Ryder System is adding more distribution center space in the Chicago area.
Ryder said its new nearly 550,000-square-foot facility will open in suburban North Aurora, Illinois about an hour west of Chicago, in early January. It will be the company’s 10th multiclient distribution center in the market.
The facility will service shippers of consumer-packaged goods, including food and beverage, health and beauty, and household products, as well as general retail items.
“The multiclient warehouse expands our footprint in a key distribution hub, which is a one- to two-day drive from about half of the U.S. population,” said Darin Cooprider, senior vice president of consumer-packaged goods at Ryder.
When Ryder acquired Woodridge, Illinois-based Midwest Warehouse & Distribution System last fall, it gained nine multiclient distribution centers and eight dedicated customer warehouses. Thirteen of those facilities are in the Chicago area as well as one each in New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.
The company’s new Chicago area site will employ 100 people, Ryder said. It will feature 54 cross-dock positions, 162 trailer stalls, access to area railroad ramps, ambient temperature controls, and food-grade certification.
Cooprider said multiclient warehouses offers the 3PL market scalability, which can contribute to efficiencies and save money.
“We can seamlessly transition customers into dedicated facilities {and} offer a flexible mix of transportation solutions to suit changing needs,” he said.
