A survey of 230 executives by research firm and consultancy Transport Intelligence finds there's massive potential in the Chinese logistics market for integrated contract logistics companies.

According to the survey, 68 percent of respondents from logistics companies believed that outsourcing was having a 'noticeable' or 'major' impact on their business. Furthermore, 76 percent stated that the majority of their outsourced logistics business was derived from multinational manufacturers with the remainder being generated by locally-based Chinese companies.

John Manners-Bell, chief analyst, remarked: “Outsourcing will be the defining trend behind the growth of the Chinese logistics industry over the coming few years. Our survey has identified that increasing numbers of manufacturers and retailers are looking to outsource to integrated logistics providers due to cost advantages as well as their greater understanding of local markets and regulations.”