The concept of 4PL ( fourth party logistics) was first proposed and registered by Accenture Consulting. It defines fourth party logistics as: “The fourth party logistics is an integrator and coordinator of the supply chain, deployment and management. The organization itself and all other resources, capabilities and technologies of complementary services provide comprehensive supply chain solutions."
4PL Features
Compared with the third-party logistics focusing on actual operations, the Fourth Party Logistics pays more attention to the logistics activities of the entire supply chain. This difference is mainly reflected in the following two aspects and forms the unique characteristics of the Fourth Party Logistics:
（1）4PL offers a complete set of supply chain solutions
（2）4PL adds value through its ability to influence the entire supply chain
Three modes of operation
1. Collaborative operation model
2. Solution integrator model.
3. Industry innovator model