Spain 3PL Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Spain Third Party Logistics (3PL) Market size is estimated at USD 15.44 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach USD 18.29 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 3.45% during the forecast period (2023-2028).

Key Highlights

• Spain stands out worldwide for its world-class network of air, land, rail, and maritime infrastructures and the quality of its services. A structure favors the development and growth of logistics and transport in the Spanish economy.
• Spain is privileged in Southern Europe, where the main goods traffic routes converge. The eastward enlargement of the European Union (EU) favors Spain's strategic position concerning trade flows and the centers of redistribution of foreign trade in the EU and the rest of the world.
• Connectivity promotes the development of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). In Spain, it includes two of the nine multimodal European corridors considered a priority by the European Union: the Atlantic Corridor and the Mediterranean Corridor. The main arteries are where the key flows of goods and people are concentrated.
• Spain comprises more than 152 logistics parks with a total surface area of over 80 million sq m. These logistics infrastructures are linked mainly to the maritime mode (49.8% share) and road transport (37.4%).
• The impact of Covid-19 was severe on the market, and with the new variants coming now and then, partial lockdowns are a part of the world.

Spain 3PL Market Trends

Growth in Refrigerated Logistics

In recent years the rise of e-commerce saw refrigeration spread to other areas that traditionally did not require refrigeration or, at the very least, did not need the most advanced solutions available. It is how cold logistics arises.

This transformation is still early, but it is already urgent since the logistics sector continues growing year after year in Spain. According to the industry association, this field attracted EUR 2,200 million (USD 2.32 trillion) in investment, and the volume of contracting in the country reached 2,716,000 m2 in 2021, a historic result. In addition, according to the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migrations, this sector employs 981,606 professionals, data that places it as one of Spain's largest generators of employment.

Regarding the most common type of refrigerated product, the Association of Cold Storage, Logistics and Distribution of Spain (ALDEFE) indicates that it is fish (19.59%), followed by meat and vegetables. It, in the end, implies that, since the logistics operator is in charge of designing the best possible service to keep the product in perfect condition during its storage and distribution, they must include refrigeration professionals to guarantee the traceability of the product, its quality and the safety of the facilities and personnel from the point of view of cold. It means that supply chains must pay more attention to aspects closely related to the refrigeration of the product, such as the entry and exit temperature, humidity, the space between packages, the type of packaging, etc.

Increasing Demand for a Smart and Renewable Supply Chain

According to data from Spanish Government, during the first quarter of 2022, e-commerce in Spain exceeded the figure of EUR 15,600 million (just over USD 16 million). This figure represents a 25.3% higher billing than the same period in 2021 and reflects the highest year-on-year growth since Covid arrived. The transactions made in the first quarter of 2022 are also favorable. There were 312.8 million transactions, an 8.2% growth from the previous year.

In Spain, 51,2% of the population shopped online in 2021 (compared to 42.1% in 2019), and the number of e-commerce users is expected to reach 70% in three or four years. Moreover, the Spanish e-commerce sector grew from a share of 7.8% in 2019 (approximately EUR 24 billion or USD 26.29 billion) to 10.9% in 2021 (approximately EUR 33 billion or USD 36.15 billion). The recent global events played an important role in accelerating shopper adoption of digital channels.

The tendency towards digital was noticeable before the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the lockdowns imposed throughout Spain sped up many changes in consumer behavior, among which the increased popularity of online and omnichannel shopping was particularly significant.

Consequently, customers hold values such as authenticity or diversity in high regard, and they expect increasingly personalized shopping experiences. That is one of the reasons why social media became more relevant in 2022, and social commerce started to gain more ground among Spanish shoppers.

Spain 3PL Industry Overview

The market is relatively fragmented, with many local and international players, including CEVA Logistics, Groupe CAT, Naeko, and OIA Global, being the key players. The demand for integrated and specialized logistics solutions in the market is rising, and the companies in the country are expected to adopt transport and warehouse management systems, big data, and analytics to remain competitive. For instance, DB Schenker, a leading logistics provider, established its Corporate Innovation Network in partnership with Plug and Play, a leading global innovation platform. It enables an open exchange with innovators from over 300 corporations and tens of thousands of startups.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support