Shippers are re-evaluating their 3PL partnerships in 2025. Here’s why.

Remember the good ol’ days, back before trade wars and pandemic supply chain disruptions, before Amazon and just-in-time shipping, when distribution and fulfillment were simpler?

Yeah, me neither.

We’ve all said at one time or another in the last five years, “When this [ fill in the blank ] is over, things will level out, you’ll see.” Except the truth is that the job of many purchasing agents and logistics managers has only gotten more complex. 

You have to deal with tighter production schedules, fluctuating demand, unpredictable lead times, and a more demanding customer base.

All of these challenges and more require even more agility, even more adaptability. 

And if your 3PL isn’t able to evolve with you to keep up with the changing times, they aren’t just costing you operationally. They’re threatening your entire strategy.

Disruption in the marketplace might feel like pain, but it also creates the prime condition to innovate. Many manufacturers are seizing this moment, here in 2025, to assess whether their current 3PL partnerships can cut it in our current moment.

If you find yourself in this exact spot, here’s what you should expect from a modern 3PL.

1. You Need More Than a Pallet in a Warehouse

If all you needed was a little more room for your stuff, you could’ve built a lean-to out back. 

Third-party logistics providers are supposed to provide just that—third-party logistics—if they aren’t providing you with flexible storage models and other value-added services, then you end up tackling logistics inside your own plant.

And why would you pay an outside vendor for that?

2. Lead Time Variability Requires Agility

There are plenty of things out of your control. You don’t need one more cog to manage. Your 3PL partner has to be able to flex, not freeze, when demand spikes, supplies are delayed, or production schedules change. 

Your 3PL ought to be able to deliver:

• Dynamic inbound scheduling
• Fast inventory turns with tight inventory control
• Scalable outbound fulfillment, whether that’s B2B, bulk, or LTL

If your warehouse team is scrambling to keep up, it means your 3PL isn’t agile enough.

3. B2B Fulfillment Has Gotten More Complex

Gone are the days of shipping straight to a distribution center. You need to ship to retailers with strict routing guides, job sites and pop-up locations, and OEM partners with exact specs. That’s a lot of complexity. 

If your 3PL partner lacks the operational discipline and infrastructure to handle a sophisticated shipping system, their ability to deliver will cost you customers.

4. Shift Your 3PL from a Bench Player to a Starting Guard

Supply chain complexities require a certain way of thinking and seeing the world. Your third-party logistics partner ought to be able to deliver that kind of vision… not just deliver storage space. 

Modern, sophisticated 3PLs operate as an extension of your supply chain, providing consultative expertise for process improvement and troubleshooting when things inevitably go off-script.

5. The Elephant in the Room: Tariffs

It doesn’t matter whether you think the tariffs are good or bad, they’re here, and they’re tossing in their share of uncertainty in the marketplace. 

My best advice? Get product into the U.S., now, to avoid tariffs, and lean on your 3PL to help you make strategic decisions about storage.

Does Your 3PL Measure Up?

Third-party logistics providers have had plenty of time to adapt to changes in the marketplace in the last few years. 

It’s 2025 now. 

If you are still having to find missing shipments, chase down answers, or manually reconcile inventory gaps, your 3PL is stuck in the dark ages. Logistics partners are supposed to make your job easier, not more complicated.

If your current 3PL isn’t delivering on that, it might be time to look for a partner whose foot is on the gas, instead of keeping one foot in the past. Let’s talk about how MWD Logistics can deliver the support you deserve.

Let’s connect. – Chris