The logistics community should look forward to 2004 with a healthy measure of hope and optimism. Here's why:

First and foremost, the economy finally appears to be showing signs of a sustained recovery. For providers of transportation and logistics services, this will likely mean an increase in revenues. That, in turn, will allow them to make the investments in technology, equipment, and staffing that they'd shied away from in more uncertain times.

For shippers, the good news is that they stand to benefit from the enhanced service levels these investments should yield. But there's an even bigger benefit inherent in a resurgent economy that results in increased shipping activity. Namely, with this increase will come new opportunities for options like pooling and consolidation, drop shipping, cross docking, direct delivery, and so on. More volume also typically translates to more cost-effective private fleet operations.

Things are looking up on the international scene, too. The cataclysmic geopolitical events of the past few years have created a new awareness of security among logistics professionals while galvanizing our government into action. Further, government initiatives like C-TPAT (the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) have not only created a safer environment for international commerce, but they've also forced shippers to scrutinize their supply chains for any weak security links. More often than not, increased efficiency has been a welcome byproduct of this kind of analysis.

From a professional development standpoint, we see a number of bright spots ahead. Organizations like the Council of Logistics Management and the Institute of Supply Management are reinventing themselves, developing new products and services that correspond to the changing needs of their members. An increasing number of educational institutions are adding logistics-related courses to their programs. And online learning opportunities such as CLM's Global Virtual Roundtable are bringing new educational tools right to our desktops.

Sure, logistics professionals will still face plenty of challenges and frustrations. And these are made all the tougher by still-limited resources and management's failure to appreciate logistics' central role in business success. But as we begin the New Year, let's look at the brighter side. Let's work to turn the hope into reality.

Francis J. Quinn, Editorial Director