Europe continues to fluctuate in and out of recession with ongoing economic austerity which is negatively impacting its output. Based upon its 2012 regional revenue, Armstrong & Associates estimates that 3PLs operating in Europe have penetrated 23 percent of the total potential market, so the trend to outsource logistics functions to 3PLs continues to provide for growth over and above the overall economy. The best European-based 3PLs have made acquisitions to globalize their operations and participate in developing markets with higher rates of growth.
ABI Research expects growth of 10 percent in mobile telecoms capital expenditure in Latin America, rising to $6.1bn. Upgrades and expansion of 3G WCDMA and 4G LTE coverage will result in radio access network-related spending capturing 40 percent of CapEx. Investment in small cell base stations is garnering momentum with 40 percent year-on-year growth in 2014 to $484m.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released January performance data showing a strong rise in airfreight growth compared to a year ago. Global freight tonne kilometers (FTKs) rose 4.5 percent in January compared to January 2013. This is a significant acceleration on the 2.2 percent year-on-year growth rate recorded in December, and is well above the 1.4 percent full-year growth reported for 2013 as compared to 2012.
Analyst Insight: Economic growth has recently slowed in the BRICS countries, causing concern among both global and domestic investors. In many industries, the time for reaping quick rewards from investment has passed. If companies want to continue succeeding in the BRICS markets, they need to increase their focus on creating competitive operational models, with a major emphasis on improving supply chain management. - Viktoria Sadlovska, Managing Director, Prameya Research, & Lead Author of the Pragmatic Value Chains Blog
