Recent Events Make Third Party Logistics More Crucial Than Ever

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could wake up every morning knowing that your warehouse and shipping requirements and operations were going to be similar to what they were yesterday?  

Even if challenges to normal transportation and warehousing services don’t actually pop up every day, just the fact that you can relate to a scenario of daily disruption speaks volumes.

From digital transformation to global competition, just about every business faces regular disruption. But if you are a manufacturer and/or shipper of goods, recent events mean you face as much disruption as any business.

3 Reasons Why Third-Party Logistics is More Crucial Than Ever

These are just a few of the major disruptions manufacturers and shippers have faced recently. Disruptions that show no signs of going away soon. Disruptions that third-party logistics companies (3PLs) can help you manage. 

1. The Weather
   Climate change aside, there’s no denying the increase in calamitous weather events in recent years. In 2020 alone, two tropical storms formed in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time since 1933; wildfires raged in California and elsewhere; and high temperatures affected agricultural harvests in Europe. In-house transportation logistics can be strained to keep shipments, both incoming from your supply chain, and outgoing to your customers, on schedule. That means re-purposing your resources to meet the challenge. Unless you have a 3PL to do it for you.
2. Politics & Societal Issues
   Trade wars, import tariffs and the breakdown of international relations has affected the transportation of goods as much as anything. Protests and other civil unrest, including rail blockades, as righteous as they may be, are also an issue. Shippers need alternatives, they need them quickly and 3PLs can help.
3. Infectious Diseases
   Of the many critical lessons that the Coronavirus has taught us, one of the most eye-opening is how susceptible we all are to health issues and how deeply and quickly they can affect every aspect of our lives and businesses. In addition to facing “typical” labour issues, supply chain interruptions and sales downturns, your business may be forced to pivot on a dime for its survival. The fewer in-house logistics you need to pivot, the easier it is to accomplish. In this way, outsourcing to a 3PL can be a vital strategy.

To learn more about how a third-party logistics company can help your business, check out our article “Choosing the Right 3PL Warehousing Services for Your Business”.