2015 is looking good for the UK logistics industry
For many companies, who they employ to handle their logistics can be among the most crucial decisions they make. If their logistics chain doesn’t work properly, then many other areas of the business will fail. But this doesn’t mean that logistics companies aren’t striving to change and develop in their own rights – so is the future bright for logistics companies in the UK? And what changes are they going to be considering in the near future?
Get the figures
According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK logistics industry is worth over £75 billion and employs over 2 million people around the country spread across some 196,000 companies. What this means is that 1 in 12 people are now working in logistics and this meant that the UK moved to 4th in the World Bank’s list of top performers in 2014, behind Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The freight logistics in the UK is generally separated into two sections – own account operators or those managed on behalf of a company by another, known as third-party logistics (3PL). At the moment, around 60% of freight in the country is carried by a 3PL.
Why is the logistics industry so big?
People looking at the logistics industry are often amazed by the numbers of people working in it and one of the primary reasons for this is the huge variety of jobs within logistics. Not only that, but it is often a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week trade that sees regular increases at times such as Christmas. Whether working as a driver, a store person, working in a part of the warehouse or the office as a co-ordinator or account manager, there is almost always someone in one area of the business who are in work.
This range of jobs means that no matter what type of working life a person is seeking, there is a job that can accommodate it. People looking to work nights while their partner is home with kids can find jobs, as can the people seeking to work during the day while the kids are at school or even around studying or other jobs. And many of the jobs in logistics can be trained on-site so qualifications aren’t always necessary to get started.
Innovations in logistics
The constantly evolving nature of logistics means that there are new opportunities arising all of the time. Industry experts are sure that some of the new innovations for the coming year are going to once again be focused around technology. Everything from reliable forecasting to real time data analytics will be improving and these all require specialists to work, opening yet more job opportunities for IT specialists. The use of drones for some aspects of logistics is another major development area, with companies looking at their use in delivery in rural areas in particular – just look at the new DHL ‘parcelcopter’ as an example.
Conclusion
Constantly evolving, offering a flexible range of jobs for those seeking work and the development of new technology – the future of the UK logistics industry does indeed look bright and highly profitable as well.