The impact of international logistics parks on global supply chains

Abstract

With the globalization of industries since the 1980's, logistics parks have emerged as a solution for the consolidation of operations and logistics services for global companies. In the beginning, logistics parks were limited to enabling companies to centralize their operations using shared warehousing and transportation infrastructures; however, these logistics parks now additionally offer a range of value-added services to enhance the supply chain. Most of these logistics parks were developed in the past decade, and there is little research on these facilities and the value-added services they are providing. The impact of these services on the global supply chain is also not well understood. Managers of logistics parks from around the world were interviewed and surveyed about the general infrastructures at their parks, and about the value-added services they provide for the companies operating at their facilities. Elements of the physical infrastructure and value-added services were grouped and ranked based on their impact on supply chains, and attractiveness to customers.

(cont.) The physical location and infrastructure of these facilities represent the most important factors in selecting logistics parks; however, other value-added services are gradually gaining importance and attractiveness due to increasing customer requirements and supply chain complexities. To cope with this change, logistics parks must carefully select the value-added services that are the most attractive to their customers, and which have the most positive impact on their supply chains.