Target celebrates new distribution center in Joliet

Target held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday to celebrate the first shipment from its 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in Joliet.

Employees, managers, and city and county officials gathered for the ribbon cutting.

The facility is a nonretail distribution center. It will be used to deliver shipments such as store supplies and signage to Target stores around the country. Brian Harper-Tibaldo, a spokesman for Target, said in the past, the company has used third parties to ship its store supplies.

“This is the first building of its type for Target,” said Matt Jefferies, a senior director at Target.

Jefferies said that since the facility began to hire its first wave of workers in early November, it has received more than 200,000 parts. By the end of this week, he said, some 60,000 cartons on 101 trailers will have been shipped away.

It’s been operating since November and already has 100 employees. Target plans to have 300 employees at the facility by the end of this year, according to a company announcement.

Staff at the facility includes warehouse workers, operations managers and clerical staff. When it announced the project, Target said it offers employees education benefits such as tuition and GED reimbursement.

Wages will vary depending on the role and job requirements, but the company said in a statement that it was “committed to offering competitive pay and benefits in every market.” Target’s starting wage at Joliet is $18.50 an hour.

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk lauded Target for its facility and new jobs, and pointed out it was located in a key business area. The distribution center is at 3300 Channahon Road and is the first facility to open in the Rock Creek Logistics Center.

The business park is being developed at Houbolt Road and Route 6, an area that is planned to be at the end of the future Houbolt road bridge that would connect CenterPoint Intermodal Center-Joliet with Interstate 80.

The plans include construction of a new divergent diamond interchange at Houbolt and I-80.