4 Benefits of 4PL & Managed Transportation Services
You’re likely familiar with a 2PL or 3PL, but now, we often see the term 4PL used throughout the industry. Sometimes you’ll see both 4PL and Managed Transportation Services used together or interchangeably to describe similar services. Even here at CLX Logistics, we provide 4PL services to many of our clients. So, what does it mean, exactly?
It’s pretty simple – a 4PL or fourth-party logistics provider is an outside transportation partner that delivers comprehensive planning and execution of all shipments for a client. That comprehensive planning and execution all fall under what we refer to as Managed Transportation Services.
Now that you know what a 4PL is, we can look at why so many companies choose to outsource their chemical logistics operations with these 4 Benefits of 4PL & Managed Transportation Services.
- A Single Point of Contact
Outsourcing your chemical logistics to a dedicated 4PL saves considerable time for you and all of your partners and delivers a consistent, uniform experience. 4PLs like CLX Logistics enable seamless coordination across modes and regions and ensure the best transportation costs possible. With a single point of contact, you get complete visibility across every aspect of your supply chain in one spot with standardized processes and on-demand support. - Improved Supply Chain Efficiency, Flexibility, & Responsiveness
A 4PL or Managed Transportation Services provider gives you immediate access to the perspective and benefits of an industry-leading transportation network. With the right 4PL, you also get an immediate wealth of experience and expertise that not only allows you to cherry-pick the best choices out of multiple modes and carriers but also delivers an unmatched level of flexibility and adaptability in the face of ever-evolving global events, regulations, and other challenges. - Improved ROI
Outsourcing to a 4PL or Managed Transportation Services provider connects your transportation network to a whole new network of smaller 3PLs that reduce costs and generate value at every step of the way for every party involved. Procurement and bidding become faster and cheaper as well, especially with seamless integration with tools like CLX LaneLogix™. Another tool, CLX Gravity™, allows for custom data sources from external systems, including BluJay TMS, to be combined with in-house data to build more accurate transportation models, develop better forecasts, and prepare for challenges. - Advanced TMS Technology
With CLX Logistics’s Managed Transportation Services, we include complete access to our advanced Transportation Management System (TMS), CLX TMS, the only globally deployed on-demand SaaS-TMS serving all regions and modes. CLX TMS provides real-time visibility into supply chains of all sizes, anywhere in the world, and delivers planning and execution capabilities across road, rail, and ocean intermodal networks.
Choosing the Right 4PL
With today’s rapidly evolving chemical supply chain landscape, chemical companies need to consider the core competencies of their managed service providers, now more than ever. The right global 4PL has a combination of a core focus on chemical logistics, along with the right experience and capabilities to maximize your transportation spend and drive new cost-saving initiatives throughout your supply chain. CLX Logistics suite of Managed Transportation Services Includes
- Freight rate benchmarks and bids for all transportation modes
- Carrier procurement, negotiation, and contracting
- Management reporting and interactive dashboard tools
- Detailed analytics and reporting of service, cost, and performance
- Robust continuous improvement programs
- Multi-modal transportation planning and execution
- Proactive shipment monitoring via web-based track and trace
- Domestic and international shipment management
- NVOCC and freight forwarder credentials
- Brokerage and dedicated fleet capacity management
- Rail fleet management
- BulkTainer ISO container fleet
- Freight bill, audit, and payment
All of these solutions lead to better supply chain market intelligence, reduced global chemical supply chain costs, and improved service & visibility at every level. Our a la carte approach to managed transportation services lets you utilize our expertise and capacity however you need. No matter the level of support you seek, we easily integrate and provide access to our seasoned team of HAZMAT-certified logistics professionals and advanced technology platforms and analytics. Click here to learn more. If you have questions or would like to talk about your transportation needs, we’d love to hear from you.
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