CJ Logistics and Korea Ocean Business Corp. (KOBC) have officially commenced the construction of a North American logistics center, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative efforts to enhance global supply chain efficiency.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the public-private joint logistics center took place on Oct. 10 (local time) in Elwood, near Chicago, Illinois. Key attendees included Kevin Coleman, CEO of CJ Logistics America, Kim Jeong-han, consul general of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, and Jeong Seong-jo, director of marine infrastructure finance at KOBC.
The Elwood logistics center, which will span 102,775 square meters of building space and 295,390 square meters of land, is scheduled to commence full-scale operations in the first half of 2026. The center will handle the entire logistics process for ambient products, including storage, inventory management, and shipping. Various automated facilities specialized for the stored products and a real-time warehouse management system will be introduced to streamline operations.
This project is the result of an agreement made in June last year between CJ Logistics and KOBC to jointly pursue the North American logistics center construction project, with an investment of up to 600 billion won. CJ Logistics’ U.S. subsidiary plans to establish large-scale logistics centers on three sites totaling 360,000 square meters in logistics hubs like Chicago and New York. KOBC will support the financing for the construction of the logistics centers, while CJ Logistics will be responsible for their construction and operation.
The Elwood logistics center is strategically located adjacent to terminals of major U.S. freight railroad companies BNSF and Union Pacific, enabling delivery across the U.S. within 1-2 days when connected with land and rail transport. Combined with CJ Logistics’ professional operational technology, shippers using this center will enhance their logistics competitiveness. Particularly, small and medium-sized Korean enterprises that have struggled with limited experience and information on North American logistics can expect to open new routes through this reliable public-private joint logistics center.
CJ Logistics has designated the U.S. as a key country and is actively expanding its logistics business. The company aims to fully operate a cold chain logistics center of approximately 25,000 square meters in Gainesville, Georgia, within this year. Additionally, a cold chain logistics center of about 27,000 square meters is being constructed in New Century, Kansas, and is scheduled to be operational from the third quarter of 2025.
Kevin Coleman, CEO of CJ Logistics America, emphasized the importance of the North American logistics center construction project in collaboration with KOBC. “We will closely cooperate to ensure the smooth progress of the North American logistics center construction project in collaboration with KOBC, starting with the Elwood logistics center,” he stated. “Through the establishment of advanced and automated logistics centers, we will further strengthen our presence in the North American market and play a pivotal role in global expansion.”
The Elwood logistics center is expected to play a crucial role in opening new export and import routes for Korean companies aspiring to expand overseas. With the formalization of their cooperative venture, the advanced and automated “K-Logistics” is set to gain momentum on the global stage, enhancing the global supply chain and national logistics competitiveness.
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