Hanjin opens Toronto fulfillment center to expand K-beauty delivery network in North America

Hanjin has launched a new fulfillment center in Toronto, Canada, as it moves to expand its North American logistics operations. Following its hub in Los Angeles, the company now has a foothold in Canada as well, with plans to support K-beauty companies with local storage and delivery services.

Hanjin said Monday it has opened the Hanjin Toronto Fulfillment Center near Pearson International Airport, spanning about 13,860 square meters.

The new facility is the company's latest North American logistics hub, coming after the third expansion of its LA fulfillment center in February. Hanjin plans to extend its US-centered logistics services into Canada to meet the local retail and delivery needs of South Korean exporters.

Ahead of the center's launch, Hanjin Presidents Cho Hyun-min and Noh Sam-seok, along with other senior executives, visited the site on Friday. They reviewed the facility and operational preparations and discussed how to integrate the new hub with existing US logistics operations.

The Toronto center is located in the Greater Toronto Area, a major economic and logistics hub in Canada. It offers delivery access to nearby cities including Mississauga, Brampton and Markham, and its proximity to Pearson International Airport and major rail infrastructure makes it well-suited for connecting air and ground transport.

The facility is also equipped to handle products with strict storage requirements, such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

The center has obtained Good Manufacturing Practice certification, meeting Health Canada standards for temperature and humidity control and hygiene. It has also secured a bonded warehouse license, allowing it to store and process imported goods undergoing customs clearance.

Hanjin has also prepared to streamline cross-border customs processing between the United States and Canada. The company obtained Partners in Protection certification — a Canadian trade security cooperation program — to facilitate smoother customs procedures for cargo crossing the border.

Through the new center, Hanjin plans to handle not only business-to-business inbound storage but also direct-to-consumer delivery for online orders. Fulfillment refers to an integrated logistics service covering storage, order processing, packaging, dispatch and delivery.

The center is particularly focused on enabling South Korean cosmetics brands entering the North American market to store products and fulfill orders locally without having to build their own logistics infrastructure.

Hanjin provides logistics services that combine e-commerce platform-specific packaging, product labeling, local customs clearance, value-added tax and tax filing support, and last-mile delivery. A key feature is the ability to mix and match logistics services based on sales channel and order volume.

The Toronto center's initial operations will draw on the expertise accumulated at the LA fulfillment center. Hanjin plans to share operational methods and know-how in inventory management, order processing and delivery to support a stable launch at the new hub.

Hanjin's push into Canada is driven by growing demand for K-beauty products across North America. Interest in South Korean cosmetics has risen in Canada as well as the United States, increasing the need for local inventory management and fast delivery capabilities.

The company is particularly preparing for a surge in cargo volumes ahead of the year-end shopping season, including Black Friday and Christmas. It also plans to strengthen cooperation between the LA and Toronto centers to expand logistics services connecting the two countries.

"In step with the rapid growth of K-beauty in the North American market, we have opened a fulfillment center in Canada following our LA hub," a Hanjin official said. "As Korean brands are winning strong support from consumers across North America, we will establish ourselves as the optimal smart logistics partner supporting our partners' successful global expansion."

Meanwhile, Hanjin recently posted record quarterly sales, driven by growth in port stevedoring and overseas logistics. Consolidated preliminary sales for the third quarter reached 889.8 billion won ($672 million), up 11.3 percent from a year earlier, while operating profit rose 5.8 percent to 32.6 billion won.