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Third Party Logistics Examples: Real Companies and Services
Third Party Logistics Examples: Real Companies and Services
Jesse Stock
on
Oct 19, 2025
Third Party Logistics Examples: Real Companies, Real Services, and How They Work
Estimated reading: 14 mins
Key Takeaways
Third party logistics (3PL) providers like FedEx Supply Chain, DHL, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, XPO Logistics, and tech-driven niche players streamline storage, shipping, returns, and more.
Leading 3PLs provide value-adds: advanced tracking, global networks, e-commerce integrations, temperature control, and tech like IoT or blockchain for better visibility.
Choosing the right 3PL depends on fulfillment complexity, geography, channel mix (DTC, multi-marketplace), and needs for tech integration or service extras.
Working with 3PLs effectively requires setting clear promises, integrating systems, defining SLAs, and ongoing metrics review and partnerships.
What's Inside
Major 3PL Companies and What They Do
How 3PL Works: A Real-World Flow
Specialized and Niche 3PL Examples
Interesting Facts About Modern 3PLs
Choosing the Right 3PL: What the Examples Teach Us
A Simple Checklist to Match Needs to Providers
Case-Style Walkthroughs Using the Examples
How to Work With a 3PL the Right Way
Where These Examples Point the Market
Putting It All Together
Final Take
Third Party Logistics Examples
What are the best third party logistics examples? Here, we break it down simply: what each company does, how it helps brands move goods, and how to spot the right fit. We keep it clear and real.
What is third party logistics (3PL)? A 3PL is a company that handles parts of your supply chain—warehousing, transportation, fulfillment, and returns. Whether it’s picking up at the factory, storing stock, shipping to customers, or managing returns, a 3PL aims to lower your stress and keep deliveries smooth and on-time. Top 3PLs add value: custom labeling, special packing, delivery insurance, and even cash-on-delivery in some markets.
A 3PL can handle:
Factory pick-up
Warehousing
Pick-and-pack for orders
Shipping with tracking
Returns management
Goal: less stress for you, better on-time delivery for your buyer.
The right 3PL fit depends on your channel mix, shipment profile, and customer promise.
1) FedEx Supply Chain
FedEx Supply Chain is the 3PL arm of FedEx. It offers order fulfillment, warehousing, packaging, transportation management, and reverse logistics—all with robust tracking. Brands get visibility at every step, making it ideal for high-volume e-commerce and complex order flows.
Key services:
Best for: Complex order flows, high-volume e-commerce, companies wanting one partner for end-to-end logistics.
2) DHL
DHL is a global logistics leader. Services include parcel delivery, e-commerce fulfillment, and international shipping by air, ocean, and road. DHL is known for tech innovation—using IoT devices and piloting blockchain to boost shipment security and visibility. A great fit for brands shipping internationally or needing advanced tracking.
Key services:
Parcel delivery, e-commerce fulfillment (Source)
International transport (Source)
IoT/tech innovation (Tech Source)
Blockchain pilots (Blockchain Source)
Best for: Cross-border e-commerce, global brands, teams needing data and tech-driven operations.
3) UPS Supply Chain Solutions
UPS Supply Chain Solutions covers warehousing, distribution, and freight forwarding through a broad global network. Companies needing warehousing plus inbound, outbound, and customs/trade support can rely on UPS for predictable service at scale.
Key services:
Best for: Steady, predictable flows across multiple geographies and shipment types.
4) XPO Logistics
XPO Logistics is focused on freight brokerage (LTL and truckload) and warehousing in 38 countries. XPO is strong on data analytics, optimizing routes and matching loads to reduce cost and delays—especially suited to shippers with complex networks.
Key services:
Best for: Data-driven shippers, companies needing scalable brokerage and warehouse services under one roof.
5) MoLo Solutions
MoLo Solutions specializes in full truckload brokerage, including temperature-controlled and cross-border freight. The brand is known for transparency and collaboration—ideal for food, beverage, and pharma where timing and care matter most.
Key services:
Best for: Temp-sensitive loads, time-critical freight, food & beverage, pharma.
6) Mothership
Mothership brings automation and speed to final-mile delivery, reporting a 97% on-time rate. Its clear, upfront pricing and fast ETAs make it a strong fit for e-commerce and urban retail with high-velocity shipments.
Key services:
Best for: Retail/e-commerce with same-day or next-day needs, especially in dense urban markets.
How 3PL Works: A Real-World Flow
Let’s use FedEx Supply Chain as our end-to-end example—here’s how a typical order moves through a 3PL:
Inventory receipt: Goods are picked up from factory or port, checked in, counted, and tracked via online dashboards (Source).
Storage: Stock is racked with tracking on lot codes and SKUs, and fast movers placed for quick access (Source).
Order capture: Customer orders trigger automatic flows to the warehouse via API or EDI (Source).
Pick and pack: Staff pack to your specs, print shipping and return labels, add branded inserts (Source).
Ship: Carrier picks up, tracking updates are shared with you and your buyer (Source).
Returns: 3PL handles return receipt, inspection, restocking, or disposal as needed (Source).
Specialized and Niche 3PL Examples
Some 3PLs offer specialized tech or marketplace solutions beyond logistics basics.
Shipwire: 145+ warehouses across the globe, integrations with Walmart, Target, and other top marketplaces, ideal for global DTC expansion on a single platform (Source).
Whitebox: Combines logistics with full marketplace/storefront operations, including Shopify integration and listing/price management across Amazon/eBay (Source).
Transfix: Digital, data-driven freight brokerage matching shippers to carriers in real time and providing instant updates (Source).
Interesting Facts About Modern 3PLs
Custom labeling and kitting: Providers like FedEx Supply Chain add packaging, kitting, and retail prep. Source
Learn more about branded packaging: Complete Guide to Packaging & Unboxing Experience for Ecommerce
Cash-on-delivery (COD): DHL eCommerce Solutions support COD in select markets.
Shipment insurance: UPS and other major 3PLs help clients set up transit insurance.
IoT & blockchain: DHL is piloting IoT and blockchain in logistics. Read their blockchain trend report.
Advanced analytics: XPO relies on data to optimize routes and minimize shipments’ empty miles.
Choosing the Right 3PL: What the Examples Teach Us
End-to-end fulfillment: FedEx and UPS cover storage through returns.
Discover integration strategies: What Is 3PL in Ecommerce?Need global reach: DHL is the go-to for global e-commerce and cross-border fulfillment.
Data-driven freight: XPO and Transfix offer analytics-powered brokerage.
Final-mile speed: Mothership is built for dense zones and fast e-commerce.
Marketplace and multi-channel focus: Shipwire and Whitebox excel at marketplace and store integration.
Think about your customer promise, shipment profile, integration needs, and growth plans before committing to a 3PL partner.
A Simple Checklist to Match Needs to Providers
Channel mix:
Geography:
U.S.-only: Use Mothership for final mile and speed.
Cross-border: Select DHL
Freight type:
Temperature control: MoLo Solutions
Service extras:
Custom kitting, retail prep: FedEx Supply Chain
Packaging tips: Complete Guide to Packaging
Insurance: UPS
Tech fit:
Case-Style Walkthroughs Using the Examples
E-commerce apparel brand
Problem: Rapid growth, high returns, U.S.-wide buyers; needs 2-day delivery and easy returns with branded packaging.
Fit: FedEx Supply Chain or UPS for full fulfillment and returns.
Result: Faster shipping, fewer WISMO calls, strong branding in every box.
Consumer electronics going global
Problem: Global launch across Amazon/local channels; demands international warehousing and tracking.
Fit: Shipwire for global reach and lean fulfillment, DHL for cross-border shipping.
Result: Shorter delivery times, smoother customs and shipping worldwide.
Food and beverage with cold chain
Problem: Temp-controlled loads from plant to region, strict safety/timing.
Fit: MoLo Solutions for TL temperature control and transparency.
Result: Fewer temp issues, better on-time performance, peace of mind for compliance.
Retail replenishment and last mile surge
Problem: Urban stores need rapid restock and final-mile e-commerce spikes.
Fit: Mothership for automated, same-day/next-day final mile.
Result: Near-instant deliveries for both stores and consumers, with consistent costs and high on-time rates.
National manufacturer optimizing freight spend
Problem: High LTL/TL volume, seeking to cut empty miles and improve on-time/in-full.
Fit: XPO for analytics, Transfix for real-time digital platform.
Result: Fewer empty hauls, better OTIF through smarter load matching and tracking.
How to Work With a 3PL the Right Way
Define your promise: Be clear about what you guarantee to customers (speed, ease, returns, etc).
Segment orders: Analyze order types, seasonality, and region; share with your 3PL to inform network design.
Set SLAs: Make pick, pack, ship, and return standards measurable.
Early integrations: Connect your store, marketplace, and ERP early; test every flow.
For integration best practices: What Is 3PL in Ecommerce?
Pilot then scale: Start with a region or SKU, refine based on real-world results.
KPIs: Track on-time rates, accuracy, cost per order/mile, and cycle times weekly and monthly.
Plan for peaks: Share promo calendars, arrange overflow and confirm carrier scale ahead of time.
Communicate: Weekly ops calls, transparent dashboards, and quarterly business reviews are key.
Review frequently: Adjust network, warehouse locations, and carrier mix every quarter to stay on trend.
Where These Examples Point the Market
Speed and certainty: Companies like Mothership focus on high on-time rates.
Tech at the core: DHL’s IoT reporting and blockchain pilots, plus Transfix, show that real-time data now drives logistics.
Multi-channel norm: Shipwire and Whitebox make it easy to sell everywhere, fulfilling from the best nodes.
Scale and analytics: Large networks (FedEx/UPS/DHL) provide reliability, while analytics from XPO drive savings and better performance.
These trends mean shippers have more options, more tech tools, and more speed/flexibility to reach customers anywhere.
Putting It All Together
Choose your 3PL by matching their strengths to your core customer promise.
FedEx Supply Chain: End-to-end fulfillment, warehousing, advanced tracking (Source)
DHL: Global, cross-border, IoT and blockchain for shipment data and security (Source) (Tech) (Blockchain)
UPS Supply Chain Solutions: Warehousing, freight, and distribution at scale (Source)
XPO Logistics: Brokerage and warehouse, with data-driven analytics (Source)
MoLo Solutions: Truckload brokerage, temperature control, and collaboration (Source)
Mothership: Same-day/next-day final mile, automated routing, and clear pricing (Source)
Shipwire: Global warehouse+marketplace integrations (Walmart, Target, etc) (Source)
Whitebox: Store/marketplace integration with fulfillment (Source)
Transfix: Digital freight brokerage, instant status (Source)
Modern 3PL extras:
Need tailored advice for your supply chain? We’re Shipping Bros, a third-party logistics business in Northwest Arkansas. We plan, select, and run the right 3PL mix for brands who care about performance, quality, and customer promise. Contact Shipping Bros for help with anything 3PL.
Final Take
The best third party logistics examples show one thing: pick a provider that matches your promise to your customer. Choose by channel, region, freight type, and service needs. Leverage tech for fast, visible, reliable shipping and blend end-to-end fulfillment with smart brokerage as you grow. The right 3PL partners help you ship with confidence, scale faster, and create happier customers—every day.
Common Questions
Q: What does a third party logistics (3PL) company do?
A: A 3PL manages some or all logistics—warehousing, order fulfillment, shipping, and returns—using their network and tech so you can focus on sales and growth.
Q: How do I pick a 3PL for e-commerce shipping?
A: Consider delivery speed, geographic reach, system integration (Shopify, Amazon), returns handling, and whether the 3PL’s strengths (like marketplace integration or analytics) closely align with your order profile and promise.
Q: What are value-added services in 3PL?
A: Services like custom packaging, labeling, kitting, insurance, cash-on-delivery, and integration support go beyond basic fulfillment and can help differentiate your brand.
Q: How are global shipments handled?
A: 3PLs like DHL, Shipwire, and UPS offer customs clearance, international warehousing, and deep experience with rates, paperwork, and local carrier partnerships.
Q: Do modern 3PLs offer real-time tracking?
A: Yes. Leading 3PLs like FedEx Supply Chain, DHL, Transfix, and XPO use advanced tech for real-time status, analytics, and customer/brand dashboards.
