Best 3PL Companies for Raw Materials
(2025)

What is a 3PL?

A third-party logistics company (3PL) is a service provider situated outside the company and aids in running other logistic functions, which include transportation and warehousing, inventory management, and distribution. This helps companies, through the operation of a 3PL, to streamline activities in their supply chain, optimize shipping costs, and focus on core areas. Third-party logistics companies also offer customized logistics solutions that fit a business better. The company uses its expertise, technology, and resources to bundle activities that will enhance overall efficiency.

The 3PL roles go far beyond pure shipping. Instead, they provide end-to-end services like order fulfillment, freight forwarding, and customs brokerage. They allow businesses in their supply chain to offer alternatives involving adaptations to shifting demand, management of fluctuating volumes, and expedited delivery. For industries that have raw materials, specialized 3PLs might address unique situations related to shipping large, heavy items along with hazardous goods according to industry standards while optimizing supply chain processes.

Benefits of Finding a 3PL that Specializes in Raw Materials

For a firm dealing with raw materials, the involvement of third-party logistics providers specialized in that area would weigh significantly on the performance of the supply chain. Raw materials often relate to bulk items that require mass handling and storage besides transportation. 3PLs specializing in raw materials allow them to provide the business with the capability to overcome these challenges, ensuring safe transport, time delivery, and inexpensive logistics services solutions.

The following are ten significant advantages of teaming up with fulfillment centers with expertise in raw materials:

1. Efficient Handling of Bulk Materials

A specialized 3PL can always efficiently handle bulk raw materials like metals, chemicals, or aggregates. This ensures tailor-made solutions that will be transported, stored, and distributed without compromising on quality or safety.

2. Efficient Storage Solutions

For raw materials, handling warehouse space and an inventory management system is very important. A 3PL specializing in this sector may provide the most efficient storage solutions in such large facilities, which are designed to store bulk quantities without risk of damage, thereby reducing the storage cost.

3. Compliance with Regulations

Raw materials are often controlled to ensure safety, quality, and environmental impact. A professional 3PL knows all the legal shipping requirements for raw materials and ensures your product adheres to all regulations, eliminating charges or delays in shipment.

4. Effective Freight Forwarding

A matured 3PL with expertise in raw material commodities positions freight forwarding to the most favorable modes of transportation, cuts costs, and ensures timely delivery. This also prevents delays in international supply chains because one is knowledgeable about global shipping routes and infrastructure.

5. Scalable Solutions for Changing Demand

This is subject to variability in market conditions and seasonal demands for raw materials. This will help the business scale its logistics requirements up or down without overcommitting to or underusing resources, allowing flexibility in the dynamic market.

6. Advanced Inventory Management

Raw material 3PLs have sophisticated inventory control systems to ensure stock-level monitoring occurs in real-time. This allows a business to make informed decisions on procurement so that overstocking and stockouts do not happen, ensuring that the materials are available when needed.

7. Cost Saving through Bulk Handling

Transportation charges for shipping large volumes of raw materials can be very expensive. A niche 3PL can exploit a third-party provider’s scale and economies of scale to consolidate shipments, optimize routes, and drive down costs both in transportation and operations.

8. Risk Mitigation

The transportation of raw materials naturally entails considerable risks, from theft to damage upon transport. Risk mitigation knowledge is precisely what specialized 3PLs come well equipped with- providing secure transport solutions that guarantee your goods’ safety, lest they end up lost, damaged, or unfit for compliance.

9. Industry-Specific Expertise

Companies that have dealt with heavy raw materials for many years understand the intricacies of handling and storing them. Whether hazardous materials or specific requirements such as equipment, they have industry solutions that ensure your materials are safe and compliant.

10. Integrated Supply Chain Visibility

A 3PL gives real-time visibility into how your raw materials are moving, thus providing you with critical information regarding shipment status, levels of inventory, and potential disruption. This transparency in the flow allows a business to make better decisions much more quickly about addressing changes or challenges in supply chain management.

Things to Consider When Shipping Raw Materials

Shipping raw materials requires special consideration. First, many of these materials have specific storage and handling requirements before shipping to ensure their safe delivery at the destination. This makes it difficult for the service to meet regulations and deadlines. Partner3PL is one of those 3PLs providing complex value-added services to handle raw material shipments.
Four things to be considered in raw material shipments:

1. Dimensions and Weight of LBM’s

LBMs usually have big, bulky weights, which is a huge problem for the transportation and storage side of things. With a 3PL such as Partner3PL, you can access custom heavy machinery and logistics tailored to the bulkiness and size of the object to be transported, reducing handling costs significantly.

2. Packaging and Protective Measures

Some raw materials are sensitive to environmental conditions like temperature, moisture, and sunlight. When selecting a 3PL raw materials supplier, your firm must ensure that it chooses one that offers customized packaging solutions so that your products are brought to the destination in the best conditions and are minimized in the event of spoilage or damage.

3. International Regulations

International shipping of raw materials requires strict adherence to customs and international shipping laws. A third-party logistics provider, such as Partner3PL, focusing on cross-border logistics ensures that it has all the proper documentation and that goods comply with the state’s laws.

4. Supply Chain Integration

Shipping raw materials represents a complex cluster of a number of touchpoints from the manufacturer to the end customer. A 3PL can integrate all logistics functions, including warehouse management software, inventory management, and transportation, into one seamless process, thus ensuring the optimization of the supply chain with a minimized delay and goods on time.

Raw Materials Products that 3PLs can Fulfill

A 3PL provider like Partner3PL can fulfill a wide range of raw materials, from bulk commodities to specialized industrial products. By offering tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of each type of material, a specialized 3PL can ensure the safe and efficient transport of these goods, whether by land, sea, or air.

Categories of Raw Materials:

• Metals: Steel, aluminum, copper
• Chemicals: Industrial chemicals, petrochemicals, fertilizers
• Timber and Lumber: Plywood, lumber, wood chips
• Aggregates: Sand, gravel, concrete
• Textiles: Cotton, wool, synthetic fibers

Partner3PL is equipped to handle all these raw materials with customized solutions designed to ensure safe and efficient transport and storage.

How to Choose the Right 3PL Provider

Selecting the right 3PL for your raw materials is a crucial decision that impacts your supply chain’s efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and compliance. Partnering with the right 3PL provider ensures that your materials are handled correctly, stored safely, and delivered on time.

Here are four key factors to consider when choosing a 3PL provider for raw materials:

1. Specialized Experience in Raw Materials

It’s essential to choose a 3PL that understands the unique challenges involved in handling raw materials. Whether handling hazardous goods, heavy equipment, or large quantities of materials, look for a 3PL with specific experience in your industry.

2. Comprehensive Service Offering

Choose a 3PL that provides comprehensive distribution services for all your logistics needs, including warehousing, inventory management, customs brokerage, and transportation. A provider like Partner3PL offers end-to-end solutions, ensuring a seamless supply chain process.

3. Technology-Driven Operations

Look for a 3PL that utilizes the latest technology for tracking shipments, managing inventories, and improving operational efficiency. Real-time visibility into your supply chain helps make informed decisions, reduce risks, and improve overall logistics performance.

4. Customer Support and Communication

Effective communication is critical when working with a 3PL. Ensure that the provider offers excellent customer support, with a dedicated team available to address any concerns or issues that may arise during the shipping process. Partner3PL prides itself on its responsive customer service, helping businesses navigate the complexities of shipping raw materials.