Is the Logistics Industry Finally Catching Up?

There has been a lot of talk recently about the pace at which the Indian logistics sector is growing and the transformation it is undergoing. The sector has indeed metamorphosed from a insignificant past to a vibrant and swiftly evolving sector. The logistics sector in India has become a key enabler for economic growth over the last few years. And with the growth experienced by major industries such as automobile, pharmaceutical, retail and FMCG, among others the Indian economy is expected perform extremely well in the coming years. This is extremely good news for the logistics sector.

It is common knowledge that logistics has never been considered a sunshine industry and has never been in the limelight. It has hardly merited the due attention of the Government as compared to other industries. Infrastructure, unfavourable policies, lack of Governmental support and the general apathy of the sector towards its own development had bogged it down. Of course the situation differs from country to country, but nevertheless logistics remains the underdog. The growth rate being hardly worth a mention and with the cream of the educated employable in the country refusing to consider it as career prospect, logistics sector has relatively been in obscurity.

Within the logistics sector there has been a lot of churning and soul searching to undo the mistakes of the past and steer towards a better direction, one of growth and re-alignment to modern times. We see a new trend among many logistics companies, taking up the role of third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. This is because customers today look for solutions instead of just a service or a product and the logistics companies have come to realize the simple truth that they need to change if they wish to differentiate themselves from the crowd.

The cut-throat competition in the sector makes it essential for service providers to sharpen their competitive edges and prepare themselves for the challenges. This is precisely what many players have started doing and it is high time they did. Apart from restructuring their processes and sprucing up their operational capabilities logistics companies have turned their attention to innovation and technology.

Logistics companies have started introducing lots of innovation in their trade and are enhancing their expertise, in unprecedented proportions, to meet the challenges of the increasingly complex trade scenario. When it comes to use of technology customers in the supply chain today are much more evolved than the service providers. With customers looking for more advanced and technology driven solutions, service providers are also beginning to adopt smart and advanced technology solutions.

We can say that logistics is stepping out from and gloomy and bleak era to one of great promise and growth. It seems the sector is finally catching up with other industries in terms of growth and importance. The outcome depends on the how the companies uses the opportunities to catapult themselves ahead. The leaders from the sector also need to set an example for other companies to follow and emulate. If the logistics companies play their cards right they can very well catch up with the rest of the industries or maybe even surpass them.