CHICAGO, IL Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) announces it has successfully represented Batory Foods with its strategic decision to own a 678,000-square-foot build-to-suit facility at RidgePort Logistics Center in Wilmington, Illinois. The new state-of-the-art facility, which will be owned and occupied by Batory Foods, is situated on approximately 36 acres with the ability to expand on an additional 22 acres.

Founded in 1979, Batory Foods is a Des Plaines, Illinois-based, family-owned national food ingredient distributor. The firm provides a broad range of ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers across the United States and currently has 30 distribution centers throughout the country. Needing an additional location to launch a new line of business providing third party logistics services, Batory Foods selected NGKF to assist with site selection to locate a new, warehouse / distribution space for the firm. NGKF's Brian Reaney, Director, Paul Buckingham, Senior Managing Director, and Brian Carroll, Executive Managing Director, represented Batory Foods in the transaction.

After an extensive market analysis and site evaluations, Reaney, Buckingham and Carroll ultimately secured a build-to-suit with Ridge Development in the RidgePort Logistics Center. Construction on the new distribution center is set to begin in May 2016 and Batory Foods is expected to take occupancy of the new space by October 2016. Batory Foods' new facility will be C-TPAT Certified and will feature state-of-the-art technology, custom-built food grade dock packages, yard managements and an automatic gate system that will decrease carrier cycle time on-site and increase throughput, providing up-to-the-minute accuracy in inventory availability. The distribution center will also feature an employee walking track and an outdoor amenities space. Harris Architects, Inc. is providing the architectural services and Alston Construction is the general contractor.

"RidgePort Logistics Center was ultimately selected for its proximity to the I-55/I-80 Interchange and ability to accommodate future growth needs," said Reaney. "This build-to-suit enables Batory Foods to construct a facility to address specific needs and requirements for maximum operational efficiency."

Located in Will County, less than 40 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, Illinois, RidgePort Logistics Center is a developing 14-million-square-foot rail-served park situated on more than 1,500 acres. It is strategically positioned three miles from the entrance to the BNSF Logistics Park-Chicago in Elwood, Illinois, and the Union Pacific-Joliet Intermodal Terminal in Joliet, Illinois.