BY SUSAN K. LACEFIELD, ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR
OUTSOURCING
strategicinsight
All in the family—
but for how long?
Family-owned businesses
have a long and proud
history in the third-party
logistics market. But now
some are wondering if
their day is over.
IT’S A FAMILIAR STORY: AN ENTERPRISING PARTY WITH A
truck or some extra storage space starts a local business. Over time,
the company extends its service menu and broadens its reach,
becoming more of a full-service provider than simply a warehousing or trucking firm. Eventually, the business is passed down to the
next generation of family members, who may further expand the
operation.
That story’s been repeated countless times throughout the industry’s history, and today, companies bearing family names still stand
side by side with the giant global third-party logistics service
providers (3PLs). Indeed, some of the largest 3PLs, like C.H.
Robinson, started out as family-owned businesses.
But times have changed. Higher barriers to entry and tighter mar-
