corporate Officer/President/CEO.
North America (446) 40%
Europe (297) 26%
Asia-Paci?c (194) 17%
Latin America (139) 12%
Others (57) 5%
FIGURE 24
Shipper Respondents Represented Several Major Geographies
(Users and Non-users of Outsourced Logistics Services)
45
3PL Non-Users: Included in the totals shown in
Figure 24 are 421 non-users of 3PL services who
provided us with perspectives on why they do not
currently use 3PLs, and on a number of other
topics relevant to their classification as non-users.
3PL Providers: Responses were received from 746
executives and managers representing the provider
side of the 3PL business. General characteristics
of these respondents included: 1) a wide spread
of operating geographies; 2) an extensive list of
industries served (actually quite similar to the
industries represented by the participating 3PL
users); 3) a range of titles, from managers to
Presidents/CEOs; 4) approximately 35% of the 3PL
firms expected 2010 company revenues in excess
of US $1 billion (approximately €750 million),
while about 56% reported revenues of less than
US $500 million (approximately €350 million).
Desk Research
The research team, with the support of Capgemini’s
Strategic Research Group, assayed a variety of
published research related to the special topics to
create survey questions and analyze the responses.
Focus Interviews
The study team conducted a significant number
of “focus interviews” with industry observers and
experts, primarily relating to the examination
of the special topics that were identified for
this year. These focus interviews provided
exceptionally valuable opportunities to gather
pertinent information and perspectives from a
wide range of professionals who have knowledge
about the 3PL sector and the special topics.
Facilitated Workshop
We conducted a brainstorming workshop at the
eyefortransport 8th 3PL Summit and Chief Supply
Chain Officer Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, where
participants, all shippers, collaborated on shared issues
to help us better understand the results of the survey
and to gain their valuable perspective as 3PL users.
FIGURE 25
Eight Industries Represent About Two-Thirds of Shipper Respondents
Other
14%
Additional
Industries
18%
Chemical
6%
Retail
6%
Industrial Manufacturing
8%
Life Sciences, Pharma & Healthcare
8%
Food &
Beverage
9%
Automotive & Transport Equipment
9%
Consumer
Products
10%
High-Tech &
Electronics
12%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
46
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
In addition to this publication, the results of the
2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study will be
presented in a variety of venues. These may include:
? Presentations at influential industry conferences
such as the Council of Supply Chain Management
Professionals (CSCMP), eyefortransport 3PL
Summit and Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum,
Transplace Shipper Symposium, International
Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA)
National Conference, and NASSTRAC.
? Analyst briefings that are typically conducted
in the weeks following release of the annual
study results in September of each year.
? Magazine and journal articles in publications
such as Supply Chain Management Review,
Logistics Management, Inbound Logistics, Logistics
Quarterly, and Supply Chain Quarterly.
? Webcasts conducted with media and
publications such as Supply Chain Management
Review, Logistics Management, and others.
? A web site, www.3PLstudy.com, which
includes copies of the report for download
as well as supplementary materials.
FIGURE 26
Just Over Half of Shipper Respondents Anticipated 2010 Sales Over
US$1 Billion (€750 Million)
? Less Than US$500 Million /
€375 Million
? US$500 Million – Less Than US$1 Billion /
€375 Million – Less Than €750 Million
? US$1 Billion – Less Than US$25 Billion /
€750 Million – Less Than €20 Billion
? US$25 Billion or More /
€20 Billion or More
All Regions North America Europe Asia Paci?c Latin America
20%
17%
21%
26%
15%
34%
15%
30%
45%
16%
23%
35%
14%
30%
28%
18%
28%
52%
15%
18%
Source: 2010 15th Annual Third-Party Logistics Study
47
ABOUT CAPGEMINI
Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of
consulting, technology and outsourcing services, enables
its clients to transform and perform through technolo-
gies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and
capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior
results through a unique way of working, the Collaborative
Business Experience
TM
. The Group relies on its global
delivery model called Rightshore
®
, which aims to get the
right balance of the best talent from multiple locations,
working as one team to create and deliver the optimum
solution for clients. Present in more than 30 countries,
Capgemini reported 2009 global revenues of EUR 8.4
billion and employs 95,000 people worldwide.
More information is available at www.capgemini.com.
Capgemini Consulting is the strategy and transformation
consulting division of the Capgemini Group, with a team
of some 4,000 consultants worldwide. Leveraging its deep
sector and business capabilities, Capgemini Consulting
advises and supports organizations in transforming their
business, from strategy through to execution. Working
side by side with its clients, Capgemini Consulting crafts
innovative strategies and transformation roadmaps to
deliver sustainable performance improvement.
For more information, please visit
www.capgemini.com/consulting.
ABOUTtheSPONSORS
ABOUT THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
The Georgia Institute of Technology, located in
Atlanta, is a leader in supply chain and logistics
education. Through its School of Industrial and
Systems Engineering (ISyE) and the Supply Chain and
Logistics Institute (SCL), Georgia Tech is committed
to serving logistics educational needs through its
degree programs and its comprehensive professional
education program. Georgia Tech also conducts a fully
accredited Executive Masters in International Logistics
and Supply Chain Strategy (EMIL -SCS) program,
a Supply Chain Executive Forum and a Leaders in
Logistics Research Program. Soon to commence will
be the Georgia Tech M.S. Degree in Supply Chain
Engineering. Global involvement is facilitated through
The Logistics Institute Asia Pacific, a program in
partnership with the National University of Singapore,
and the SCL’s recently developed network of Logistics
Innovation Centers in Latin America helping countries
to improve logistics performance and facilitate trade.
SCL currently has centers in Costa Rica and Panama,
and is developing plans for Mexico, Chile and Brazil.
For more information, please visit
www.isye.gatech.edu and www.scl.gatech.edu.
48
THE PANALPINA GROUP
The Panalpina Group is one of the world’s leading
suppliers of forwarding and logistics services, special-
izing in end-to-end supply chain management solu-
tions and intercontinental air freight and ocean freight
shipments. Thanks to its in-depth industry know-how
and state-of-the-art IT systems, Panalpina provides
globally integrated door-to door services tailored to its
customers’ individual needs. The Panalpina Group
operates a close-knit network with some 500 branches
in over 80 countries. In a further 80 countries, it
cooperates closely with partner companies. Panalpina
employs over 14,000 people worldwide.
Panalpina has extensive experience with customers
in many key industries. With dedicated experts in key
global markets, Panalpina has the people, products,
skills and capabilities to meet the demanding needs of
its global customers.
Panalpina’s business is Global Supply Chain Manage-
ment. Panalpina delivers compelling solutions that
provide value to all customers - every time.
Panalpina has a passion for solutions.
For more information please visit www.panalpina.com.
EYEFORTRANSPORT
Established in 1998, eyefortransport has become
one of the leading providers of business intelligence,
independent research, news and executive level
events for the supply chain & logistics industries.
eyefortransport has two primary focuses.
1) To provide executive networking opportunities in
the supply chain & logistics industries via the more
than 15 events we annually organize and host in North
America, Europe and Asia and online via the tens of
thousands of users of www.eft.com. The events are
designed to complement and enhance the business
connections available through our online network,
and bring together the industry elite. Regularly
attended by CEOs and senior management from the
transport and logistics industry and Heads of Supply
Chain of major companies, the events focus on current
developments and latest trends, and are enhanced
by high-level, exclusive networking opportunities.
2) To deliver industry education through dozens
of industry reports, surveys, newsletters, webinars
and senior-level presentations at leading events.
For the list of current research, news and
conferences we produce please visit www.eft.com.
49
CREDITS
The 15th Annual 3PL Study team would also like to thank all of the
companies and individuals who shared their experiences and insights
with us through focus interviews and the workshop at eyefortransport.
Your contributions are invaluable to the analysis of the survey results
and the ideas expressed in this report.
Lucas Kuehner Panalpina Inc.
Dr. John Langley Georgia Institute of Technology
Brandi Lee ConocoPhillips
Dr. Thomas Lenhard Sanofi-Aventis
Josh Lippy Rail Inc
Ludovic Menedeme Baxter World Trade SA
Jim Morton Capgemini Consulting
Robert Müller Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics
Ronan O’Donovan IBM
Katharine O’Reilly eyefortransport
Jian Qun (JQ) Ong NA Strategic Research Group
Greger Ottosson IBM / LogicNet Plus
Monika Ribar Panalpina Management Ltd.
Lauren Rodriguez Capgemini Consulting
Chris Saynor eyefortransport
Gregg Schweir Whirlpool
Michael Stolarczyk Kontane Logistics
Mick Sutherland CSL Behring
Mitchel Syp Panalpina Inc.
Lisa Terry Lisa Terry Editorial Services
Corne van Raak Abbott Logistics B.V.
Ronald van Zitteren UCB Pharma
Ramon Veldhuijzen Capgemini Consulting
Frits Voortman FrieslandCampina
David Watson Capgemini Consulting
Dennis Wereldsma Capgemini Consulting
Karl Weyneth Panalpina Management Ltd.
Nicholas Wyss Panalpina Management Ltd.
George Yarusavage Fortress Consulting LLC
McKinley Addy, P.E. AdTra, Inc.
Dan Albright Capgemini Consulting
Michael Alf Capgemini
Lee Beard Coca-Cola Supply
Tina Boetsch, Ph.D. Panalpina Management Ltd.
Kathleen Booker Random House
Gokhan Cakmak Oriflame Cosmetics
Dr. Chris Calpice MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics
Dale Carpenter Strive Logistics LLC
Mike Challman Exel, Inc
Sameer Choudhary NA Strategic Research Group
Jack Crumbly Tuskegee University
Ben Cubitt Rock-Tenn Company
Robert Donner BlueLinx
Jerry Elvrum Cintas
Pascal Gielen Phillips
Richard Gorbut Whirlpool
Brad Grimsley Limited Brands Logistics Services
Richard Groenenboom F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
Patrick Gueth Panalpina Welttransport GmbH
Jim Hay Capgemini
Kevin Hickman CSL Behring
Chuck Hieronymi Rail Inc
Sven Hoemmken Panalpina Management Ltd.
Mark Holifield The Home Depot
Paul Holton Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors
Erin Johansson Oracle Corporation
Alice Johnson Lifeway Christian Resources
Ken Kristof ConocoPhillips
The authors of the study would like to thank eyefortransport; the
Shanghai Logistician Club (SHLC); the Hungarian Association of
Logistics; the Latin America Logistics Center (LALC); EVO, the Dutch
Shippers’ Council; The Logistics Institute-Asia Pacific (TLI-AP); and
National Shippers Strategic Transportation Council (NASSTRAC) for
serving as supporting organizations for this 15th Annual Third-Party
Logistics Study. Under the guidance of Executive Director Maria F. Rey,
the LALC provided contact information for Latin American executives,
and also translated the entire survey into Spanish and Portuguese.
Lead Writer: Lisa Terry
The study team expresses its appreciation to Jim Morton of Capgemini
Consulting for his diligent and helpful work as a member of the project
team and coordinator of this year’s study.
The study team also thanks the North America Strategic Research Group
(NA SRG) for their work in support of the study. The North America SRG
performs strategic research and analysis to support Capgemini’s sales
and delivery teams, business development and thought leadership.
50
10%
Cert no. SW-COC-002945
Disclaimer:
The information contained herein is general in nature and is not
intended as, and should not be construed as, professional advice or
opinion provided by the sponsors (Capgemini, the Georgia Institute
of Technology, Panalpina and eyefortransport) to the reader.
While every effort has been made to offer current and accurate
information, errors can occur. This information is provided as is, with
no guaranty of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness, and without
warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including any warranty
of performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose.
In addition, changes may be made in this information from time to
time without notice to the user. The reader also is cautioned that
this material may not be applicable to, or suitable for, the reader’s
specific circumstances or needs, and may require consideration of
additional factors if any action is to be contemplated. The reader
should contact a professional prior to taking any action based upon
this information. The sponsors assume no obligation to inform
the reader of any changes in law, business environment, or other
factors that could affect the information contained herein.
For additional copies of this publication or for more information
about the study, please contact any of the following:
C. John Langley Jr., Ph.D.
Professor of Supply Chain Management
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
T: +1 404 894 6523
[email protected]
Dan Albright
Vice President
Capgemini Consulting
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
T: +1 404 806 2169
[email protected]
Jim Morton
Managing Consultant
Capgemini Consulting
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
T: +1 404 806 5057
[email protected]
Dennis Wereldsma
Global Distribution Sector Leader
Capgemini Nederland B.V.
Utrecht, the Netherlands
T: +31 30 689 6076
[email protected]
Michael Alf
Vice President, Head of Sales Asia Pacific
Capgemini Australia Pty Limited
Melbourne, Australia
T: +61 3 9613 3378
[email protected]
Sven Hoemmken
Senior Vice President
Global Head of Sales
Panalpina Management Ltd.
Basel, Switzerland
T: +41 61 226 1111
[email protected]
Tina Boetsch, Ph.D.
Senior Manager
Corporate Supply Chain Manager Development
Panalpina Management Ltd.
Basel, Switzerland
T: +41 61 226 1111
[email protected]
Nicholas Wyss
Senior Vice President
Global Head of Industry Vertical Retail & Fashion
Panalpina Management Ltd.
Basel, Switzerland
T: +41 61 226 1111
[email protected]
Patrick Gueth
Vice President
Corporate IV Manager Healthcare & Chemicals
Europe, Middle East, Africa and CIS
Panalpina Welttransport GmbH
Frankfurt, Germany
T: +49 6105 937 0
[email protected]
Chris Saynor
CEO, eyefortransport
T: 1800 814 3459 ext 7529 (from USA)
T: 1866 996 1235 ext 7529 (from Canada)
T: +44 20 7375 7529 (from Rest of the World)
[email protected]
Katharine O’Reilly
Senior Vice President - Research
eyefortransport
T: +44 (0)20 73757207 / 1800 814 3459 ext 7207
[email protected]

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