Selecting 3PL Service Provider for Warehouse Management
Global business models are rapidly changing. Shorter life cycles of products and new business need exert pressure on Supply Chain managers to keep pace with the new scenarios. They are often faced with the target to reduce logistical costs and establish new supply networks.
It has now become a common practice to outsource all logistical activities to third party vendors both in procurement side of logistics as well as finished goods, spare parts and reverse logistics areas too.
Today the 3PL service providers market is filled with players of all sizes and competencies, from single owner driven local service provider to multi national companies. Most of the companies have traditionally been transporters or freight forwarders and over the years have acquired warehousing and contract management capabilities keeping in line with the growing needs.
Selecting a 3PL service provider to provide warehousing services needs careful considerations on the part of the SCM manager responsible for the decision. The right partner selection is important because you are handing over the companies assets to someone elses custody and secondly any performance hindrance can seriously affect the sales and revenues of the company in case of FG Supply chain or effect the plant production in case of Raw Material supplies.
Lastly the cost drivers play a major role in vendor selection for the project. An RFQ document should seek information on above criteria from the vendor, and the process of selection should be based on evaluation, demonstration coupled with site visits to vendors site to assess overall suitability.
Related Articles
- Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)
- Documentation in Supply Chain
- Warehouse Management System
- Selecting a 3PL Service Partner
- Internal Planning in Warehousing

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