WERC Publishes Report

The Warehousing Education & Research Council (WERC) recently released its 2026 DC Measures Report at the WERC Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida.

This year’s report, “The Strategic Paradox: Aligning Strategy to Drive Innovation in a Cost-First Era,” reflects an industry at an inflection point.

Distribution operations are balancing rising performance, cost, and customer pressures, while digital transformation promises to deliver greater efficiency with fewer resources.

As the report notes: “These converging forces are pushing organizations to rethink how strategy translates into operational execution.”

The Metrics Behind the Report

The report, an essential industry tool for benchmarking, was based on the findings from surveys of distribution professionals in 2025 and 2026. Respondents represented such industries as manufacturing, retail, wholesale/distributor, third-party warehouses, life sciences, and transportation services. This year’s report showed an increase in international participation with 17.2% of respondents located outside of North America.

The report tracks 36 operational metrics that are key to distribution professionals. The top five most popular metrics for this year’s report were:

• On-time shipments
• Dock-to-stock cycle time (in hours)
• Average warehouse capacity used
• Peak warehouse capacity used
• Backorders as a percentage of total lines

The report also contains such demographic information as company size, facility type, and location. To benchmark operational performance, industry professionals can use this report to compare their internal key performance indicators against a broad range of facilities.

WERC Corporate Members Can Access the Report for Free

The 2026 DC Measures Report is complimentary for WERC Corporate Members and can be downloaded for free at werc.org/page/ASSESS-DC_Measures. MHI members can download a complimentary copy of the report at https://www.mhi.org/hub/knowledge#DC_Measures.

Individual WERC members can purchase the report for the member rate of $200; while non-members can purchase it for $550. It is available at werc.org/page/ASSESS-DC_Measures.

The 2026 report was developed in partnership with DC Velocity and generously sponsored by Kenco and Yale Lift Truck Technologies.

WERC, a division of MHI, is the only professional organization focused on warehousing, distribution, and fulfillment and its role in the supply chain. Through membership in WERC, seasoned professionals and those new to the industry master best practices and establish valuable relationships.

Updated Online Benchmarking Tool

In addition to the DC Measures report, WERC has also updated its Online Benchmarking Tool, which includes more than a decade of DC Measures data. This dynamic digital platform helps practitioners, 3PLs, and consultants customize benchmarking data to quickly meet internal evaluation needs.

The Online Benchmarking Tool is complimentary for the primary contact on WERC Corporate members accounts and MHI member accounts. WERC individual members can purchase a 1-year license to the tool for $1,495; non-members can purchase it for $2,495. The license and more information about the tool can be found at: werc.org/page/ASSESS-Online_Benchmarking_Tool.

• For more information about the DC Measures suite of benchmarking tools or joining WERC, contact [email protected].