Global 3PL use rises as industrial occupiers respond to continued uncertainty

According to Savills analysis in Impacts, its global thought leadership programme, in Q2 2025, 3PLs accounted for 42% of total warehouse take-up in the US - a rise of 12% year-on-year. Asia Pacific shows a pattern of steady, long-term growth, with 3PLs now making up 46% of total take-up. Europe is behind at around 33% of Q2 warehouse take-up, but 3PL use has been climbing gradually over the past two years as a regional average.

Savills says that, globally, manufacturers/companies outsourcing to 3PLs can often fluctuate in response to short-term trading conditions. For example, in 2023 and 2024 there was a trend towards slowing or reduced reliance on 3PLs in Europe and the US, as the market adjusted to post-pandemic conditions and easing e-commerce demand. But the appeal of a 3PL partner has increased recently as outsourcing can provide flexibility, enabling occupiers to reposition stock, diversify their supply chains and scale operations up or down as needed, making it appealing in the face of ongoing macroeconomic and supply chain uncertainty. 3PLs can also offer cost savings and labour management, as well as access to advanced technology without the need for significant capital expenditure upfront.

Sarah Brooks, Associate Director, Savills World Research, comments: "Outsourcing to 3PLs is not without risk, sometimes creating integration challenges, diluting control over end-customers' experiences, and creating the potential for service disruption. However, in today's world, with supply chains potentially buffeted at short-notice by trade barriers, climate events, and geopolitics, many retailers and manufacturers are finding the benefits outweigh any potential downsides. As a consequence, 3PL warehouse take-up is likely to continue to steadily increase globally, especially as many are investing heavily in developing more advanced platforms, including AI-powered solutions that better connect clients' existing IT systems with 3PL logistics operations."