The disruptions from the dynamic U.S. tariff environment on foreign imports are far from over. Increased costs for imported goods, higher prices, reduced demand and shifts in sourcing strategies have been continued impacts. Many shippers and importers are struggling to maintain landed cost stability. All of these changes have forced businesses to re-evaluate their supply chain models, including inventory and logistics strategies.
The impending decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the legality of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on tariffs—expected before the end of the term by late June 2026—won’t necessarily be the last word on tariffs. The administration may pivot to retroactively authorize duties via other statutes like Section 301 (unfair trade practices), while liquidation deadlines and the need for individual refund litigation at the Court of International Trade are expected to create years of delays and complexity.
But as 2026 unfolds, the market hasn’t waited for a verdict. The changeable tariff landscape is creating a “stop-start” economy, particularly in the Midwest, where manufacturing, agricultural and food-processing supply chains are highly sensitive to import costs. Many Midwest shippers are navigating an environment where inventory is no longer just “stock” but a financial hedge against trade volatility.
Inventory strategies: front-loading and defensive management
Recent logistics indices show that companies have aggressively front-loaded inventory in Q4 2025 to beat the price hikes of escalating trade tariffs, specifically with Canada, Mexico, and China. According to logistics reports from Prologis, the Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI), and indices from Cass Information Systems, companies began massive pull-forward strategies in late 2025 to beat specific tariff deadlines.
By early 2026, the market noticeably shifted into a “thawing” phase as stagnant demand began to break in the face of (defensively) managing built-up inventories to mitigate the risk of new IEEPA tariffs, according to reports from Prologis and a report by McKinsey (outlined in a shipping blog), among others.
As we reported recently, Class A warehouse space is tight, and this isn’t generally due to high consumer sales but because companies are maxing out their current space to hold buffer stocks—rather than just-in-time logistics—to mitigate IEEPA tariff risks. Some shippers have “parked” goods in the Midwest region to wait out the legal uncertainty, rather than moving them through to retail or assembly immediately.
Rise in bonded warehouses and FTZ expansion
Another warehousing trend in the Midwest and nationwide is seen in the rise of “parking” goods in FTZs (foreign trade zones which can store goods indefinitely) and bonded warehouses (allows storage for up to five years), according to a number of sources such as the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ) and the Chamber of Shipping.
These specialized facilities, often operated by 3PLs, port authorities or economic development organizations, allow importers to defer payment of customs duties, taxes and fees on foreign goods until the legal status of the tariffs is clarified by the Court, thereby improving cash flow. The use of bonded warehouses and FTZs has become a critical cash-flow preservation tool for Midwest manufacturers such as high-value machinery and electronics.
Contracts shifts include moves to dynamic pricing
Many shippers are moving away from fixed pricing in their arrangements with their 3PLs in service level agreements. Rather, they’re seeking dynamic or more strategic pricing agreements, report many sources. This is also in an environment of shorter contract cycles where 3PLs, due to tariff volatility, are moving away from multi-year fixed pricing. Instead, 3PLs are implementing rate clauses that allow for pricing adjustments based on tariff-induced shifts in labor and storage demand.
This means that instead of a three-year fixed storage rate with a 3PL, rates would be adjusted quarterly or monthly for market-adjusted rates, also driven by warehouse scarcity due to front-loading of stock.
Similarly, according to the 30th Annual 3PL Study, shippers are increasingly looking for flexible terminations (62% of shippers reported) and guaranteed capacity (67%) over rigid long-term pricing to manage the “stop-start” shipping cycles caused by tariff front-loading, among other factors.
Filing the paperwork: protest strategy
Another cash preservation strategy by shippers in the face of the dynamic tariff situation is one in that preserves the right to a refund if the Supreme Court rules against the administration. Midwest importers are among those shippers filing formal administrative protests on every single Customs entry (CBP Form 19) for goods subject to the 2025/2026 tariffs (pursuant to 19 U.S.C. Section 1514 and 19 CFR Part 174). Likewise, 3PLs are seeing a massive uptick in requests for these entry-by-entry audit trails from their customers to ensure that if a refund window opens, the paperwork is ready.
Filing paperwork is a crucial procedural step: if an importer pays the tariff but fails to protest within 180 days of “liquidation” (customs finalization), they permanently lose the right to a refund even if the Supreme Court later declares the tariffs illegal.
When selecting a Midwest 3PL in today’s complex tariff environment, it’s important to find one that offers consulting on compliance and regulatory environments. Worley Warehousing is a Midwest-based 3PL and warehousing provider that supports their customers by maintaining clean paperwork, including preparing the proper international shipping documentation required to claim a refund.
In conclusion, there are currently many shifts in logistics strategies made by U.S. shippers and 3PLs from extenuated circumstances of the tariffs. These include parking inventory, changes in contracts, additional paperwork, and major shifts in sourcing.