Blog — Techdinamics

Orlando Awaits: Your Guide to PARCEL Forum 2026

Written by Florencia Manzur | Aug 14, 2026, 3:11:21 PM

If you're heading to Parcel Forum '26 in Orlando, happening September 14 to 16, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, you're in for one of the most concentrated events on the parcel and fulfillment calendar. PARCEL Media runs the show alongside CloserStill Media, and this year's edition brings together roughly 2,000 attendees and 140+ exhibitors, spanning transportation leaders, parcel strategy teams, fulfillment operators, and e-commerce logistics professionals.

This conference has run for more than two decades, moving to a different host city each year, and stays focused entirely on small-package fulfillment. Across the three days, attendees can work through 14 learning pods and 55-plus sessions built around shipping product more efficiently and at lower cost.

Our Techdinamics team will be present, and you'll find us at booth 419 on the Expo Floor. If you'd like to book a meeting in advance, you can do so here.

PARCEL Forum takes some planning. The conference program and exhibit hall don't run on the same schedule, several education tracks compete for your attention at once, and this year's Monday Analyst Day adds an extra layer before the numbered breakout sessions begin Tuesday. This guide covers the sessions worth blocking off, the exhibit floor highlights, and the parties you won't want to miss.

 

The trends shaping PARCEL Forum 2026

The format stays practitioner-led: sessions, workshops, and roundtables driven by conversation rather than one speaker talking at a room. This year's program tracks the shift underway across parcel shipping and logistics, covering how e-commerce growth, changing consumer expectations, and rising costs are pushing shippers to rethink their delivery networks.

The strongest themes connect directly to the operational questions facing enterprise shippers and 3PLs:

  • AI and automation across parcel decision-making, warehouse slotting, robotics, and orchestration.
  • Carrier diversification strategies aimed at cutting dependence on national carriers and building in more resilience.
  • Cost control and pricing, covering rate forecasting, surcharge management, and parcel P&L visibility.
  • Customer experience and delivery, with real case studies on building connected, customer-first parcel networks.
  • Leadership angles, including women in logistics, USPS's growth plans, and the expanding role of regional carriers.
  • Warehouse optimization and packaging, focused on unifying systems and rethinking day-to-day workflows.

Monday, September 14 opens with a dedicated Analyst Day: four research-driven sessions from Gartner, Deloitte, McKinsey, and independent analyst Andre Pharand of Pharand Advisors, followed by a networking lunch, then an afternoon of workshops and a distribution center tour. In short, Monday belongs to the shippers who want the big-picture, research-backed view before Tuesday's breakout sessions kick off.

 


Keynotes and Top Sessions You Shouldn't Miss

Keynotes are your chance to hear the same big-picture view as everyone else in the room, no matter which track they normally follow. With sessions covering every stage of the order-to-ship journey, here's where we'd point your schedule.

 

Keynotes to catch

Opening Day Kick-Off Analyst Panel: The State of the Parcel Shipping Marketplace – Bloomberg Senior Analyst Lee Klaskow and Gartner's Chris Kina open the show with a data-driven look at shifting consumer behavior and how AI and digital twins are reshaping delivery networks.
Tuesday, September 15 - 8:00 to 8:40 AM

Opening Day Keynote: The Future of Package Shipping Jim Cochrane, CEO of the Package Shippers Association, spent 42 years at USPS, most recently as Chief Customer, Sales and Marketing Officer, and brings that inside view to how e-commerce keeps reshaping the supply chain.
Tuesday, September 15 - 8:50 to 9:30 AM

Closing Keynote: The Parcel Profit Squeeze, How Shippers Are Shifting from Cost Cutting to Cost Intelligence  Yehia Amar, Principal at Boston Consulting Group, breaks down BCG's new survey of shipping executives across Europe and North America.
Wednesday, September 16 - 8:00 to 8:40 AM

 

High-impact sessions

Tuesday, September 15

Session 501, panel: Building a Customer-Forward eCommerce Parcel Network – Julien Cavalletto, Director of Transportation at Backcountry, and Nitin Kumar, Director of Supply Chain Analytics at Fanatics, share real-world lessons on diversifying carrier networks and improving customer experience.
Tuesday, September 15 - 9:40 to 10:20 AM 

Session 103: On the Cusp: A New Parcel Carrier Landscape Michael Cannizzo, Chief Commercial & Growth Officer at OnTrac, unpacks how carrier fragmentation and alternative carrier growth are reshaping network design and cost structures.
Tuesday, September 15 - 11:20 to 12:00 PM

Wednesday, September 16

Session 205, panel: Managing Cost, Service, and CX Across Carriers, A Unified Parcel Visibility Approach – Robyn Meyer, SVP of Parcel Strategy & Solutions at Transportation Insight, and Nick Tauer, Senior Manager of Outbound at Brooks Running, discuss managing carrier cost, service, and post-purchase experience as one system instead of separate pieces. 
Wednesday, September 16 - 8:50 to 9:30 AM 

Session 706, case study: Delivering on Your Brand Promise, How Better Delivery Drives Loyalty, Trust, and Growth Veho CEO Itamar Zur leads a conversation on treating parcel delivery as a driver of loyalty and growth through better service, visibility, and cost efficiency.
Wednesday, September 16 - 9:40 to 10:20 AM

Read the full agenda and be sure to keep up with last-minute additions.

 

 

Exhibit Hall, Parties & Meets-Ups

The exhibit hall runs on its own hours, separate from the conference sessions, so plan around it: Tuesday, September 15 from 2:30 to 7:00 PM, and Wednesday, September 16 from 11:10 AM to 2:10 PM. More than 140 parcel and fulfillment companies will be on the floor, spanning carriers, WMS and shipping software providers, packaging and automation vendors, and 3PLs.

While you're there, don't miss:

  • Small World Café: coffee and espresso right on the floor to keep you moving between booths.
  • VIPP Lounge: full bar and passed hors d'oeuvres; get in via a partner invite or with a Platinum Plus badge.
  • Margaritaville: a rotating margarita tasting between booth stops.

Cocktails in Paradise Networking Hour. Tropical cocktails and a Cheeseburger in Paradise to kick off the week. Requires Platinum Plus/3-Day badge, Speaker, or Exhibitor F&B Package.
Monday, September 14 - 5:30–6:30 PM.

Grand Reception. The signature night of the show: the St. Augustine atrium, soft jazz, hors d'oeuvres, and an open bar right after the exhibit hall closes.
Tuesday, September 15 - 7:00-8:30 PM.

Women in Logistics Mimosa Meet-Up. Women-only networking during the Bite & Biz Luncheon window.
Wednesday, September 16 - 11:30 AM, VIPP Lounge.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is PARCEL Forum?

PARCEL Forum is the country's leading conference built entirely around small-package and parcel shipping strategy, run by PARCEL Media alongside CloserStill Media.

Where is PARCEL Forum '26 taking place?

This year's event runs September 14 to 16, 2026, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL 34746, just outside Orlando.

Who attends PARCEL Forum?

Expect a mix of shippers, retailers, e-commerce brands, 3PLs, carriers, consultants, and technology providers. That concentration is what makes the event useful for teams working on carrier strategy, warehouse-to-door execution, or getting ahead of peak season in a market where pricing and service options keep shifting.

Is PARCEL Forum held in the same city every year?

No. The show relocates every year. It was in Dallas in 2024 and in the Schaumburg area outside Chicago in 2025, before landing in Orlando for 2026. A 2027 host city hasn't been announced yet.

How many people attend PARCEL Forum?

Roughly 2,000 attendees and 140+ exhibitors will go this year, a size that keeps the event practitioner-focused rather than a sprawling trade show.

Do the conference sessions and exhibit hall run on the same schedule?

No. The exhibit hall keeps its own hours, separate from the conference program, so check both schedules if you want full access to sessions and the show floor.

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Let’s meet at Parcel Forum 2026

Our team will be on-site throughout the show. Stop by booth 419 to see a demo, meet the team, and talk through how Techdinamics can support your parcel and fulfillment operations. See you in Orlando!