Third-party logistics will not become a commoditized service as long as providers continue to add value and differentiate their product offerings, says Greg Spudic, vice president of marketing and sales at Dimerco Express.

The installed base of Bluetooth-enabled devices alone reached 3.5 billion in 2012 and is forecast to grow to almost 10 billion by 2018"”with not even taking into account many other technologies, such as Wi-Fi, ZigBee and cellular, according to ABI Research.

Having spent most of his career as an executive in the chemical industry, Marv Schlanger, new CEO of CEVA Logistics, has a unique perspective on the global 3PL industry. He shares his views as "the new kid on the block" and explains why he is optimistic.

To retain and keep profitable customers in today's economic environment, 3PLs must provide innovative solutions that make the supply chain more efficient for both the customer and the provider, says John Dillon of APL Logistics.

The Lead Logistics Provider model is gaining traction in all areas of the world as companies that use multiple logistics providers look for help in managing that complexity, says Stefano Arganese, CEO of DHL Freight. He explains DHL's new branded service GreenLink that consolidates the company's LLP services.