Notes from the Road: IB at NPF, SubSummit, Home Delivery World, and CNS

IB teams spent May 2026 on the road. Four events, four different rooms, and one consistent theme across all of them. Non-continental US shipping is showing up as an operational priority for more shippers, 3PLs, and carrier partners than it did a year ago. Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and APO/FPO destinations are part of the strategic conversation, and the brands and operators we spoke with are looking for networks built specifically for those lanes.

Here is what the month looked like.

National Postal Forum 

The National Postal Forum brought the postal and parcel industry together for its annual gathering, and IB was there in force. The team had productive client and prospect meetings across the postal and parcel ecosystem throughout the show.

The highlight for IB was the WILDs event we sponsored. WILDs, short for Women in Logistics and Delivery Services, is an industry organization that supports women in logistics through community, mentorship, and leadership development. IB CEO Shoshana Grove chairs WILDs, and IB has been a longtime supporter. For the longer story on the organization and IB’s involvement, our 2023 piece covers it: Empowering Women in Logistics and Delivery: The WILDS Organization.

SubSummit, Kansas City 

The week after NPF, the IB team was in Kansas City for SubSummit, the subscription commerce industry’s largest annual gathering. The floor was a mix of subscription brands, 3PLs, and technology providers, and the conversations clustered around one operational pattern.

Subscription brands build their fulfillment economics around mainland US shipping. When their customer base reaches Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or an APO/FPO address, transit times stretch and costs rise. Subscription models depend on predictable cost and timing. The shippers and 3PLs we spoke with want a non-continental shipping solution designed for those lanes, with the same operational rigor they expect for the mainland US. Several of the SubSummit conversations carried into the following week at Home Delivery World in Nashville.

“SubSummit in Kansas City brought together subscription leaders who understand that shipping is a core part of the customer experience. For International Bridge, it was the perfect setting to deepen partnerships and connect with new companies looking for reliable, cost-effective delivery strategies.”

– Kyle Urech, Senior Sales Director, International Bridge

Home Delivery World, Nashville 

Home Delivery World has shifted toward big and bulky, white glove, and large-format home delivery. Furniture, appliances, and oversized home goods filled the floor, and the operational questions followed.

For IB, the value came through in the 3PL conversations. Many of the providers we met handle both big and bulky and small parcels. The small parcel side is where non-continental questions come up most often. We also reconnected with existing partners and continued threads that started in Kansas City. The 3PLs serving subscription brands are increasingly the same ones serving big and bulky home delivery. Both segments need a non-continental answer, and the operators investing in that capability now will be positioned to win the volume.

“At Home Delivery World, it was exciting to see how retailers and 3PLs are leaning into last-mile innovation. International Bridge was able to demonstrate our unique delivery network and discuss shipping options that give companies a competitive edge.”

– Kyle Urech, Senior Sales Director, International Bridge

CNS Partnership Conference, San Francisco 

The month closed in San Francisco at the CNS Partnership Conference, the US air cargo industry’s annual gathering. This year’s conference, held under the theme “Elevating Air Cargo: Partnerships, Progress & Possibilities,” brought together around 700 stakeholders from across the air cargo value chain.

CNS is one of the most important events of the year for IB Non-Con. Air capacity is the determining factor for non-continental transit windows. Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the rest of the US territories are air-served destinations. The relationships IB maintains with air cargo partners directly shape what we can promise shippers, and CNS is where much of that work happens in person. This year’s program included a session on e-commerce and air cargo focused on how partners are improving networks and processes to meet growing e-commerce demand, which sits at the center of IB Non-Con’s daily operations. According to IATA’s Value of Aviation report, 34.0 million tonnes of air cargo were handled through U.S. airports in 2023. While IATA’s latest country-level figure for the U.S. remains based on 2023 data, IATA reported that global air cargo demand reached a record level in 2025, growing 3.4% year over year. This continued strength reinforces the importance of reliable air cargo networks, including routes serving non-continental U.S. destinations such as Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other offshore markets. 

Taking it forward 

Four events, one consistent message. Shippers, 3PLs, and carrier partners are treating non-continental U.S. shipping as a strategic capability that deserves dedicated network design. IB Non-Con delivers 2-5 business day transit to Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, with the predictability that subscription brands, e-commerce retailers, and last-mile operators need.

If your team is evaluating non-continental shipping for the year ahead, our non-continental shipping page is the place to start. We are happy to walk through your destination mix and where IB Non-Con fits.