The fifteenth edition of the International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL 2013) has carried out the SIL 2013 4th Barometer Logistics Circle that analyses the logistics industry. 763 Spanish logistics directors have collaborated in this report as members of the SIL 2013 Logistics Circle. The profile of the sector's activity of the different directors or heads of logistics that have participated in this 4th SIL Barometer Logistics Circle is the following:
Among the different questions answered by the logistics directors, the most valued aspects at the time of subcontracting a logistics service, the logistics activities that they usually subcontract, the mail logistics worries, the degree of investment that they make in environmental practices and the most valued qualities at the time of contracting a professional in the logistics industry, must be highlighted.
Sustainability criteria grows in the companies
One of the most significant aspects to be learnt from the 4th Barometer Logistics Circle SIL 2013 is the increase in the involvement degree of the loading companies with sustainable criteria. A 99% of the companies polled invest in environmental practices, out of which and 83% says to be very sensitive with this cause. This number has experienced a very significant growth with respect to the one registered on the 1st Barometer Logistics Circle in SIL 2010, where it was 72.6%. Since then, this number has increased year after year until it has reached the current 83%.
A 33.5% of the companies analyzed say that they invest many resources in sustainable criteria, and a 49.5% assures to devote many resources to this cause. On the contrary, a 16% say that their company invests little in these practices and only a 1% assures that their company doesn't devote any resource in this field.
Quality, the most valued aspect
Quality is still the most valued aspect for the for the different logistics directors at the time of subcontracting a logistics service with a 75.5%.
Another very valued aspect among loading companies is the savings that can be obtained at the time of subcontracting a logistics service (65%). The savings parameter increases a 4% with respect to last year and almost a 10% since 2011.
Other aspects valued by the logistics directors at the time of subcontracting logistics services are flexibility (52%), experience and trustfulness in the supplier (45%), speed in the services contracted (15.5%), specialization (14.5%), and business optimization (12.5%). Human resources and education close this chapter with a 1%, a number that registers a 2,8% decrease with respect to the 2012 Barometer.
Quality certificates, more important each time
Other of the conclusions that may be derived from the SIL 2013 4th Barometer Logistics Circle is that the logistics directors of the Spanish companies take a lot into account at the time of contracting a logistics activity that the company offering these activities has a quality certificate or a good practices’ code. In this sense, a 82,8% of the loading companies demand their suppliers that they have quality certificates and good practices’ codes, but a 17.2% doesn’t take it into account.
The transport activity, leader in the most subcontracted logistics activity
Among the most subcontracted companies transport must be highlighted, as is being usual in the former Barometer Logistic Circles. A 91% of the 763 logistics directors that have participated in the 4th Barometer Logistic Circle SIL 2013 confirm that they subcontract the transport services for their company. This percentage is almost three points larger than in 2012, and almost one point larger than in 2011, which means that it is still growing. Transport is the undeniable leader in this category as it is far away from the second most externalized activity which is distribution, with a 50,5%.
Distribution is the subcontracted logistics activity with a highest growth in comparison with last year's Barometer. A 50,5% of the Spanish loading companies subcontract their distribution, a number that in 2012 was 39%.
In the third place of the most subcontracted logistics activities we find the stock management with a 21%, a very similar number to last year's. The material handling industry, that last year occupied a fifth place in the ranking, goes up to the fourth one with a 18.5%, followed by packaging and packing with a 16.5%. The material handling industry is one of the activities that has grown most since last year with a 7.8% increase.
The ranking of the main logistics activities externalized by the companies is completed with systems automatisation (11.5%), production (10%) buying (2%) and others, such as not externalizing any activity, human resources or manipulation (1%). A 1% of the loading companies admits not to subcontract any logistics activity.
Efficiency, service and quality, among the main logistic worries
Efficiency and costs and stocks optimization as well as service and quality, in a 20% of the cases, share the first place regarding the main logistic worry for the logistics directors that have participated in the 4th Barometer Logistic Circle. Efficiency and costs optimization has grown a 1.9% with respect to the 2012 Barometer and service and quality increases a 1.6%. Another logistics worry that has grown very significantly this year is costs, that positions itself in the third places with a 17.8%. It is followed by speed, punctuality and commitment (13.8%), a number that has experienced a very important decrease with respect to last year, when it was a 17%. Among the main worries that the logistics directors from the main Spanish companies in the industry have are communication and information (control technology) with a 6.7%, planning (4.4%), innovation (4.1%), sustainability (3.6%), evolution in the transport industry (2.9%), and train infrastructures for goods (2.3%), among others,.
It must be highlighted that the worries derived from the current economic crisis as may be the uncertainty in the current situation or the slowness in paying does not occupy prominent places in this ranking although it has experienced a slight increase with respect to last year's study. In this sense, a 1.9% have expressed their concern with the current uncertainty (in 2012 it was a 2.3%) and a 0.2% with the slowness in paying (in 2012 it was a 1%).
Team work is the most valued competence when contracting logistics professionals
At the time of contracting a logistics professional, the Spanish companies’ logistics directors value above all the candidate’s experience (38.3%), although this number has decreased a 2.5% with respect to the 2012 study. According to the SIL 2013 4th Barometer Logistics Circle, at the time of contracting a professional, it has become more and more important his capacity and ability to work in a team, that has gone to a second place in this ranking with a 22.5%. Education is in the third position with a 19.5%. a 2.6% less than last year’s number.
An aspect that is importantly growing with respect to last year’s report is language and computer knowledge with an 8.1% (last year it was a 5.8%). Aspects such as recommendation of a candidate from a friend or professional in the industry (6.6%), or the psycho-technical profile (2.5%), although are also important, have less weight when contracting a logistics professional.
An aspect that has grown significantly with respect to previous editions is language and computer knowledge with a 9.1% (in 2012, it was 8.1% and in 2011, 5.8%). Aspects such as recommendation of the candidate by a person known or a professional in the industry (6.7%) or the psychotechnical profile (3.2%) still have a very similar weight to what they had last year when contracting a professional.
About The International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL)
The International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL) is the meeting point for all the logistics activity from the South of Europe, the Mediterranean and Latin America and gathers all the professionals from the logistics industry, being the ideal framework for business deals, networking and knowledge.
After fourteen editions, SIL has become the great logistics and transport trade fair in Spain and the Mediterranean Arch and the second one in the whole of Europe.
SIL 2012 resisted the economic difficulties with the participation of a 45% of international companies, 500 participating companies and with an annual business figure estimated in 2 billion euros. In its last edition, the logistics’ professionals could enjoy a versatile Show: the quality of the exhibitors’ events, the Logistics and Transport Mediterranean Forum and the largest conference program in the industry consolidated SIL in the international exhibitions calendar as the first Logistics Exhibition in the South of Europe and the Mediterranean Arch.
Add a Comment
No messages on this article yet