Source Logistics, a national provider of warehousing, distribution, fulfillment, and freight services, is showcasing its established safety, security, and technology standards at its 515,000-square-foot distribution center in Des Plaines, Illinois. The facility serves as a model for how the company's operational commitments extend across its national network, and it marks a deliberate step into one of the country's most important freight corridors for a company historically concentrated in California and Texas.
Why the Midwest, and Why Now
"Our strategic focus remains on maintaining every aspect of our operation, from our rigorous security protocols to the real-time visibility provided by our warehouse management platform," said Armando Benitez, VP of Strategy and Transformation, Source Logistics. "These standards reflect our ongoing commitment to our team's safety and to providing clients with accuracy, visibility, and confidence by ensuring their inventory is managed with the highest levels of safety, security, and operational excellence."
That commitment extends specifically to the standards that food and beverage brands, CPG companies, and grocery retailers require from a supplier. All Source Logistics facilities are SQF Level 3 and AIB certified for food-grade safety and sanitation, FDA-registered, and retailer-compliant, credentials that help clients meet supplier requirements while supporting compliance, traceability, and operational consistency across their supply chains.
A Model for the National Network
Des Plaines exemplifies the operational standards implemented across the Source Logistics network and demonstrates how a commitment to safety, security, and technology supports both workforce protection and customer outcomes. Serving as a distribution point in the Midwest, the facility offers partners in the food, beverage, and CPG sectors the regional and seasonal adaptability they need through specialized storage solutions for cold, ambient, and dry packaged inventory.
By combining standardized selective racking for high SKU variety and FIFO management with floor-stacked bulk storage, the Des Plaines operation shows how Source's national safety and technology standards translate into pallet handling efficiency, inventory accuracy, traceability, and operational reliability at the facility level.
On the security side, the company maintains high-tier physical security systems across its network, while select strategic locations, such as Laredo, maintain specialized CTPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) certification to meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection standards.
"The safety of our team members is non-negotiable," said Raul Villarreal, CEO of Source Logistics. "We hold ourselves to the highest operational standards because our people deserve nothing less. Our Des Plaines facility exemplifies how a secure and efficiently managed operation safeguards our personnel while providing clients with the confidence that their inventory is being managed with the highest standards of operational discipline, visibility, and accountability."
Technology Backing the Expansion
Source Logistics' warehouse management platform gives clients real-time visibility into inventory, orders, and shipments through the company's customer portal. The system includes lot and expiration tracking, automated compliance reporting, and audit-ready traceability across all facilities. This system is currently being optimized at the Des Plaines hub to provide local clients with increased operational precision and real-time shipment transparency. Clients can connect their existing business systems to the platform typically within seven to ten business days.
That technology investment matters in a market where cold storage and temperature-controlled warehousing are expanding quickly nationwide: CBRE projects roughly 100 million square feet of new cold storage construction across the U.S. over the next five years (CBRE, 2026), and brands entering that market need visibility tools that scale alongside physical capacity, not warehouse space alone.
What This Means for Midwest Brands
For food and beverage brands, CPG companies, and grocery retailers evaluating Midwest capacity, the Des Plaines expansion represents an established national operator bringing its full compliance and technology stack, not a new or unproven facility, into the Chicago market. That distinction matters when a retailer requires supplier documentation for SQF, FDA, or retailer-specific compliance programs: the standards in place at Des Plaines are the same ones already in use across Source's more than 25 locations nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Source Logistics expand into the Midwest? Source Logistics showcased its Midwest expansion in June 2026, centered on its 515,000-square-foot Des Plaines, Illinois facility.
Who leads Source Logistics' strategy and operations? Armando Benitez serves as VP of Strategy and Transformation, and Raul Villarreal serves as CEO of Source Logistics.
What certifications does the Des Plaines facility hold? Like all Source Logistics facilities, Des Plaines is SQF Level 3 and AIB certified, FDA-registered, and retailer-compliant.
How does Source Logistics support inventory visibility at Des Plaines? Through its customer portal, which provides real-time inventory, order, and shipment visibility, along with lot and expiration tracking and automated compliance reporting.
Talk to a Logistics Specialist
To learn more about Source Logistics' Midwest expansion or the Des Plaines facility, contact Source Logistics' team.
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