What Is a Third Party Logistics (3PL) Provider?


3PLs can fix your shipping headaches before they start.

About Third Party Logistics

Third-party logistics companies handle logistical needs for their customers. These needs can include warehousing, loading and offloading, supply chain management professional support, and the various complexities long-distance transportation. These organizations support all the moving parts of shipping operations, either in part or in their entirety.

LTL & 3PL Shipping Advantages

  • Faster turnaround
  • Cheaper shipping rates
  • More manageable onload/offload
  • More flexible freight schedules
  • Less time spent finding freight and shipping carriers

Businesses that need supply chain management will often utilize a 3PL to manage and maintain their logistical needs.

By customizing the services provided to each customer, a 3PL organization can adapt to a wide variety of specific business needs. The two parties then collaborate to custom-design a suite of services to support those needs. A 3PL can offer a single service or multiple services across several aspects of the supply chain.

Leaders in the 3PL industry can easily claim credit for their clients saving lots of time and money.

3PL Benefits

Working with a third party logistics provider offers several advantages. Let’s take a closer look…

Superior expertise and knowledge

Supply chain logistics are very complex. Fulfillment warehousing, accurate tracking, and shipping all come with several challenges. 3PL organizations are experts at supply chain logistics. They leverage their experience and connections to streamline and simplify their clients' delivery process.

This provides a better customer service experience for their customers.

Stress-free management of paperwork and legal issues

3PLs can also give insights into potential issues that can arise when shipping internationally, such as customs-related documentation, duties and taxes, and ever-changing shipping rules and regulations. Working with a third party logistics organization can also reduce the stress of trying to comply with international shipping protocols.

3PLs can also eliminate the need for unnecessary warehouse space and reduce your overhead for manpower and technology.

This allows you to focus more on what you do best - serving your customers.

Scalable operations and more flexibility

When a company uses a 3PL, they are able to provide more scalability for space, labor, and transportation according to current inventory. 3PLs are often able to ease the turbulence that comes with seasonal fluctuations per industry.

A 3PL can aid growth for companies expanding into new regions and territory. Typically, 3PLs continually look for ways to adjust and improve all aspects of your supply chain by leveraging their tools and technologies. Their management software helps analyze and monitor the supply chain to identify and correct inefficiencies.

3PL partners are more likely to result in an increasingly easier logistics process over time.

Is Kaiser Logistics a 3PL?

Kaiser Logistics isn't technically a "3rd party logistics" provider, but we offer many identical services:

  • We Find the appropriate carrier and transportation equipment to most efficiently haul your freight.
  • We have access to a network of nationwide Warehousing facilities so your freight is protected.
  • We Ship your freight from the warehouse facility to your customer.
  • we arrange rigger appointments to offload your freight in a timely manner.

Kaiser will take care of you from beginning to end. We are always here to help with your supply chain.