FedEx holds grand opening for new Joliet service center

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect inaccurate information a FedEx official provided. T he technology that allows forklift drivers to transport freight without stops or weigh-ins does not price freight, it does not eliminate the need for drivers and is not available in Joliet.

FedEx hosted a grand opening Thursday for its new 169-door service center in Joliet, which sits on 46 acres near the CenterPoint Business Center by Interstate 80.

The center opened Jan. 8 and employs a combination of previous and new workers, said Phil Resendiz, managing director of the Chicago district. The center has 150 workers total.

“We hired a lot of folks prior to this opening in January so we could hit the ground running,” incoming President and CEO John Smith said.

Company leaders did not disclose the price of the new service center.

Resendiz said FedEx chose this location because of business growth in the area. The center will provide service coverage in Joliet, Morris, New Lenox, Plainfield, Shorewood and Wilmington.

“A lot of our customers moved in this direction, so we wanted to be strategically located to be able to provide high-level service to our customers,” he said.

FedEx also opened a new Midway service center in January. With the Joliet location, the two service centers add 404 doors to FedEx’s Chicago district, according to a news release.

“This one and the Midway facility completed the geographical package that we needed to service Chicagoland,” Smith said.

The construction on the new Joliet service center took about 16 months, Resendiz said. Although the Midway construction took a bit longer, he said the Joliet service center construction went quickly and smoothly.

The new service center in Joliet features new technology and safety features.

The technology weighs and prices freight without manual labor from drivers.

“We’re in the middle as a company, not just at the center, of transitioning our technology,” Smith said. “We’ve got the latest safety technology in our equipment.”

Resendiz said the new FedEx service center is different from other warehouses in the area. CenterPoint Intermodal Center, which is separate from the CenterPoint Business Center, has received criticism from some local residents and organizations. These individuals claim the intermodal center brings increased traffic, trucks and environmental damage.

“It’s very important for us to be good corporate citizens, to better the communities that we live and work in,” Resendiz said. “Our focus on sustainability, safety and technology sets us apart from our competitors.”

Smith said FedEx looks forward to becoming a great neighbor to the community.

“When we choose a community to go into, it’s very important that not only are we a business, but we’re a partner within the community,” he said. “We pride ourselves on our involvement in communities, as well as charitable work within those communities.”

Smith said he hopes the new service center can help improve the Joliet area.

“With us being here, it will probably attract more [businesses] due to the fact that there is a great logistics company sitting here, and a brand-new facility ready to meet their needs,” he said.