Gartner and analyst Mathew Beckett are out with a blog post this week that says adoption of a 4PL logistics outsourcing model is growing.

What is a 4PL? a simple answer is that a 4PL is a 3PL that manages other 4PLs.

Gartner’s blog offers a more detailed definition.

The blog offers the chart below, which lists the business drivers of the move to the 4PL model.

Source: Gartner

“There are many advantages to 4PL outsourcing, with many examples of satisfied customers across both large and medium organizations,” Beckett concludes, adding that “Yet, there is an equal number of companies that have been left disappointed by 4PL, perhaps because of unrealistic expectations or poor relationship management.”

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