DHL has opened its new $10 million international air shipment facility at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in the presence of mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The facility on the Northeast cargo campus at O’Hare is on track to be the largest cargo development built at a US airport in more than a decade when completed in the next few years.

The addition of the 54,000 square foot gateway will grow DHL’s presence in Chicago and create 75 new jobs, including import and export agents as well as training and office personnel.

Emanuel says: “DHL’s expansion in Chicago, which brings new economic activity and jobs to our city, is a direct result of our investments to make O’Hare a top global gateway for air cargo operations.”

“The world’s leading companies like DHL are investing in Chicago because O’Hare provides the best connectivity to markets around the globe and has the capacity to keep growing for many years to come.”

DHL Express US chief executive officer, Greg Hewitt says: “Our new gateway is poised for this growth and will help us further serve customers as efficiently as possible. We are grateful to Mayor Emanuel for his leadership, and his city’s leadership, in recognising the strategic importance of O’Hare as a global leader in the air cargo business.”

The new gateway, which expands DHL’s existing operations at O’Hare, features a unique onsite US Customs operation allowing for faster processing capabilities for inbound and outbound shipments for the Chicago area and other Midwest markets.

The facility can process more than 4,500 pieces per hour, ranging from small parcels to palletised freight, and is LEED-certified and is on track for Transported Asset Protection Association certification in early 2018.