SC Codeworks, a Columbus, Ohio-based warehouse management software provider, released its H1 2026 supply chain performance data, revealing a logistics industry that is becoming faster, more efficient, and increasingly resilient despite ongoing economic and transportation challenges.
The report, based on SC Codeworks' platform data, shows total freight orders increased 6.9% year over year during the first half of 2026, with June recording the strongest monthly performance at 14.6% growth compared to June 2025. At the same time, average order-to-ship cycle times fell dramatically, dropping 34% year over year from 19.76 days in H1 2025 to 13.04 days in H1 2026. This trend suggests businesses are placing orders closer to actual demand while expecting significantly faster warehouse execution, reflecting a more agile supply chain environment.
Warehouse operators also improved less-than-truckload (LTL) efficiency during a period of elevated fuel costs. From January through April 2026, average orders per consolidation load increased 19%, rising from 4.87 to 5.79 orders per load. High-density loads carrying 20 or more orders grew from 5.2% of all consolidations in January to 6.5% in February, remaining elevated through April. Overall shipped LTL volume increased 26%, while consolidation rates remained consistently between 74% and 75%, demonstrating that operators maintained shipping discipline even as freight volumes increased.
These efficiency gains coincided with a significant increase in diesel prices following geopolitical disruptions earlier this year. The data suggests organizations responded by maximizing trailer utilization instead of increasing truck deployments, a strategy that helped mitigate rising transportation costs.
“The data tells a clear story. Companies are compressing their planning horizons, ordering closer to actual need and expecting the supply chain to keep pace,” said Amy Dean, Vice President of Operations at SC Codeworks. “On the LTL side, operators are responding the right way, packing more work into every load rather than adding trucks. And underneath all of it, volume is growing. That combination tells us the logistics industry is not just surviving a demanding environment. It is adapting to it.”
For logistics operators in Long Beach and beyond, these findings underscore the importance of leveraging technology and data to optimize operations. The ability to reduce order-to-ship times and improve LTL consolidation can lead to significant cost savings and competitive advantages. As the industry continues to face pressures from fuel costs and demand fluctuations, adopting strategies that enhance efficiency will be critical.
SC Codeworks, an award-winning logistics software company, has been recognized by the Institute for Supply Management's Supply Chain Trailblazer Awards, Inbound Logistics' Top 100 Logistics & Supply Chain Technology Providers list, and the SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards as Warehouse Automation Platform of the Year. More information about SC Codeworks can be found at https://www.sccodeworks.com/.
