For a brief period after the 9/11 tragedy, it looked like globalization might be slowed by heightened security. But globalization is stronger than ever, and it's creating logistical nightmares.
Those nightmares in turn translate into opportunities for specialized logistics and supply-chain management companies untangling the messes, simplifying the processes, and creating efficiencies. That's where logistics outsourcing comes in. Consulting and outsourcing companies of all sizes, both private and public, are offering logistics services. In fact, some of the largest and most widely used services are offered by private companies. The opportunities, however, haven't gone unrecognized by some of the biggest public conglomerates.
Companies including United Parcel Service
Unfortunately, from an investment standpoint, many of the leading logistics outsourcing companies poised to benefit the most are such massive conglomerates that revenues from logistics-related services are, at this point, only a fraction of the whole. For example, General Electric
However, there are leading companies for which logistics services could become an increasingly important source of revenue. For example, had it not been for a shift to IT outsourcing, IBM
Other companies with global potential include Electronic Data Systems
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Motley Fool contributor Mark Mahorney doesn't own shares of any companies mentioned.