3PLs Optimistic About Business

More than 60 percent of shippers, carriers and vendors in the third-party logistics provider business said they believed that the overall health of their businesses would be “better or much better” from now until the end of 2009, according to a survey taken at the 7th eyefortransport third-party logistics provider summit in Atlanta this week.

The survey, conducted by Transite Technology, was a random sample of the more than 300 attendees of the conference representing 3PLs, shippers, carriers, and vendors.

Other highlights of the survey include:
• 32 percent of respondents said they believed the health of today’s U.S. economy was “better” than at the end of last year. 29 percent said that they felt it was the “same.”
• 42 percent of respondents said that their overall business was currently performing “better or much better” than at the end of last year with 45 percent indicating that their current performance was the “same.”
• Of the 3PLs surveyed, 70 percent said that attracting new customers has been their top challenge over the last 12 months, followed by retaining existing customers and managing overall profitability.

The 3PL Summit drew CEOs and senior management from leading 3PLs, logistics executives and multinational shippers, to discuss best practices and promote greater collaboration throughout the transportation and logistics industry.