Inbound Logistics | July 2025

2025 INBOUND LOGISTICS PERSPECTIVES: 3 PL MARKET RESEARCH REPORT BY TOM GRESHAM

ABOUT THE 3PL RESPONDENTS ASSET-BASED OR NON-ASSET BASED:

A mid policy shifts and are adopting and evolving to serve the changing needs of their clients. The 2025 Inbound Logistics 3PL Perspectives report highlights how recent adjustments are shaping 3PL services and operations, while also revealing shifts in the diverse shipper landscape they support. This year, which marks the 20th year of the report, we see some formerly trending topics such as sustainability and blockchain losing traction, while others—articial intelligence, of uncertainty, geopolitical volatility, and fast-rising new technology solutions, third- party logistics (3PL) providers course—gaining steam. It also shows that even as 3PLs point to the increased difculty of nding and retaining clients in the current climate, they are enjoying protability at a higher rate than one year ago. After you read the report, peruse our list of the 2025 Top 100 3PLs (page 74) to learn more about the leaders in the eld and the vital role that they play for shippers, helping to manage supply chains that grow more complex—and critical—with every passing year.

Both 57%

Non-asset 36%

Asset-based 7%

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE:

North America 41%

Global 35%

U.S. Only 24%

This year’s participating 3PL respondents report a total of more than $196 billion in gross sales in 2024 (though not all participants share sales numbers). That number is up $2 billion from last year, a relatively modest increase compared to the $21-billion uptick that was reflected in the 2023 survey. Nevertheless the data suggests that despite global friction, total revenues have increased from 2023. Of this year’s respondents, 57% of 3PLs oer both asset-based and non-asset based services, 36% define themselves as non-asset-based, and a mere 7% are asset-based only. Meanwhile, 41% focus their coverage on North America, 35% oer global coverage, and 24% service the U.S. only.

Transportation remains the leading market served, with 90% of 3PLs reporting it as one of their primary areas of operation. Other top verticals served include manufacturing (83%, down four percentage points from last year) and retail (83%, down a sharp eight percentage points from 2023). Ecommerce holds steady in the fourth spot, though the 68% of providers serving it marks a six-point decline from two years ago. Notably, the survey shows a stark drop in providers serving the wholesale market, declining from 83% in 2023 to 76% last year, and all the way to 67% in this year’s report. Meanwhile, the services/government sector remains the most underserved of the categories captured on the survey, with just 52% of providers including it in their clientele—down five points from last year.

MARKETS SERVED: Transportation 90% Manufacturing 83% Retail 83% Ecommerce 68% Wholesale 67% Services/Government 52%

70 Inbound Logistics • July 2025