SEATTLE — Amazon.com, Inc. announced its continued investment in the metro Detroit area with five new buildings to support operations closer to customers. The sites are expected to create more than 2,000 permanent full- and part-time jobs with a minimum $15 per hour wage and comprehensive benefits starting on the employee’s first day.
“We’re excited to be expanding our network to better serve our customers in the great city of Detroit,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are grateful for the strong support we’ve received from local and state leaders as we broaden our footprint throughout Michigan. We look forward to bringing more than 2,000 good jobs to Metro Detroit and contributing positively to the community.”
“We’re thrilled that Amazon selected Detroit for what will be one of the largest fulfillment centers in Michigan,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “Amazon has been a great partner and its most important delivery will be the 3,000 construction jobs, 1,200 permanent jobs and new small business opportunities this new facility will bring to our city.”
INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
As Amazon grows in Detroit, it is committed to contributing in a variety of ways to the local community where teams live and work, including by supporting food banks with monetary contributions and delivery services, funding computer science education for underserved and underrepresented students, and providing in-kind donations to meet immediate and basic needs. Most recently, Amazon donated $100,000 to the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to help the district enhance its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs and expand its resources. Beyond the donation, Amazon plans to support the school’s STEM programs with hands-on learning and mentorship opportunities in the coming year.
“Amazon’s investment in our expanding Career Academy work with a focus on STEM will allow students to continue to experience a more relevant high school education,” said Dr. Nikolai Vitti, Detroit Public Schools Community District’s superintendent. “We are continuing to see more companies recognize that there is a shared responsibility in ensuring that career pathways are developed at the high school level and through the traditional public school system to ensure that the greatest number of students in the city can actualize their talent. When this happens, students, companies, and the city all benefit.”
JOB CREATION
On one of the five new sites, Amazon plans to open a new 823,000 square-foot fulfillment center in Detroit, creating 1,200 new full-time jobs when it launches in 2021. The site will be the fourth fulfillment center in the state using Amazon robotics to help associates pick, pack, and ship smaller items to customers.
The other four sites include a same-day facility, XL fulfillment center and two sortation centers that play critical roles in the fulfillment of large products and “middle mile,” or the process of transporting packages between Amazon sites before last mile delivery for customers.
Amazon currently operates 10 sites in Detroit that support customer fulfillment and delivery operations, including four facilities that launched in 2020.
“Huron Township welcomes the creation of approximately 1,000 jobs the Amazon facilities offer. This Amazon project will serve to jump-start additional economic growth that will make up a much larger comprehensive mixed use development planned for this area,” said David Glaab, Huron Township Supervisor. “This investment will serve to bolster and compliment the efforts of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis in its mission to attract advanced manufacturing, next generation mobility and emerging technologies to this region.”
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