Following the opening of the Secaucus Logistics Center in New Jersey, the launch of the Elwood Logistics Center highlights CJ Logistics’ competitiveness across the North American market
At a Glance
- Large-scale logistics center equivalent to 14 soccer fields provides infrastructure to accommodate major customers and growing cargo volumes.
- Strategically located logistics hub in the Midwest connects rail and highway networks, enabling delivery across most of the U.S. within one to two days.
- The Elwood Logistics Center will leverage foreign-trade zone (FTZ) benefits to enhance flexibility in storage, processing and outbound operations, supporting supply chains for batteries and other advanced industries.
On September 2, CJ Logistics announced that it has begun operations at its new logistics center in Elwood, Illinois, jointly developed with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC). Spanning approximately 102,775 square meters, the new facility strengthens CJ Logistics’ strategic footprint in the U.S. Midwest. Following the opening of the Secaucus Logistics Center in New Jersey in October 2025, CJ Logistics plans to further expand its support for North American supply chains of Korean advanced industries, including batteries.
■ Elwood Logistics Center Begins Operations with Nationwide Multimodal Transportation Network
CJ Logistics completed development of the Elwood Logistics Center in partnership with KOBC and began full-scale operations in September 2026.
Located near Chicago, a major logistics hub in the U.S. Midwest, the Elwood Logistics Center spans approximately 102,775 square meters, equivalent to about 14 soccer fields.
The facility is equipped with infrastructure designed to efficiently handle large cargo volumes while providing the flexibility to accommodate future growth in customers and freight volumes. It features 130 loading docks, allowing multiple large trucks to load and unload cargo simultaneously and enabling the center to process substantial volumes even during peak inbound and outbound periods. With a clear height of 12 meters, the facility also maximizes vertical storage capacity.
This immense infrastructure enables CJ Logistics to accommodate customers with large-scale inventory requirements while flexibly configuring space based on future cargo volume growth and individual customer operating needs, supporting further business expansion.
The Elwood Logistics Center also benefits from its strategic location as a regional logistics hub connecting production and consumption centers across the U.S. Nearby terminals are operated by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, two of the largest freight railroads in the country. By linking rail transportation with major highways, shipments can reach destinations across the U.S. within one to two days.
CJ Logistics plans to operate the Elwood Logistics Center as a regional supply chain hub connecting inland markets across the U.S. by combining its large-scale warehousing capacity with extensive rail and ground transportation networks.
■ Pursuing FTZ Designation to Support Battery and Advanced-Industry Supply Chains
CJ Logistics is currently pursuing foreign-trade zone (FTZ) designation for the Elwood Logistics Center.
The FTZ program enables certain customs procedures and regulatory benefits to apply to imported goods that are stored, processed or re-exported within areas designated by the U.S. government. Products and components can be imported and stored in advance, then processed and shipped according to actual orders and local demand. Compared with producing and transporting goods only after orders are placed, this approach can reduce supply lead time and provide greater flexibility in responding to changes in demand.
CJ Logistics plans to leverage the FTZ framework to strengthen local inventory management and supply chain responsiveness for companies targeting the North American market. It also aims to enhance its logistics competitiveness by integrating storage, processing and outbound operations.
In particular, CJ Logistics plans to develop the Elwood Logistics Center into a strategic hub supporting North American supply chains of Korean advanced industries, including batteries. Since advanced industries rely on global supply chains to source a wide range of raw materials and components, efficient logistics infrastructure is essential. It enables stable inventory management and rapid transportation in line with local production schedules and changing demand.
With its large-scale storage capacity, nationwide transportation network and future FTZ advantages, the Elwood Logistics Center will support a wide range of logistics needs for advanced industries, including battery raw materials, while expanding its customer base.
■ Elwood and Secaucus Anchor CJ Logistics’ Expanding North American Network
Prior to opening the Elwood Logistics Center, CJ Logistics began operating the Secaucus Logistics Center in New Jersey in October 2025, also developed in partnership with KOBC.
The Secaucus Logistics Center spans approximately 10,000 square meters and is located about 20 kilometers from Port Newark, 16 kilometers from Newark Liberty International Airport and within roughly 5 kilometers of Interstate 95. Its proximity to New York, one of the world’s largest consumer markets, gives the facility a strategic location for supporting import and export logistics across the East Coast.
CJ Logistics plans to strengthen its North American logistics competitiveness by leveraging the Elwood Logistics Center in the Midwest and the Secaucus Logistics Center in the East as two strategic hubs within its network.
While the Secaucus Logistics Center serves as a gateway connecting East Coast consumer markets, including New York, with import and export logistics, the Elwood Logistics Center will serve as a regional supply chain hub connecting the U.S. inland through its large-scale infrastructure and rail and ground transportation networks.
By linking logistics hubs across key regions, CJ Logistics plans to expand its logistics platform across North America and respond to diverse supply chain needs driven by the growing presence of Korean companies in the U.S.
“The Elwood and Secaucus logistics centers, developed jointly with the Korea Ocean Business Corporation, are strategic assets designed to provide Korean companies with effective, on-the-ground support for their North American supply chains,” said Jonathan Song, Head of the Global Division at CJ Logistics.
“With key logistics hubs now established in the U.S. Midwest and East Coast, we will further strengthen our competitiveness across North America and position CJ Logistics as a core supply chain partner supporting the global growth of customers in advanced industries, including batteries.”
■ FAQ
Q. Where is CJ Logistics’ Elwood Logistics Center located, and how large is it?
A. The Elwood Logistics Center is located in Elwood, Illinois, near Chicago, and spans approximately 102,775 square meters, equivalent to about 14 soccer fields. It has 130 loading docks and a clear height of 12 meters, providing the capacity to accommodate large cargo volumes and future growth in customer demand.
Q. How does the Elwood Logistics Center support delivery across the U.S. within one to two days?
A. The center is located near rail terminals operated by BNSF and Union Pacific and is connected to major highways. By utilizing a multimodal transportation network combining rail and ground, CJ Logistics can connect major production and consumption hubs across the U.S.
Q. What is a foreign-trade zone (FTZ), and how will it benefit operations at the Elwood Logistics Center?
A. An FTZ is a U.S. government-designated area where certain customs procedures and regulatory benefits apply to imported goods that are stored, processed or re-exported. The Elwood Logistics Center is currently pursuing FTZ designation. Once designated, the facility plans to support customers’ inventory management and supply chain responsiveness by allowing products and components to be stored locally in advance, then processed and shipped according to actual orders and demand.
Q. Which logistics sectors will CJ Logistics focus on at the Elwood Logistics Center?
A. A key focus will be supporting North American supply chains of Korean advanced industries, including batteries. With its large-scale storage capacity, nationwide transportation network and future FTZ capabilities, CJ Logistics plans to address a wide range of advanced-industry logistics needs, including battery raw materials, while expanding its customer base.
Q. How do the roles of the Elwood and Secaucus logistics centers differ?
A. The Secaucus Logistics Center in New Jersey, which began operations in October 2025, serves as a gateway connecting East Coast consumer markets, including New York, with import and export logistics. The Elwood Logistics Center in Illinois serves as a regional supply chain hub, connecting markets across the U.S. interior through its large-scale warehousing capacity and rail and highway networks. CJ Logistics plans to link the two facilities as strategic hubs in the East and Midwest to further strengthen its North American logistics network.
