4 in 10 Logistics Companies Planning Major Digital Investment in 2026

While predictive visibility and forecasting have emerged as the top focus area globally, cybersecurity and compliance rank lowest, with just 11% of professionals naming it as their main technology priority, according to a new global survey by Ontegos Cloud.

“Logistics and freight forwarder leaders are no longer asking if they should digitalize, they’re asking how fast they can do it. But it’s equally clear that the race to innovate is outpacing the industry’s readiness to protect itself,” says Oliver Gritz, founder and managing director of Ontegos.

Key takeaways:

·        44% of respondents selected forecasting and visibility as their top technology focus area for 2026, surpassing automation, digital twins, and cybersecurity. Only 11% of freight forwarders and 3PLs selected cybersecurity and compliance as a focus area, highlighting a potential vulnerability as data connectivity and automation deepen across global supply chains.

·        38% of freight forwarders and 3PLs report that over 25% of their 2026 budgets are going into technology, a significant sign of accelerating digital adoption. Another 25% are planning moderate increases (10–25%), while only 23% remain cautious with limited allocations under 10%. Just 14% have yet to define their technology budgets for next year. Just 14% have yet to define their technology budgets for next year.

·        One in three respondents identified technology as the core driver of their logistics strategy, highlighting an industry-wide shift toward digital-first operations among freight forwarders and 3PLs.

"The key challenge for 2026 won't be whether the industry continues to innovate, but whether it can innovate safely," says Gritz. "Building resilience depends on connecting data, automation, and cybersecurity into one intelligent ecosystem. With tariffs and trade uncertainty set to persist, strong data infrastructure remains the essential layer on which all logistics transformation depends—and the foundation for making supply chains more agile and future-ready in what promises to be another unpredictable year."