Korea Ocean Business Corporation and CJ Logistics Establish US Logistics Hub... Chicago Logistics Center Begins Full Operations

Elwood Logistics Center Near Chicago, Covering 100,000 m²
Connected to BNSF and Union Pacific Rail Networks
Asian Cargo Distributed Nationwide Across the US

Panoramic view of the Elwood Logistics Center in Illinois, USA. Photo by Haejingong

The logistics center in Illinois, USA, jointly invested in by Korea Ocean Business Corporation and CJ Logistics, has officially begun operations. Based on its large-scale logistics infrastructure adjacent to the largest inland logistics hub in the United States, the center aims to support Korean logistics and export companies in entering the North American market.

On September 2, Korea Ocean Business Corporation announced that the Elwood Logistics Center, located near Chicago, Illinois, which was developed in partnership with CJ Logistics, has started operations.

The Elwood Logistics Center is a facility developed by jointly investing with Korea Ocean Business Corporation on a previously undeveloped site owned by CJ Logistics. Korea Ocean Business Corporation explained, "This investment is meaningful because it goes beyond a simple overseas real estate investment, enabling domestic companies to secure logistics infrastructure that allows them to store and deliver products locally in the US, thereby supporting overseas business."

The logistics center has a site area of approximately 295,389 square meters (about 89,000 pyeong) and a total floor area of roughly 102,775 square meters (about 31,000 pyeong), which is equal in size to approximately 14 soccer fields. It features 130 docks and a usable ceiling height of 12 meters, enabling large-scale incoming and outgoing shipments by freight trucks simultaneously.

Its strategic location also provides an advantage, allowing the utilization of major logistics networks within the US. Elwood, where the logistics center is located, is about 72 kilometers southwest of downtown Chicago and approximately 5.5 kilometers from CenterPoint Intermodal Center, the largest inland logistics hub in the United States.

Through its rail and road networks, the center can connect to major ports on the US West Coast and in Mexico, making it possible to deliver goods anywhere in the US within two days. In particular, by utilizing the rail networks of major players such as BNSF and Union Pacific, Asian imports arriving at West Coast ports can be quickly transported to the US interior and eastern regions.

In addition, many major American retailers, such as Walmart, Target, and Home Depot, have logistics bases nearby. As e-commerce and retail logistics demand steadily increases in the area, Korea Ocean Business Corporation expects the center to serve as an important logistics hub for Korean companies in the United States going forward.

The facility has also received 'LEED Silver' certification, a US green building rating. It is recognized as a modern logistics infrastructure featuring eco-friendly design and energy efficiency.

Korea Ocean Business Corporation plans to support CJ Logistics in obtaining Free Trade Zone (FTZ) designation for the Elwood Logistics Center. If designated as an FTZ, tenant and user companies will be able to reduce customs duties and improve logistics efficiency under certain conditions, which is expected to help strengthen the North American supply chain competitiveness of Korean companies.

Ahn Byunggil, President of Korea Ocean Business Corporation, stated, "This logistics center investment has laid the foundation for expanding the overseas territories of our logistics companies amidst global supply chain restructuring and for providing export companies with a stable logistics base. Moving forward, we will continue to provide comprehensive financial and infrastructure support so that Korean companies can maintain strong logistics competitiveness in the global market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.