The number of employees in the logistics industry began to grow in 2013, rising 1.6% and increasing by 8.8% during the first quarter of 2014.

The Logistics Observatory, a study promoted by the Department of Planning and Sustainability of the Generalitat de Catalunya and Cimalsa, is an annual survey that collects the Competitiveness Indicators of the Catalan Logistics System to monitor developments and give a true picture of the main market trends in logistics and transport in Catalonia.

The logistics sector in Catalonia includes transport of goods by road, sea and air; storage activities related to transportation; and postal and courier activities.

Following the trend of growth in the last four years, despite the reduction in the economic impact of freight transport, the economic weight of the logistics industry on the economy as a whole was above 4%. This fact is due to the increased importance of transport-related activities, which provide greater added value.

2013 marked the beginning of a turnaround in the economic context of Catalonia. During the period 2012-2013, the GDP in Catalonia grew 0.3%, breaking the downward trend followed in recent years.

Consequently, the transport and storage sector also led the revival of the labour market. Thus, during 2013, the number of employees in the logistics sector increased by 1.6% over the previous year. This percentage rose to 8.8% in the first quarter of 2014, compared to the same period the previous year. These figures represent a turning point in the downward trend followed since 2008.

Source: BCL
Photo: Ivan MIinaric/ flickr