- Managed services
- 4PL services
4flow is named a Leader in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Fourth-Party Logistics.
Optimize and transform your supply chain with a neutral 4PL service provider
- See impactful change: Go-live within 6 months and ROI in just one year
- Increase efficiency: Up to 20% reduction in logistics costs with efficient end-to-end transportation processes
- Create lasting value: Up to 30% increase in supply chain performance with continuous service optimization
End-to-end transportation management services
As a fourth-party logistics (4PL) provider, 4flow helps you continuously optimize your transportation network and manage logistics effectively and efficiently, resulting in sustainable performance improvements and cost reductions.
Our 4PL services in transportation planning, execution and controlling are tailored to your needs. Targeted support provides you with tangible benefits based on your priorities.
4flow recognized as a Leader in the first Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Fourth-Party Logistics
Read the reportMeasurable impact across your transportation processes
Choose your process
Planning
- Planning
- Execution
- Controlling
Strategic transportation planning
Network design experts support you to identify levers and optimize your transportation network.
Strategic transportation planning
4flow supports you to plan your transportation and logistics network based on your unique requirements. We also help you adjust them to reflect new and varying demands.
With over 20 years of experience, we deliver customized 4PL services for various network types across multiple industries.
Tactical planning
4flow helps you create transportation strategies tailored to your requirements.
Tactical planning
The dynamic nature of markets and demand adds complexity to tactical planning, often leading to inefficiencies and higher operational costs.
Across all modes, 4flow’s experts help you create transportation strategies tailored to your demand, cost targets, and lead time requirements. Our efficient solutions ensure cost-effective, timely, and reliable material flows.
Operational planning
Ensure smooth operations with proactive solutions and real-time decisions.
Operational planning
Operational transportation planning ensures your logistics processes run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. This requires precise coordination and real-time decision-making.
4flow proactively addresses supply chain challenges, offering real-time solutions to mitigate supplier issues and transportation delays. This approach keeps your operations efficient, responsive, and aligned with your strategic goals.
Strategic freight procurement
From preparation to contract, 4flow supports efficient freight tenders tailored to your needs.
Strategic freight procurement
4flow supports you in executing efficient, market-aligned freight tenders tailored to your logistics needs. We guide the full process – from preparing and evaluating tenders to selecting optimal service partners and delivering ready-to-sign contracts.
Our experts ensure full transparency of contracted services, monitor market changes, and provide regular intelligence updates. This enables you to make informed decisions and secure reliable, cost-effective transportation capacity.
Strategic transportation planning
4flow supports you to plan your transportation and logistics network based on your unique requirements. We also help you adjust them to reflect new and varying demands.
With over 20 years of experience, we deliver customized 4PL services for various network types across multiple industries.
Tactical planning
The dynamic nature of markets and demand adds complexity to tactical planning, often leading to inefficiencies and higher operational costs.
Across all modes, 4flow’s experts help you create transportation strategies tailored to your demand, cost targets, and lead time requirements. Our efficient solutions ensure cost-effective, timely, and reliable material flows.
Operational planning
Operational transportation planning ensures your logistics processes run smoothly on a day-to-day basis. This requires precise coordination and real-time decision-making.
4flow proactively addresses supply chain challenges, offering real-time solutions to mitigate supplier issues and transportation delays. This approach keeps your operations efficient, responsive, and aligned with your strategic goals.
Strategic freight procurement
4flow supports you in executing efficient, market-aligned freight tenders tailored to your logistics needs. We guide the full process – from preparing and evaluating tenders to selecting optimal service partners and delivering ready-to-sign contracts.
Our experts ensure full transparency of contracted services, monitor market changes, and provide regular intelligence updates. This enables you to make informed decisions and secure reliable, cost-effective transportation capacity.
Transport order management
Maximize efficiency in daily transportation with data-driven precision.
Transport order management
Transport order management involves ordering and dispatch of shipments to ensure efficient daily transportation. Managing high order volumes in dynamic markets demands robust systems and precise coordination.
4flow’s 4PL managed services enable you to increase your efficiency with comprehensive checks of transport orders and other transportation data. The results include high standards of service, cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.
Real-time track & trace
Gain visibility into shipment status and mitigate disruptions along the way.
Real-time track & trace
Made possible by a growing amount of data and increasing process automation, shipment tracking is becoming essential across industries.
Track & trace systems follow shipments along their routes, improve transparency and enable risk mitigation. 4flow's real-time track & trace service provides precise monitoring, enabling proactive disruption management and fast decision-making.
Exception management
Streamline exception management with a single automated platform.
Exception management
When transportation exceptions occur, common challenges like low transparency, manual errors, duplicated tasks, and manual processes are amplified. The increased workload might even affect your ability to meet customer demand.
4flow’s exception management system tackles these issues by quickly identifying, communicating, and documenting transportation exceptions and their possible solutions – so you can maintain a high service level.
Transport order management
Transport order management involves ordering and dispatch of shipments to ensure efficient daily transportation. Managing high order volumes in dynamic markets demands robust systems and precise coordination.
4flow’s 4PL managed services enable you to increase your efficiency with comprehensive checks of transport orders and other transportation data. The results include high standards of service, cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.
Real-time track & trace
Made possible by a growing amount of data and increasing process automation, shipment tracking is becoming essential across industries.
Track & trace systems follow shipments along their routes, improve transparency and enable risk mitigation. 4flow's real-time track & trace service provides precise monitoring, enabling proactive disruption management and fast decision-making.
Exception management
When transportation exceptions occur, common challenges like low transparency, manual errors, duplicated tasks, and manual processes are amplified. The increased workload might even affect your ability to meet customer demand.
4flow’s exception management system tackles these issues by quickly identifying, communicating, and documenting transportation exceptions and their possible solutions – so you can maintain a high service level.
Freight cost management
Automated, standardized freight billing for smoother processing and cost savings.
Freight cost management
Effective freight cost management is essential for planning your supply chain spending. It forms the basis for forecasting logistics expenses, managing budgets, and avoiding unexpected costs.
4flow’s freight cost management services enable you to negotiate better rates, optimize routes, reduce expenses, and improve delivery reliability for your customers.
Reporting and business intelligence
Drive strategic improvements with advanced analysis and real-time visualization.
Reporting and business intelligence
Reporting and business intelligence in transportation enable in-depth analysis of KPIs like on-time delivery rates, fuel efficiency, shipment costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Advanced analytics and real-time visualization help identify bottlenecks, forecast demand, and drive strategic improvements in your transportation network.
4flow’s customized reports and dashboards integrate diverse data, optimizing transportation management with detailed and efficient analysis
For even greater supply chain visibility and control, 4flow supports you to establish an end-to-end command center. This solution integrates operational processes to proactively manage disruptions and optimize resources across your network.
Performance management
Continuously improve your transportation operations with structured performance management.
Performance management
Performance management increases supply chain efficiency, reduces costs, and improves service quality by identifying bottlenecks and enabling data-driven decisions.
4flow ensures transparency, measures carrier performance, and reports deviations to drive continuous improvement.
Freight cost management
Effective freight cost management is essential for planning your supply chain spending. It forms the basis for forecasting logistics expenses, managing budgets, and avoiding unexpected costs.
4flow’s freight cost management services enable you to negotiate better rates, optimize routes, reduce expenses, and improve delivery reliability for your customers.
Reporting and business intelligence
Reporting and business intelligence in transportation enable in-depth analysis of KPIs like on-time delivery rates, fuel efficiency, shipment costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Advanced analytics and real-time visualization help identify bottlenecks, forecast demand, and drive strategic improvements in your transportation network.
4flow’s customized reports and dashboards integrate diverse data, optimizing transportation management with detailed and efficient analysis
For even greater supply chain visibility and control, 4flow supports you to establish an end-to-end command center. This solution integrates operational processes to proactively manage disruptions and optimize resources across your network.
Performance management
Performance management increases supply chain efficiency, reduces costs, and improves service quality by identifying bottlenecks and enabling data-driven decisions.
4flow ensures transparency, measures carrier performance, and reports deviations to drive continuous improvement.
Unlock cost savings and agility
The potential for cost savings in transportation is substantial. For many companies, transportation costs make up more than half of all supply chain costs.
With continuous logistics and transport management, your business remains agile. Your network can adapt to changing conditions while staying fully optimized. Our cross-functional 4PL approach breaks down silos and drives real value with flexible and cost-effective solutions.
Fully customized transportation management solutions
As a neutral, non-asset-based 4PL service provider, 4flow delivers tailored control tower solutions that support strategic planning and daily transportation operations. We partner with global businesses to deliver scalable, managed supply chain services that meet your evolving supply chain and logistics needs.
Interested in more?
Discover your transportation management archetype in our study and unlock tailored strategies for your supply chain.
Download for freeThe most value for your transportation network
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Fast implementation and ROI
Go-live within 6 months and ROI in just one year
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Long-term cost reduction
Continuous transportation services ensure ongoing cost savings and improved maturity
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Neutral 4PL partner
Neutral data handling and negotiation expertise ensure the best rates in an optimized network
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Over 20 years of experience
Industry-leading supply chain optimization and transformation expertise
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Flexibility for your business
Solutions adapted to your industry and unique requirements
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Integrated IT solutions
For seamless collaboration across all supply chain segments and data-driven decision-making
Customer reviews at Gartner Peer Insights™
Enterprise Commodity Manager, Manufacturing
Deployments in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
More reviews
Senior Supply Chain Leader, Automotive Manufacturing
Deployments in Italy, Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, Germany
More reviews
Global Logistics Manager, Industrial Sector
Deployments across Europe, North America, and Asia
More reviewsReal-world transportation management solutions
- Resideo
- Magna
Game-changing supply chain optimization
Success story in hight-tech
Resideo is a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components providing solutions to over 150 million homes globally.
The challenge
Resideo was implementing a new TMS for its end-to-end transportation network in Europe and approached 4flow to support its freight auditing and optimization activities.
The solution
- Close collaboration to develop data frameworks and customized automation tools
- Improvement of the internal shuttle network between production sites and warehouses
- Active optimization for cost savings, improved service levels and reduced emissions
The results
-
12
Supply chain optimizations
-
$1.2 mio
Cost savings annually
-
133 tons
Annual CO₂e reduction
Digital transformation of the inbound supply chain
Success story in automotive
Magna is a leading brand-independent automotive engineering and parts manufacturing business.
The challenge
Magna sought to increase agility and optimize inbound processes by digitally integrating suppliers and LSPs into logistics processes.
The solution
- Implementation of the 4flow iTMS, an integrated end-to-end transportation management solution
- Increase agility to respond to unexpected changes in manufacturing demand
- Rollout in waves, with more and more suppliers and carriers integrated into the 4flow iTMS in each step
The results
- Immediate cost savings
- Increased agility
- Fewer shipments needed
- Lower carbon emissions
Game-changing supply chain optimization
Success story in hight-tech
Resideo is a leading global manufacturer and developer of technology-driven products and components providing solutions to over 150 million homes globally.
The challenge
Resideo was implementing a new TMS for its end-to-end transportation network in Europe and approached 4flow to support its freight auditing and optimization activities.
The solution
- Close collaboration to develop data frameworks and customized automation tools
- Improvement of the internal shuttle network between production sites and warehouses
- Active optimization for cost savings, improved service levels and reduced emissions
The results
-
12
Supply chain optimizations
-
$1.2 mio
Cost savings annually
-
133 tons
Annual CO₂e reduction
Digital transformation of the inbound supply chain
Success story in automotive
Magna is a leading brand-independent automotive engineering and parts manufacturing business.
The challenge
Magna sought to increase agility and optimize inbound processes by digitally integrating suppliers and LSPs into logistics processes.
The solution
- Implementation of the 4flow iTMS, an integrated end-to-end transportation management solution
- Increase agility to respond to unexpected changes in manufacturing demand
- Rollout in waves, with more and more suppliers and carriers integrated into the 4flow iTMS in each step
The results
- Immediate cost savings
- Increased agility
- Fewer shipments needed
- Lower carbon emissions
FAQs
3PL (third-party logistics) delivers operational logistics services such as warehousing, transportation and sometimes customs. It typically owns assets and focuses on executing specific logistics tasks.
4PL (fourth-party logistics) manages the design, operation and optimization of end-to-end logistics networks. A 4PL provider acts as a single strategic partner, coordinating multiple 3PLs and technology platforms while focusing on governance, integration and continuous improvement rather than asset ownership.
4flow helps identify the right modules based on your logistics goals and operational complexity. Solutions are tailored to your organization’s needs.
KPIs show performance, not resilience. Market volatility and compliance changes can disrupt even the best-run networks. With managed services, you get:
- Dedicated operational support for daily transportation execution
- Continuous optimization driven by iTMS analytics
- Proactive exception handling to prevent costly delays
Managed services go beyond technological solutions to expertly ensure that your KPIs stay strong in the future.
Not with a neutral 4PL partner. A neutral approach to fourth-party logistics is built on transparency and partnership, not handover. Fourth-party logistics are integrated seamlessly with your organization, providing real-time visibility and collaborative governance. This means you retain strategic control while benefiting from specialized expertise and proven frameworks that elevate performance across the entire supply chain and support your organization on its way to a higher level of supply chain maturity.
Asset-based providers own trucks, warehouses and fleets, which can limit flexibility and lead to biased decision-making. Non-asset-based providers act as neutral orchestrators, using the best carriers and solutions for your network. This independence ensures optimization, scalability and cost efficiency without being tied to fixed assets.
4flow operates as a neutral 4PL with no contractual commitments to any logistics service provider. All transport contracts are concluded directly between the shipper and the carrier. When you work with 4flow, we can manage these carrier contracts on your behalf. This centralized approach simplifies governance, ensures compliance and enhances performance through consolidated procurement. You maintain full visibility and strategic control while benefiting from streamlined execution and stronger carrier relationships.
*Source: Gartner, “Magic Quadrant for Fourth-Party Logistics,” Matthew Beckett, David Gonzalez, December 1, 2025.
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document. The Gartner document is available upon request from 4flow SE.