Global delivery and logistics provider DHL Express opened its new US$10m global gateway facility at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Illinois.
The 54,000ft² gateway will create 75 new jobs, including import and export agents as well as training and office personnel. It can process more than 4,500 items per hour, ranging from small parcels to palletized freight. The DHL facility is LEED-certified and is on track to be certified by the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) in early 2018.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel attended the inauguration ceremony held at the airport’s new state-of-the-art northeast cargo campus, which is on track to be the largest cargo development built at a US airport in more than a decade when fully completed in the next few years.
The mayor said, “DHL’s expansion in Chicago, which brings new economic activity and jobs to our city, is a direct result of our investments to make O’Hare a top global gateway for air cargo operations. The world’s leading companies like DHL are investing in Chicago because O’Hare provides the best connectivity to markets around the globe and has the capacity to keep growing for many years to come.”
DHL selected O’Hare to expand its growing Midwest operations based on Chicago’s ideal location, which includes a strong transportation network conducive to business in and around the Midwest, as well as its skilled workforce.
Greg Hewitt, CEO of DHL Express USA, said, “DHL remains invested in Chicago as more opportunities arise for businesses in the region to expand internationally and as e-commerce continues to flourish.
“Our new gateway is poised for this growth and will help us further serve customers as efficiently as possible. We are grateful to Mayor Emanuel for his leadership, and his city’s leadership, in recognizing the strategic importance of O’Hare as a global leader in the air cargo business.”
Ginger S Evans, commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation, said, “O’Hare’s cargo operations have experienced record growth in recent years, and we are thrilled to continue our growth with our longstanding partners at DHL.
“Every year, air cargo shipments generate billions of dollars for our local economy and support thousands of jobs. We want to thank DHL for their continued investment in Chicago, which will in turn further strengthen O’Hare’s standing as a global destination for global trade.”
The new DHL gateway, which expands DHL’s existing operations at O’Hare, features a unique on-site US Customs operation that allows for faster processing capabilities for inbound and outbound international shipments for the Chicago area and other Midwest markets.
In addition to accommodating future shipment volume growth, the expansion of operations will help to expedite shipments of packages at peak seasons such as the November-December holidays.
O’Hare is also home to the DHL Global Forwarding facility, a 491,000ft² office and warehouse building that houses 500 employees. It is the largest freestanding DHL global forwarding building in its worldwide network.