Process, Distribution & Logistics Consulting

The 7,630 process, distribution, and logistics consulting services providers in the US include a broad range of specialties, including manufacturing operations improvement; productivity improvement; production planning and control; quality assurance and quality control; inventory management; distribution networks; warehouse use, operations, and utilization; transportation and shipment of goods and materials; and materials management and handling. Firms may offer multiple services or specialize in a particular area.

Dependence on Skilled Labor

Despite a dependence on technology, the process, logistics, and supply chain consulting industry remains labor-intensive and reliant on skilled workers.

Competition from Alternative Service Providers

Process, distribution, and logistics consultants compete with a variety of alternative service providers, including accounting firms, management consultants, IT service providers, and transportation companies.

Sep 17, 2026 - Amazon’s Delivery Push Reshapes the Parcel Market

• Amazon’s push to handle more of its own deliveries is another sign that the US parcel market is becoming more complicated - and potentially creating more work for logistics consultants. Amazon projects its logistics network could deliver more than 86% of its US packages in 2027 and nearly 89% by 2029, according to internal planning documents reported by Business Insider. The company is also spending $4 billion to expand its rural delivery network, further reducing its dependence on USPS and UPS, creating a parcel market no longer dominated by a handful of traditional carriers. Amazon Logistics became the largest US parcel carrier by volume in 2025, while regional and alternative carriers are also gaining ground. That gives shippers more options, but also makes carrier selection, contract negotiations, network design, and last-mile cost analysis more complex.
• American companies are increasingly treating supply chain disruption as a permanent business reality rather than a temporary problem, prompting investments in more flexible logistics strategies. According to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' 2025 State of Logistics Report, US logistics costs fell 1% to $2.4 trillion in 2025, or 7.8% of gross domestic product, largely because ocean shipping rates declined as new vessel capacity entered the market. That relief is proving short-lived, however. Trucking rates, warehousing costs, inventory expenses, and ocean freight prices have climbed again in 2026 amid tariff uncertainty, conflict in the Middle East, and higher fuel costs. As a result, companies are diversifying ports, blending long-term and spot shipping contracts, and placing greater emphasis on contingency planning, supply chain visibility, and faster decision-making to improve resilience rather than simply minimize costs.
• Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are abandoning a “wait-and-see” approach and actively overhauling supply chains as tariff uncertainty continues, according to a Netstock survey. About 97% of SMBs are now using at least one mitigation strategy, with 35% having changed suppliers and nearly half sourcing from multiple regions to reduce risk - though 74% still cite China as most impacted. At the same time, nearly three-quarters have extended inventory planning horizons to manage cost swings and delays. Pricing pressure is also mounting, with 82% of firms raising prices after exhausting their ability to absorb costs. To cope, companies are rapidly increasing use of analytics and AI tools. These shifts are expected to keep freight markets volatile, with more fragmented shipping networks and potential demand slowdowns as higher prices ripple through the economy.
• Supply Chain Dive highlights five key supply chain trends shaping 2026, centered on persistent uncertainty, cost pressures, and strategic shifts. Geopolitical fragmentation - especially expansive US tariff policies - continues to complicate global trade, prompting firms to diversify and regionalize sourcing, and logistics networks. Economic softness and rising costs are driving intense cost-optimization efforts across manufacturing, distribution, and transportation. After heavy AI investment with mixed short-term returns, companies are recalibrating expectations while scaling technology for planning and forecasting. Workforce challenges - from labor shortages to skills gaps tied to automation and analytics - pose strategic constraints alongside tech deployment. These forces collectively underscore a supply chain environment where visibility, agility, and diversified risk management are critical for logistics strategy and network design.

Industry size & Structure

The average process, distribution and logistics consulting services provider employs 13 workers and generates about $3.2 million annually.

• The process, distribution and logistics consulting industry consists of about 7,630 firms that employ about 98,680 workers and generate $25 billion annually.
• The industry is fragmented; the top 50 companies account for almost 33% of industry revenue.
• Large firms that offer process, distribution and logistics consulting services, which include C.H. Robinson and XPO Logistics, have a global presence.