Local, IKEA officials to dedicate new facility in Joliet

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk and IKEA representatives will speak Wednesday at the opening of the home services giant’s Midwest Distribution Center.

“The 1.25-million-square-foot distribution center in Joliet will enhance the IKEA distribution network with a central location, allowing goods to be received at coastal ports from both Asia and Europe and then transported inland to the Joliet facility,” the company said in a news release.

The center’s proximity to the railroad intermodal also offers additional long-term transportation options, according to the release.

The facility will serve the inventory needs of stores throughout the Midwest and help fulfill customers’ needs.

It will open on a 72-acre property, located at the Laraway Crossings Business Park, 650 Emerald Drive in Joliet.

The distribution center is LEED Gold Certified, a first for IKEA properties in the U.S., according to the release. It includes a 268,920-square-foot solar array built with 9,036 solar panels, currently the largest in Illinois. The array will effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,513 tons, which is equal to the emissions of 538 cars or providing electricity for 377 homes annually.

“At IKEA, we value the importance of having a positive impact on the communities we are a part of,” IKEA U.S. President Lars Petersson said. “Having our distribution center in Joliet certified LEED Gold is a prime example of how IKEA believes it can do good business while minimizing impacts on the environment. It is consistent with our goal of being energy independent by 2020.”

LEED is the preeminent program for the design, construction, maintenance and operations of high-performance green buildings. The certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.

The rating system used for new construction is a point-based system that is divided up into categories that address the site, water use reduction, energy use reduction, material use, indoor air quality, innovation and other environmental factors.