3PL Sector Sees Some Consolidation

| Mike O'Brien

If any sector was ever ripe for consolidation, it’s third-party logistics (3PL), with literally thousands of companies plying their trade, looking to help retail shippers outsource fulfillment, storage, shipping and other operational aspects. Well, 2022 got us at least part of the way there. Here are some of the deals that got done.

The Supply Chain Continues to Be the Story

| Mike O'Brien

In 2020, every consumer who had been the beneficiary of a mysterious apparatus called the supply chain to magically whisk goods to their door suddenly became aware it existed. In 2022, supply chain doings still dominated headlines as shippers, carriers and suppliers continued to grapple with myriad issues.

USPS, Under Pressure, Upgrades EV Plan

| Mike O'Brien

The U.S. Postal Service today announced a major upgrade to its planned rollout of electric vehicles to replace its aging delivery fleet, saying the USPS will purchase only EVs after 2026, as the agency bows to significant pressure from Washington and the states to expand and speed up its changeover.

Warehouse Space Demand Will Shrink in 2023

| Mike O'Brien

Demand for warehouse space will decrease in 2023, experts predicted, but companies will still be looking to fill in network gaps opportunistically, while continuing to move sourcing and inventory closer to domestic customers to hedge against supply chain shocks. Consolidation of the 3PL sector is expected to continue.