Third-party logistics provider Saddle Creek Logistics Services has broken ground on a new distribution center (DC) in Chicago. The new facility, which will open in early 2016, is part of Saddle Creek’s on-going plan for strategic expansion nationwide.

The new 1.1 million-square-foot distribution center will sit on 60 acres adjacent to the Union Pacific and BNSF rail yards with easy access to I-55 and I-80 providing two-day service to major markets.

Featuring 132 dock doors and a secured yard, and is located in the Center Point Intermodal Center – the nation’s largest inland port and a designated Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) – with space built to suit specific customer needs.

“This new DC will accommodate organic growth with our current customers and also allow us to serve new customers in Chicagoland,” said Rob Pericht, senior vice president of warehouse operations at Saddle Creek. “We look forward to providing flexible logistics solutions that meet their needs efficiently and cost-effectively.”

The new, larger DC replaces Saddle Creek’s existing 590,000-square-foot facility in the Chicago area, one of 37 facilities in the Lakeland, Florida-based company’s nationwide network offering a variety of warehousing, transportation, packaging and fulfillment services.