“Competition, Cost Pressure, Scarce Funds: Challenging Conditions for the Logistics Industry” is the headline of the first main topic press release with data out of the fourth Continental Mobility Study “The Connected Truck”.

  • Fragmentation: even large companies have only very small market shares
  • Industry sees a need for action, particularly in matters of environmental protection
  • Continental Mobility Study makes clear that intense cost pressure leaves little room for innovations with lasting effect

“In the transport business, the slices of the pie are distributed and the customer dictates the price” – this quote from a logistics expert in the Continental Mobility Study 2016 gets to the heart of the situation in the industry. The suggestion that cost pressure, which is enormous in any case, will continue to intensify finds agreement from 88% of logisticians surveyed. At the same time, 84% consider their own industry not especially well positioned for the future. By contrast, 74% are thoroughly positive when it comes to the future of their own companies. In China, logisticians rate the transport industry in their country as being in a better position overall. With regard to their own companies, however, only 63% of Chinese respondents are optimistic about the future.

In fact, freight transport is experiencing dramatic growth. In 2010, approximately 265 billion metric ton-kilometers were moved on the road in Germany, and experts anticipate that this figure will rise to more than 370 billion by 2050. One reason for this, say the experts, is the enormous growth in Internet commerce. With approximately €132 billion in online sales generated in Europe in 2013, a total of roughly €250 billion is expected in 2017 – almost doubling in just five years. In Germany, sales in online retail are projected to rise from almost €53 billion in 2015 to €73 billion in 2017.
The complete press release as well as press picture are available at www.continental-mobility-study.com.