Resin distributor M. Holland Co. is working with two longtime partners to build a massive distribution center in the Chicago area.
Northbrook, Ill.-based M. Holland will build the 400,000-square-foot facility in Coal City, Ill., about 60 miles southwest of Chicago. Its partner in the project will be a joint venture of G&D Hoffman Transportation and Major Prime Plastics Inc. These two firms have been logistics providers to M. Holland for more than 30 years.
The center also will include paved access for nearly 700 rail cars and a fleet of bulk trucks. Services will include warehousing, bulk transfer and packaging. The project will give M. Holland access to direct rail service from three rail providers — Union Pacific, Burlington Northern-Santa Fe and Canadian National — for service to domestic and international markets.
Coal City was chosen because of its proximity to some of the largest intermodal yards in the world, officials said in a news release. The location provides efficient access to all major U.S. ports for import and export opportunities. M. Holland expects “a significant improvement in rail transit times” when the new facility is operational in January, officials added.
“We have been working to develop long-term, strategic relationships with third-party logistics partners for several years,” Pete Nutley, M. Holland operations vice president, said in the release. “This is the finalization of our national warehousing strategy. M. Holland is proud to have 15 gold standard distribution centers across the U.S.”
“The one-stop shop facility will drive growth through the alignment of supply with all transportation modes, logistics and speed to market,” added Brandon Kearns, vice president of Major Prime of Villa Park, Ill.
Channahon, Ill.-based G&D Hoffman Vice President Jordan Hoffman said that the JV “has the potential to develop into a major hub for U.S. inventories.”
M. Holland is one of North America's largest resin distributors, supplying more than 1.4 billion pounds of resin annually to more than 4,000 customers.