We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » A wild ride ahead
Perspective

A wild ride ahead

September 13, 2018
David Maloney
No Comments

For most of the past decade, shippers have been in the driver's seat when it came to logistics. Rates were relatively flat, and there was a wide choice of modes and transportation providers to ship goods. Shippers had a clear road before them with lots of leverage in negotiating contracts with their carriers. While capacity was tight, it was manageable, as the United States was still in recovery mode following the Great Recession.

What once was fairly smooth travel for shippers has now changed to what the 29th Annual "State of Logistics Report" is calling a "Steep Grade Ahead." This exclusive report is issued by the Council of Supply Chain Professionals (CSCMP), authored by A.T. Kearney, and presented by Penske Logistics. It provides an in-depth view of the logistics industry within the United States and its impact on the overall economy. It outlines the key factors affecting the management of today's robust supply chains as well as their direct impacts on various industry segments, such as transportation (trucking, air, water, and rail), warehousing, and third-party logistics. The report also discusses new technologies that have the potential to alter the landscape before us.

Here are just a few of the numbers that reflect the sharp increases experienced this past year. The cost of logistics for U.S. business was 6.2 percent more in 2017 than in 2016. Logistics now accounts for a whopping US$1.5 trillion of the U.S. economy. E-commerce grew 15.5 percent to US$448.3 billion and now represents 9.1 percent of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). Following the expansion of the Panama Canal, East Coast ports saw their businesses grow by 7.9 percent.

All of these figures reflect a robust industry which, barring a major economic event, should continue to see growth and prosperity in nearly every aspect of the supply chain. In other words, there is a lot of the economic "pie" to go around.

And speaking of pie, this annual State of Logistics issue neatly slices the supply chain into digestible portions. In the pages that follow, you will see expert analyses of trucking, rail, ocean, air freight, inventory management, warehousing, third-party logistics, and technology.

Regardless of whether you are a shipper who needs to move goods, or a carrier providing those moves, we hope that the knowledge you gain in these pages will help create a smoother journey ahead.

  • Related Articles

    A wild ride

    Logistics of the COVID-19 vaccine: a lot left to work out

    Commentary: A suggestion for congestion

David maloney headshot
David Maloney is group editorial director of CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly.

Recent Articles by David Maloney

’Tis the season to be patient

Managing supply chains in a time of runaway inflation: interview with Paul Lord

Maintaining good maintenance practices

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Forecasts call for freight rate slumps in 2023

  • Projected U.S. recession in early 2023 will soften freight market

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

  • How to avoid the next crisis: A new approach to supply chain agility

  • New Jersey truck fleet says Freightliner tractors will deliver safety as well as freight

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing