For many centuries, trade routes between Europe and major civilization centers in Asia have been bustling. Very early on, eager European consumers waited patiently for exotic food items, fabrics, gemstones and other luxury goods emanating from China and the Indian subcontinent. Brisk two-way trade later became well established and, in the 13th century, Marco Polo and his commercial peers further expanded trade along the legendary spice trails. A few hundred years later, the New World added yet another chapter to European trade history.
Container ships have supplanted caravans, and computers have replaced cardamom. Goods that transited for months over precipitous, treacherous trails or under sail now move in a matter of days via ocean and air.
However, certain trade essentials remain unchanged. European appetites for Oriental and Occidental goods continue unabated, and the world still looks to the European continent for leadership in manufacturing, fashion, and design.
In the accelerated environment of contemporary world trade, today's European shippers are turning increasingly to third-party logistics providers to facilitate and expedite their international transactions.
3PLs operating on the continent generally meet universal industry definitions as to their composition and function. The accepted description of a 3PL is a logistics entity that facilitates a transportation transaction but is not a primary beneficiary. Normally, they surpass the level of individual transactions to manage the larger transportation enterprise on behalf of the customer.
To read the full article on the 3PL sector in Europe, visit page 36 in the March 2009 edition of the Journal of Commerce.
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