CJ Logistics' new Saudi Global Distribution Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 12 / Courtesy of CJ Logistics
CJ Logistics has opened a new cross-border logistics center in Saudi Arabia as part of its push to expand e-commerce delivery across the Middle East, the company said Thursday.
Jonathan Song, head of the company’s Global Business Division, joined representatives from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation at an opening ceremony for the Saudi Global Distribution Center (GDC) on Feb. 12. The facility is located within the Riyadh Special Integrated Logistics Zone at King Khalid International Airport.
Officials from the logistics zone’s operating body and iHerb, a U.S.-based health supplement company that distributes products globally through CJ Logistics, also attended the event.
The launch follows a 2023 agreement between CJ Logistics and the Saudi civil aviation authority to develop the Saudi GDC, backed by an investment of 60 billion won ($41 million). Construction was completed last year, followed by trial operations to optimize the facility for e-commerce logistics.
Spanning 20,000 square meters, the center can store, package and process customs clearance for up to 20,000 parcels per day. It will serve as the company’s regional hub, handling deliveries not only within Saudi Arabia but also to neighboring markets including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar.
Jonathan Song, third from right, head of the Global Business Division at CJ Logistics, attends the opening ceremony for the Saudi Global Distribution Center (GDC) in Riyadh, Feb. 12, alongside officials from the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Riyadh Special Integrated Logistics Zone and iHerb. Courtesy of CJ Logistics.
According to CJ Logistics, the Saudi GDC incorporates advanced automation technologies designed to process large volumes of small, diverse e-commerce orders quickly and accurately.
The facility is modeled after the company’s first GDC in Incheon, launched in 2019, which introduced large-scale automation to reduce delivery times and costs for shipments across the Asia-Pacific region.
At the Saudi site, automated guided vehicles operate a multi-shuttle system that retrieves and transports items from storage racks reaching 10 meters in height and 60 meters in length. The system uses a “goods-to-person” approach, bringing products directly to workers to minimize manual movement.
Source: Korea Times News
