Logistics Defying Definition

July 1, 2005
Consolidation and merger and acquisition activity have contributed to a blurring of the lines that traditionally segment the industry. As a general rule,

Consolidation and merger and acquisition activity have contributed to a blurring of the lines that traditionally segment the industry. As a general rule, companies are increasingly searching out activities that provide customers with higher margin value-added services. Certain sectors within the US logistics sector are highly consolidated with high barriers to entry (such as the express sector), whereas other sectors are highly fragmented characterized by commodity services (such as the truckload sector).

These are the finding in a new research report from Research and Markets Ltd.

Consolidation has occurred in various forms, with companies expanding through acquisition in a specific sector, as well as across different sectors within the logistics market. The most notable trend in recent years is the desire to expand across sectors, such as non-asset based companies acquiring asset-based companies and integrators acquiring freight forwarders and TL and LTL trucking companies to both broaden services and expand geographically.

"US Logistics 2005" provides the latest company data, rankings and market analysis within a single reference source, enabling logistics service providers, manufacturers, retailers and consultancies to:

- Understand how diverse companies are positioned in the US Logistics market and how this has shifted across traditional sector boundaries in recent years

- Compare the financial performance of the leading players in this rapidly consolidating market

- Gain an insight into the operations of the most successful US logistics, forwarding, TL, LTL, parcels and warehousing companies

- Gain an understanding of the history, structure, trends and developments affecting the North American market

- Refer to detailed profiles of the leading protagonists in the marketplace

- Understand the internal corporate structure and service portfolio of leading operators