The Port of Los Angeles just recorded the busiest month in its 118-year history. With the extended import peak now expected to wind down, distribution centers face a critical operational question: how efficiently can they move the inventory that has already entered the supply chain?
On October 9, 2026, the Port of Los Angeles announced that it handled 1,042,652 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in September, establishing a new all-time monthly cargo record. The result capped the port’s busiest quarter on record, with nearly 3 million TEUs processed between July and September.
Just one day earlier, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported that the extended 2026 import peak appeared to be winding down. Its October Global Port Tracker forecast projected gradually moderating import volumes as the year draws to a close.
These developments highlight an important distinction in supply chain operations.
A slowdown in inbound freight does not necessarily mean a slowdown in warehouse workload.
Containers arriving at U.S. ports are only one stage in a much larger distribution process. Products still need to be unloaded, received, put away, replenished, selected, and shipped to their final destinations.
For warehouse operators, the critical performance question is no longer simply how much freight is arriving.
It is how efficiently that inventory moves through the distribution center.
What Do Record Port Volumes Mean for Distribution Centers?
Import volumes provide an important indicator of supply chain activity, but they do not directly measure the workload inside individual warehouses.
The relationship between port activity and distribution center demand depends on transportation schedules, inventory destinations, product mix, facility capacity, and customer requirements.
A distribution center serving retail customers, for example, may experience increased receiving activity as imported merchandise moves inland. But that same facility must also manage existing inventory, outbound commitments, replenishment requirements, and seasonal order volumes.
The timing of those activities does not always align neatly with national shipping trends.
In September, FHI examined the prospect of a later-than-expected import peak in our article, September Wasn’t Supposed to Be Peak Season. Distribution Centers Still Have to Staff for It.
Now, the Port of Los Angeles has confirmed record cargo activity, reinforcing the importance of planning for freight patterns that can change significantly from earlier expectations.
For distribution leaders, the next challenge is maintaining operational flow as inventory moves beyond the dock.
Why Doesn’t Warehouse Workload Decline When Import Volumes Slow?
Because incoming freight and warehouse workload are not the same thing.
A container arriving at port creates work at multiple points in the supply chain. Even after a trailer has been unloaded, merchandise may still require verification, storage, replenishment, order selection, consolidation, and outbound handling.
Some facilities may experience heavy receiving activity followed by an extended period of order fulfillment.
Others may be processing inbound inventory and outbound orders simultaneously, placing pressure on different labor functions within the same shift.
Consider a distribution center that receives a substantial volume of seasonal merchandise in October.
Even if new inbound arrivals decline in November, that facility may experience increasing selection and replenishment activity as customer orders accelerate.
The workload has not disappeared.
It has shifted from one operational function to another.
This is why warehouse capacity should be evaluated across the entire product flow rather than through inbound or outbound volume alone.
How Can Distribution Centers Prevent Unloading Bottlenecks?
Efficient receiving creates the foundation for effective downstream warehouse operations.
When trailers take longer than expected to unload, delays can affect dock availability, appointment schedules, inventory processing, and overall labor utilization.
The resulting disruption can extend into other departments.
Put-away teams may experience uneven product flow. Replenishment may fall behind schedule. Selection teams may find that inventory physically exists in the building but is not yet available in the right location.
Distribution centers should closely monitor several receiving performance indicators:
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Average trailer unloading time
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Cases or pallets processed per labor hour
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Dock door utilization and trailer dwell time
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Inbound appointment adherence
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Receiving backlog and dock-to-stock cycle time
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Labor requirements by load type and arrival pattern
The objective is not simply to unload freight faster.
It is to create a predictable and consistent receiving operation that supports the rest of the facility.
For operations experiencing inconsistent inbound performance, FHI’s warehouse unloading and managed distribution services provide experienced teams, onsite leadership, and measurable productivity support.
Why Is Replenishment Critical After a Freight Surge?
Replenishment is one of the most important connections between receiving inventory and fulfilling orders.
Products cannot contribute to outbound throughput if they are not available where selection teams need them.
When receiving volumes are high, inventory may accumulate in reserve storage or staging areas. Without effective coordination, replenishment activity can fall behind changing order demand.
The consequences may include delayed picks, unnecessary travel, interrupted selection workflows, and increased pressure on warehouse supervisors.
Effective replenishment planning requires visibility into inventory availability, order priorities, storage locations, and labor capacity.
Distribution center managers should ask:
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Are reserve inventory and forward pick locations being replenished before shortages disrupt selection?
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Can replenishment labor adjust as outbound demand changes?
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Are receiving, put-away, and selection teams working from coordinated priorities?
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Are product movements being measured for productivity and accuracy?
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Can the facility identify where inventory is accumulating before it becomes a constraint?
These questions are particularly relevant when facilities transition from high-volume inbound activity toward greater outbound fulfillment demand.
FHI’s distribution operations support includes receiving, put-away, replenishment, selecting, and sorting—functions that must work together to keep products moving through the warehouse.
How Should Distribution Centers Prepare Their Selection Operations for Holiday Demand?
As imported merchandise moves into distribution networks, the operational focus increasingly turns toward fulfilling customer orders.
For many retail and wholesale distribution centers, this means growing pressure on picking, selection accuracy, replenishment availability, and outbound scheduling.
Selection productivity depends on more than the number of workers assigned to an area.
Travel distances, product locations, order profiles, equipment availability, replenishment timing, and workflow design can all influence performance.
Adding labor may increase capacity when a facility has sufficient supervision, equipment, and work available. But simply increasing headcount does not automatically create proportional gains in throughput.
A more effective approach begins with understanding where labor and process constraints are occurring.
Distribution leaders should evaluate:
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Cases, lines, or orders selected per labor hour
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Selection accuracy and rework
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Availability of replenished pick locations
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Overtime and labor utilization
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Equipment and aisle congestion
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Outbound schedule attainment
These measurements help determine whether the facility needs additional labor, better coordination, improved processes, or a combination of solutions.
For distribution centers facing an immediate surge in order-selection requirements, FHI NOW provides rapid-response labor support for operational disruptions, seasonal surges, and changing workforce demand.
Can Distribution Centers Handle Demand Changes Without Increasing Permanent Headcount?
In many situations, yes—but doing so requires a workforce strategy that aligns labor availability with the work being performed.
Warehouse labor demand can change substantially across different operating functions.
A facility may require additional unloading capacity during periods of concentrated inbound arrivals, then need greater replenishment or selection support as orders accelerate.
Maintaining a permanently elevated workforce across every function may create unnecessary labor costs when workloads normalize.
At the same time, relying entirely on last-minute labor additions can introduce training, supervision, productivity, and safety challenges.
The better approach is to evaluate workforce requirements against measurable operational demand.
This includes forecasting volumes by function, understanding productivity expectations, coordinating labor schedules, and establishing clear management accountability.
For facilities operating across multiple locations, consistency becomes even more important.
FHI’s guide to managed labor versus traditional warehouse staffing examines how different workforce models affect productivity, supervision, operational consistency, and cost visibility.
The distinction matters because successful warehouse labor management is not just about having workers available.
It is about ensuring that those workers are effectively deployed, supervised, and accountable for operational performance.
What Warehouse KPIs Matter Most After an Import Surge?
As warehouse activity shifts from receiving toward replenishment and outbound fulfillment, distribution leaders need performance measurements that reveal where constraints are developing.
No single metric tells the entire story.
An unloading operation may meet its productivity target while put-away falls behind. Selection may perform well during normal order volumes but struggle when replenishment cannot maintain sufficient inventory availability.
For this reason, operational visibility should extend across the warehouse.
| Operational function | Key performance indicators |
|---|---|
| Unloading | Trailer completion time, cases or pallets per labor hour |
| Receiving | Dock-to-stock time, receiving accuracy, backlog |
| Put-away | Units moved per labor hour, location accuracy |
| Replenishment | Replenishment completion, pick-location availability |
| Selection | Cases or lines per labor hour, accuracy, order completion |
| Outbound | Shipping schedule attainment, loading productivity |
| Workforce | Labor utilization, overtime, cost per unit handled |
Tracking these measurements together helps identify whether performance challenges are isolated or connected.
It also enables warehouse managers to allocate resources more effectively as operational priorities change.
When Should a Distribution Center Consider Outsourcing Warehouse Operations?
Operational complexity increases when distribution centers must coordinate multiple labor-intensive functions while balancing cost, throughput, quality, and customer service expectations.
For some organizations, managing those functions internally provides the necessary control and flexibility.
For others, the demands of recruiting, workforce management, supervision, productivity tracking, and day-to-day operational execution can consume substantial management resources.
This is where an experienced warehouse management partner may provide value.
Rather than focusing exclusively on labor availability, a managed operational model can establish more consistent processes, clearer accountability, and measurable performance expectations.
A full-service 3PL warehouse management partner may assume responsibility for multiple functions, including unloading, receiving, put-away, replenishment, order selection, and outbound support.
The appropriate solution depends on whether the organization needs assistance with one operational function or a more comprehensive approach to warehouse management.
For distribution leaders evaluating that decision, FHI also explains what a 3PL warehouse management company actually does and how operational responsibility can be structured.
What Is the Biggest Lesson From the 2026 Import Peak?
The 2026 import season demonstrates how quickly supply chain expectations can change.
Earlier forecasts suggested that import volumes would peak sooner. Subsequent projections indicated that September could become the year’s busiest period at major U.S. container ports. The Port of Los Angeles then reported the busiest month in its history.
Now, NRF expects import volumes to moderate as the year comes to a close.
For distribution center operators, these developments reinforce a practical lesson:
Freight forecasts may change, but the responsibility to execute does not.
Whether inbound volumes accelerate, stabilize, or decline, products must continue moving through the warehouse.
Receiving must remain productive. Replenishment must support order demand. Selection teams must meet fulfillment requirements. Outbound operations must maintain service commitments.
The most resilient distribution centers are not necessarily those with the largest workforces or the most sophisticated technology.
They are the operations that can align people, processes, and capacity with changing demand while maintaining consistent performance.
How Can FHI Help Distribution Centers Maintain Productivity?
For more than 30 years, FHI has helped organizations manage labor-intensive distribution operations with a focus on productivity, accountability, and dependable execution.
Our services support the movement of products throughout the warehouse, including unloading, receiving, put-away, replenishment, selection, and broader warehouse operations management.
Whether your facility is working through an inbound freight backlog, preparing for increased order-selection demand, or evaluating a more comprehensive warehouse management solution, FHI can help identify where operational support may create value.
The freight has arrived. The next challenge is making sure it keeps moving.
Connect with FHI to discuss your distribution center’s operational needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do high import volumes affect distribution center operations?
High import volumes can increase receiving, unloading, put-away, and inventory-processing requirements. The effect on an individual warehouse depends on its shipment schedules, product mix, available capacity, and customer demand.
Why can warehouse labor demand remain high after imports decline?
Warehouse work continues after products are received. Inventory must be stored, replenished, selected, packed, and shipped. As inbound activity decreases, outbound fulfillment requirements may increase, changing where labor is needed.
How can warehouses improve unloading efficiency?
Warehouses can improve unloading efficiency by monitoring trailer completion times, aligning staffing with arrival schedules, establishing productivity expectations, reducing dock congestion, and using experienced unloading teams.
What is the relationship between replenishment and order selection?
Replenishment makes inventory available in picking locations so selection teams can fulfill orders. When replenishment falls behind, order selection may be delayed even when the required inventory is already inside the facility.
Can managed warehouse labor help with seasonal demand?
Yes. Managed warehouse labor can help distribution centers align staffing, supervision, and productivity expectations with changing operational requirements. The appropriate model depends on the facility’s processes, volume patterns, and service needs.
When should a company consider a 3PL warehouse management provider?
A company may consider a 3PL warehouse management provider when internal teams are struggling with labor management, inconsistent productivity, operational complexity, or the coordination of multiple warehouse functions.
Sources and Further Reading
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Port of Los Angeles — October 9, 2026: Port of Los Angeles Sets All-Time Monthly Cargo Record
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National Retail Federation — October 8, 2026: Import Cargo’s Extended Peak Season Wrapping Up
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FHI — September 15, 2026: September Wasn’t Supposed to Be Peak Season. Distribution Centers Still Have to Staff for It
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