Latin America attracts due to its potential for logistic services

The analysis of the provision of logistic services shows that the market is still growing (even in developed countries), but emerging countries in Latin America and Asia have shown a high development potential in the sector.

The study "La Infraestructura en el Desarrollo Integral de América Latina. Fortalecer las capacidades logísticas y competir exitosamente en los mercados mundiales de servicios logísticos: imperativos y oportunidades para América Latina" (Infrastructure in the Comprehensive Development of Latin America. Strengthening Logistic Capacities and Successfully Competing in the Logistic Services World Market: Imperatives and Opportunities for Latin America) (CAF 2013) shows some reliable statistics, such as the estimates made by Amstrong Associates, to describe the current world market of logistic services.

• The total world market of logistic services reaches approximately USD 600 million and is growing at a compound annual rate of 8 percent since 2006.
• The market concentrates in developed countries, where there is a higher trend toward subcontracting the services:
• Asia Pacific,  with sales of USD 190 billion and an annual growth rate of 15 percent.
• Europe, with sales of USD 160 billion, and a slow growth.
• North America, with similar sales of approximately USD 160 billion, and an annual growth rate of 4 percent.
• Latin America is the smallest market, with approximately USD 40 billion but with an annual growth rate of 30 percent. This market is included in the global growth strategies of the main operators. Most of the strategic reports of these companies focus especially on two Latin American countries:  
• Mexico: for the larger near sourcing trend (returns from manufacturing activities from Asia) and the increasing sub-contracting of logistic services by large enterprises.
• Brazil: for its large domestic market and the increasingly strong demand for the development of sectors such as mining, energy, and large projects connected to the World Cup and the Olympics.