What Channel Distribution Corp. does

Channel Distribution Corporation (CDC) is a privately held, owner-operated logistics and customs services company founded in 1985 and headquartered at 950-990 Supreme Drive in Bensenville, Illinois, adjacent to O'Hare International Airport. The company provides an integrated suite of six core services to businesses engaged in international trade through the Chicago gateway: long- and short-term warehousing and distribution (with pick-and-pack, cross-dock, trans-loading, and order fulfillment), a Centralized Examination Station for U.S. Customs and Border Protection cargo inspection, air and ocean import/export handling, a U.S. Customs General Order warehouse (the only one in the Port of Chicago), Class 3 and Class 11 bonded storage, and a Bonded Container Freight Station. Its underlying technology stack is light: the only named technology is EDI for inventory and order management integration with customer systems, and customer-facing operations run through a third-party STG-branded web portal rather than a proprietary platform.

The business model is B2B services-led and quote-based, with no publicly disclosed pricing. CDC generates revenue across four streams: managed-services warehousing and storage (including bonded storage), professional-services distribution and fulfillment, professional-services customs and import/export handling, and transaction-fee container freight station services. Customer segments are defined by use case (international trade businesses as the primary segment, domestic logistics companies as secondary) and segmentation is horizontal, with no named anchor customers disclosed. Marketing is minimal: a static website with service descriptions and a quote-request form, a customer login portal, and a separate CDC Transport subsidiary site; no digital advertising, content marketing, or social media presence is identified. Distribution is direct-to-business, with all services delivered from the single Bensenville facility, and the ownership group is described as being on site to oversee daily operations.

Name

Channel Distribution Corp.

Legal name

Channel Distribution Corporation

Website

https://channeldc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Channel Distribution Corporation is a privately held, owner-operated customs bonded warehouse and logistics provider founded in 1985 in Bensenville, Illinois, adjacent to O'Hare. It serves international trade businesses with integrated warehousing, CES cargo examination, G.O. warehouse, bonded storage, and container freight station services in the Port of Chicago.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Port and Harbor Operations (48831)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Bonded Distribution Centers (In-Bond DCs) (TLALAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Warehousing, CFS & Bonded Storage for General Cargo (Within Terminal) (TLAHADAI), Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

Keywords

• Customs bonded warehousing
• Container freight station
• Air ocean freight handling
• Import export logistics
• Centralized examination station

Headquarters

HQ city

Bensenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Warehousing and Storage Services: Long and short term storage solutions for domestic and international clients, including bonded storage for customs purposes
2. Distribution and Fulfillment Services: Cross dock, trans loading, pick and pack, order fulfillment, and domestic distribution logistics
3. Customs and Import/Export Services: Air and ocean import/export handling, customs clearance, Centralized Examination Station services, and General Order warehouse services
4. Container Freight Station Services: Bonded CFS services including break bulk handling, sorting, palletizing, consolidation for air and ocean cargo

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Channel Distribution Corporation (CDC) provides bonded warehousing, customs-related services, and air/ocean import-export handling from facilities in Bensenville, Illinois adjacent to O'Hare International Airport. The company operates as a Customs Bonded Warehouse, Centralized Examination Station, Bonded Container Freight Station, and the only General Order (G.O.) warehouse in the Port of Chicago, providing cross dock, trans-loading, inventory management, order fulfillment, and pick and pack services to international trade and domestic distribution customers.

Product overview

Channel Distribution Corporation operates as a logistics and distribution services provider offering an integrated suite of warehousing and freight handling solutions. The company's portfolio consists of six core service offerings: Warehousing and Distribution (covering storage, cross dock, trans loading, order fulfillment, pick and pack, and EDI), Centralized Examination Station (customs cargo examination with CBP on-site), Air and Ocean Import/Export Service (air freight and ocean cargo handling), U.S. Customs General Order Warehouse (the only G.O. warehouse in the Port of Chicago), Bonded Storage Warehouse (Class 3 and Class 11 bonded storage), and Container Freight Station (bonded CFS with consolidation services). These services work together to provide end-to-end logistics solutions for international imports/exports through the Chicago gateway.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDC Transport: Transportation subsidiary providing transportation services.

Products and services

• Warehousing and Distribution Long and short term storage and distribution solutions for domestic and international clients, featuring pick and pack, cross dock, trans loading, order fulfillment, bulk handling, and EDI integration with customer systems.
• Centralized Examination Station (CES) Designated facility for U.S. Customs and Border Protection cargo examination, one of only two in the Port of Chicago with CBP personnel on site to inspect imported cargo.
• Air and Ocean Import/Export Service Comprehensive import services for air freight and ocean cargo, including handling from single shipments to full charters, ocean container loading/unloading, on-line shipment status, local drayage, and bonded public storage.
• U.S. Customs General Order Warehouse General Order warehouse for merchandise missing proper documentation or not cleared through customs within 15 days; the only G.O. warehouse in the Port of Chicago.
• Bonded Storage Warehouse Class 3 public bonded warehouse for storing imported merchandise and Class 11 bonded warehouse for General Order merchandise storage under customs supervision.
• Container Freight Station (CFS) Bonded CFS services for air freight and consolidation, including break bulk handling, sorting/segregation/palletizing, cross dock, trans load, and I.T./T&E processing.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Landstar System: Non-asset-based transportation and logistics services company with a network of agent-owned businesses offering truckload, customs, and forwarding services that overlap with CDC's domestic distribution and cross-dock capabilities.

Direct peers

• Radiant Logistics: U.S.-headquartered asset-light 3PL and customs broker with a hub-and-spoke station model across major U.S. gateways, including Chicago, providing similar air/ocean import, customs, and distribution services as CDC.
• AIT Worldwide Logistics: Headquartered in nearby Itasca, IL, AIT is a global 3PL with substantial Chicago gateway operations in air/ocean forwarding, customs brokerage, and warehousing — directly comparable in customer base, geography, and service mix.
• Hub Group: Oak Brook, IL-based intermodal and logistics provider with significant Chicago gateway drayage, container handling, and warehousing operations, serving many of the same shippers and freight forwarders as CDC.
• STG Logistics: STG is referenced in CDC's own terms-and-conditions and operates as a major U.S. container freight station, drayage, and bonded warehouse network with a strong Chicago-area presence, making it a directly comparable bonded-logistics peer.

Broad incumbents

• CEVA Logistics: Global 3PL offering contract logistics, freight management, and customs-bonded warehousing with established Chicago operations, competing for the same international trade and distribution customers as CDC but at a much larger scale.
• Yusen Logistics: Global logistics provider with significant U.S. air/ocean forwarding, customs, and contract logistics operations including Chicago, offering comparable import-export and warehousing services to CDC's customers.
• Kuehne+Nagel: One of the world's largest freight forwarders with extensive U.S. customs brokerage and bonded warehouse operations in Chicago, offering comparable air/ocean import-export services to CDC's customer base.
• DHL Global Forwarding: Major air/ocean forwarder with significant ORD gateway operations, including customs clearance, CFS, and bonded warehousing — comparable to CDC's full-service IOR/import-export offering but at enterprise scale.
• Expeditors International: Global air and ocean freight forwarder with customs brokerage capabilities serving the Chicago gateway, competing for many of the same international trade customers as CDC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/channel-distribution

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Channel Distribution Corp.