Manifest 2026 is officially a wrap.

Two themes stood out that feel especially relevant for 2026 and beyond.

First: AI, but make it practical.

The conversation has clearly shifted from big promises to real use cases. Less about what AI could do someday, and more about where it actually saves time, reduces manual work, and improves visibility right now.

Second: The barrier to enterprise-level technology is lowering.

Tools that were once only accessible to large, capital-heavy operators are becoming more attainable.

That means mid-market and forward-thinking boutique providers are well positioned for success in 2026 and beyond. Their processes are already built around flexibility, speed, and managing multi-client ecommerce operations. Now they can pair that with better access to automation, technology, and data without the same capital requirements that used to separate them from enterprise providers.

What's trending

Last week in Fulfillment Focus, I shared a blog on why Manifest is a great event, but not the right fit for everyone. It ended up getting more traction than I expected.

Based on that response, I broke down additional events that fulfillment providers (especially boutique and mid-market teams) may want to consider in 2026.

The next two on the calendar:

📦 MODEX

📦 EXPO West

A high level breakdown of these events and 4 others later in the year is in the highlight section at the end of this email.

Opportunities in Fulfillment

Where to go and why

When time and budget are tight, how do you know which industry events and tradeshows are worth going to if you're a small or mid-market fulfillment provider? Here's a breakdown of some of the 2026 events we've been hearing about frequently from our friends in the fulfillment industry.

If you'll be at MODEX, Expo West, or IWLA - we'll see you there!

MODEX 2026

The Vibe: "Disneyland for Warehouse Nerds."

The ROI Hook: CAPEX Protection. Don't buy a $2M sorter based on a PDF; go kick the tires.

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The Solutions Architect or Director of Ops. Someone who understands your current floor bottlenecks and has the technical literacy to "grill" the robotics vendors on integration.

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: Labor is your biggest expense. MODEX 2026 is heavily focused on "Plug-and-Play" automation (AMRs and cobots) that doesn't require a 10-year lease or a massive engineering team to install.

📦 Pro Tip: Bring your data (order profiles, SKU counts). Many exhibitors (like Exotec or Locus) can run live simulations. Use the "Industry Night" to talk to other owners about which robots actually broke down six months after install.

WERC 2026

The Vibe: The "Scientific Method" of Warehousing.

The ROI Hook: Margin expansion through efficiency. If you find a way to shave 10 seconds off every pick, the ticket pays for itself in a month.

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The General Manager or Operations Manager. This isn't a "sales" show; it’s a "how do we run this place better" show.

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: Small shops often "don't know what they don't know." WERC provides the industry benchmarks. You’ll learn if your "lines per hour" are world-class or if you’re leaving money on the table.

📦 Pro Tip: Join the Facility Tours in Jacksonville. Seeing how a competitor handles their returns or kitting area is worth more than ten keynote speeches.

Expo West 2026

The Vibe: "CPG Chaos" (and very high energy).

The ROI Hook: Lead Density. Thousands of physical-product brands that all need to ship boxes.

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The Founder or Head of Sales. You need someone who can walk 10 miles a day, hand out business cards, and talk "Organic Certification" or "Lot Tracking."

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: It’s a target-rich environment for niche providers. If you have temperature control or specialized food-grade space, you are exactly what these brands are looking for.

📦 Pro Tip: Don't get a booth. Walk the "Emerging Brands" section. These are the brands that are about to explode and are currently looking for their first professional 3PL partner. Once you meet them, bring them through Slotted's Solo RFP flow to make the pricing and proposal process smooth for both of you.

Sellers Summit 2026

The Vibe: The "Sophisticated Solopreneur" Mastermind.

The ROI Hook: Landing "sticky" DTC clients. These sellers value the owner-to-owner relationship.

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The 3PL Owner. At this show, the brand founders want to talk to the person who owns the warehouse, not a sales rep.

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: This is where the 7 and 8-figure Amazon/Shopify sellers hang out. They are often too small for the giant 3PLs to care about, but they are "whales" for a boutique provider.

📦 Pro Tip: Offer a "Fulfillment Audit" instead of a sales pitch. Help them understand why their current shipping zones are killing their margins, and they’ll practically beg you to take their business. Not sure how to do that quickly? Slotted can help. Use the Solo RFP flow so they can easily give your their shipping info and you can demonstrate to them how you can save them money. Fast.

IWLA 2026 (San Antonio)

The Vibe: The 3PL Trade Show - For 3pls, By 3pls.

The ROI Hook: Defensive ROI. Learning how to stay compliant and avoid lawsuits.

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The Owner/Operator.

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: This is the only place where you can talk to other 3PL owners about the "ugly" side of the business: warehouse legal liability, insurance spikes, and labor laws.

📦 Pro Tip: Lean into the Advocacy & Legal sessions. One tip on how to structure your "Warehouseman’s Lien" could save your business if a client goes bankrupt and leaves their inventory in your building.

CSCMP EDGE 2026

The Vibe: The "Ivy League" of Supply Chain.

The ROI Hook: Strategic evolution. Moving from "picking boxes" to "managing networks."

📦 Who is the high-impact attendee? The CEO or VP of Strategy.

📦 Why it’s right for SMB 3PLs: If you want to scale from one location to three, you need the network design and data science taught here.

📦 Pro Tip: Download the "Annual 3PL Study" (released at the show). It’s the ultimate "cheat sheet" that tells you exactly what shippers are planning to outsource in the next 24 months.