SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced plans for the first Alabama fulfillment center to be located in Bessemer, which will create 1,500 full-time jobs with benefits starting on day one. The company currently operates a sortation center in Mobile, AL.
“We are thrilled to bring our first fulfillment center to the state of Alabama, creating 1,500 full-time jobs,” said Mark Stewart, Amazon’s Vice President of North America Customer Fulfillment. “Alabama has a talented workforce and we look forward to making a positive economic impact in a state where we are committed to providing great job opportunities and an exceptional customer experience.”
Amazon employees at the more than 855,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art fulfillment center will work alongside innovative technology created by Amazon Robotics. Amazon’s advanced technologies and robotics help employees complete jobs in a more efficient manner. Employees at the fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, household items and toys.
”Amazon is one of the world’s most dynamic companies, and we couldn’t be more proud to see the company select Alabama for one of its high-tech fulfillment centers,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. “This facility represents good jobs for our citizens and the beginning of a long partnership that I believe will see Amazon expand and grow in Alabama in the future.”
“I would like to officially welcome Amazon to The Marvel City of Bessemer,” said Mayor Kenneth E. Gulley, City of Bessemer. “Words cannot truly express the excitement this announcement has brought to our city. By choosing to locate its Amazon Fulfillment Center here, Amazon is making the largest single private investment in the city of Bessemer’s 131-year history. Amazon is bringing jobs and opportunity to our residents and students. I am particularly proud of the educational incentives Amazon will offer our young people: get your high school diploma, work one year and receive $3,000 the next four years toward furthering your education. I anticipate this investment by Amazon will spur other development opportunities in Bessemer.”
“Amazon’s decision to build a new fulfillment center in Bessemer, AL, is evidence of our state’s excellent workforce,” said U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). “This project gives us the opportunity to partner with one of the most successful, widely recognized companies in the world to promote economic growth and development throughout Alabama. I am proud to be a part of this great announcement and am thrilled to welcome Amazon to the greater Birmingham area.”
Full-time employees at Amazon receive competitive hourly wages and a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare, 401(k) and company stock awards starting on day one. Amazon also offers generous maternity and parental leave benefits and access to innovative programs like Career Choice, where it will pre-pay up to 95 percent of tuition for courses related to in-demand fields, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. Since the program’s launch, more than 16,000 employees have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, to name a few.
“Whenever a company of Amazon’s panache enters a community, things improve,” said David Carrington, Jefferson County Commissioner. “Not only does Amazon bring the Birmingham metro area a minimum of 1,500 good-paying jobs with full benefits, it also provides its employees a post high school education pathway with its tuition assistance program.”
“Amazon’s investment in our community is a big win for the Birmingham region,” said Lee Smith, Chairman of the Birmingham Business Alliance. “This state-of-the-art facility will be able to accommodate an expanding workforce and a changing economy as Amazon continues to prepare for its future. The BBA was pleased to lead several aspects of the project, including presentation of the site, infrastructure issues and local incentives. As in most successful projects, it was a well-coordinated community effort that led to a successful conclusion, and we’re very grateful to our partners and allies for their great work on this project.”
To learn more about working at an Amazon fulfillment center, interested candidates can visit www.amazondelivers.jobs.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
