Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have the potential to become major drivers of supply chain innovation, but stronger trust and shared accountability are essential if businesses are to unlock their full value, according to findings from SCALA’s latest industry debate.
The global supply chain and logistics consultancy hosted its 23rd Annual Supply Chain Debate at the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, bringing together senior leaders from across retail, FMCG and logistics. The event explored the evolving role of 3PLs in an increasingly challenging operating environment marked by geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs, labour shortages, climate pressures and growing customer expectations.
Audience polling highlighted strong support for a more collaborative approach to supply chain management, with 90 per cent of attendees agreeing that supply chain success should be owned through shared accountability. The result underlines the growing importance of partnership-driven relationships between businesses and their logistics providers.
Despite this consensus, the debate also revealed ongoing challenges. While 65 per cent of attendees said a modern 3PL should operate as an integrated extension of a business, a significant trust gap remains. More than a quarter of respondents (27 per cent) identified a lack of trust as one of the biggest barriers to greater innovation between customers and logistics partners. This was second only to procurement’s focus on cost, which was cited by 29 per cent of participants.
The final audience poll examined whether 3PLs should be considered the “real heroes” of the supply chain. The majority of attendees took a conditional view, with 59 per cent stating that 3PLs can be heroes when they have “skin in the game” and are structured for success rather than simply avoiding failure.
A further 19 per cent said 3PLs play a critical role as innovation partners for manufacturers and retailers, while 14 per cent highlighted their value for shared-user customers and their contribution as a training ground for future supply chain talent. Only 8 per cent of respondents argued that logistics providers still need to focus on getting the fundamentals right before being viewed as industry leaders.
The debate featured senior executives from some of the UK’s leading organisations, including Grace Smith, Supply Chain Director UKI&N at Mars, Joanne Moore, Customer Service & Logistics Director at Suntory, Gavin Chappell, VP Supply Chain, Food & GM at ASDA, and Fabian Koehler, Deputy Group CEO at Culina Group.
Discussions focused on how the role of 3PLs is evolving as supply chains become increasingly complex. Topics included operational reliability, commercial alignment, supply chain resilience and the ability of logistics providers to help businesses manage disruption while turning innovation into practical operational improvements.
Chris Clowes, Executive Director at SCALA and chair of the debate, said: “In a world that often looks for polarised answers, the conclusion was much more nuanced. 3PLs can be heroes of the supply chain, but only if the relationship is structured in the right way.
“What stood out was the contradiction between what businesses want from 3PLs and the reality of many current relationships. Manufacturers and retailers increasingly want logistics partners to operate as integrated extensions of their own organisations, yet trust remains a persistent barrier.
“As disruption becomes a more permanent feature of global supply chains, and innovation becomes more essential, businesses will need to address that trust gap. Stronger partnerships will depend on clearer shared objectives, better commercial alignment and more open conversations about risk, value and responsibility.”
The findings suggest that while logistics providers are increasingly recognised as strategic partners, the future success of supply chain innovation will depend on building stronger, more transparent relationships. As businesses face growing operational challenges, trust, collaboration and shared accountability are likely to become key drivers of long-term supply chain performance.
