Announcing our expanded freight forwarding services in Chicago, with our inaugural Private Air Service from Hong Kong to Chicago.

The need for dependable, efficient and affordable freight forwarding solutions for shippers around the globe has never been more pressing. eCommerce, next day shipping guarantees, the trade war; the list goes on for why it’s imperative for brands to have a choice of how to get their products to your doorstep as quickly and economically as possible. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our new Private Air Service (PAS) route from Hong Kong to Chicago, which will decrease delivery times from APAC to the east coast by up to 25 percent. The PAS will operate out of Chicago’s historic O’Hare International Airport (ORD).

Chicago is a critical stop for companies shipping goods from APAC to the east coast, as it is the fastest and most direct route. Speed has become the name of the game in shipping, as smaller brands struggle to keep up with the Amazon-like expectations of almost instantaneous delivery times. With the Private Air Service, smaller brands will have a shot at competing with larger incumbents, while improving customer relations through quicker delivery times; a key measure of performance for consumers and their favorite brands.

With new revenue streams, Chicago-based importers and exporters will be able to strengthen the local economy and improve current roles in the logistics industry because they’ll be able to offer an alternative solution for clients. Reliable service, extended lockout times at origin, and reduced handling time at destination ensure businesses can plan and execute deliveries in a more efficient manner. In tandem with our real-time status update and communication tool via our platform, on-demand reporting down to the SKU level and squad team members, the user experience is improved exponentially.

The Private Air Service will also bring new jobs to the Windy City. As Chicago facilitates one of the world’s busiest trade lanes, we anticipate that the expanded airfreight services will spark increased hiring among our partners at ORD. Further, we’ve also expanded our operations and sales teams in Chicago to support the new PAS, and we expect to hire an additional 50 employees by the end of 2019. Chicago is also becoming our second engineering headquarters.

“Chicago is the most diversified economy in the country. This new service will strengthen our global connections and help usher in new ideas, talent and technology that will have a positive impact not only in Chicago, but in the greater Midwest,” said Andrea Zopp, President and CEO of World Business Chicago. “We’re excited to see companies like Flexport invest in Chicago, further strengthening our position as a top global transportation and distribution hub.”

Our investment in Chicago is a key step in our global expansion efforts, and in our commitment to reinvest in the international hubs we call home. We’re excited to provide a flexible and economical solution for our customers, and to continue to deliver outstanding customer service and expertise at every step of the way.