Gartner Report Signals Growing Shift Toward 4PL as Global Supply Chains Fracture

As global supply chains grow more complex and less predictable, new research points to orchestration emerging as a core operational requirement rather than an optional enhancement. The latest Magic Quadrant on Fourth Party Logistics from Gartner highlights rising demand for 4PL models as companies struggle to manage fragmented networks spread across regions, partners, and systems.

Supply chains remain under sustained pressure from geopolitical tensions, changing trade rules, climate related disruptions, cyber risk, and ongoing volatility in global transport. In response, many organisations have diversified production and sourcing locations to reduce dependency on single regions. While this strategy has improved resilience, it has also added layers of operational complexity that traditional logistics structures are struggling to handle.

Gartner’s analysis notes that companies are increasingly turning to 4PL providers to act as neutral coordinators. Rather than moving goods themselves, these providers integrate carriers, warehouses, and technology platforms into a single operating framework, offering oversight across the entire supply chain. The report argues that this orchestration capability is becoming critical as supply networks lose their linear structure.

Industry executives say the findings closely mirror what businesses are experiencing on the ground. Paul Lockwood, UK and Ireland managing director at SEKO Logistics, said supply chains are no longer simple end to end systems. He noted that without a central coordination layer, complexity quickly shifts from being a source of flexibility to a source of risk, making orchestration essential for scale and stability.

Gartner analysts also point out that manufacturing and sourcing across multiple geographies has fundamentally changed freight patterns. David Gonzalez, a vice president analyst at Gartner, said companies now accept higher complexity in exchange for flexibility, which in turn is driving greater reliance on 4PL providers to manage that complexity effectively.

Logistics specialists echo this view, warning that many organisations are now juggling dozens of partners and disconnected digital tools without true end to end visibility. Andy Berkshire, group commercial director UK and Ireland at SEKO Logistics, compared fragmented supply chains without orchestration to traffic systems without signals, where movement exists but flow breaks down.

Market data appears to support Gartner’s conclusions. Analysts estimate the global 4PL market could more than double over the next decade, driven by the need for integrated oversight. At the same time, adoption of artificial intelligence within supply chains is accelerating, improving forecasting accuracy, inventory optimisation, and risk detection. Automation of purchase order to sales order workflows is also cutting administrative workloads dramatically, reinforcing the value of centralised control.

In practice, orchestration models are already being applied across sectors. SEKO has supported large multinational clients in coordinating global supply networks, improving visibility across suppliers and regions and reducing inefficiencies in highly regulated environments. According to the company, customers adopting orchestration have achieved lower inventory levels, reduced operating costs, and faster inventory turnover through improved oversight and data driven decision making.

Gartner’s research stresses that 4PL is not suited to every organisation. The model is most effective for companies operating across multiple regions or facing persistent disruption. Challenges include system integration, governance, and reliance on external partners, making phased or hybrid approaches a common entry point for businesses exploring orchestration.