Amazon hosted the grand opening for its first robotics fulfillment center in Detroit and largest in the state on Wednesday at the site of the former Michigan State Fairgrounds at Eight Mile Road and Woodward Avenue.
The facility supports the 10 fulfillment and sorting centers and 13 delivery stations servicing Michigan.
With the facility, Amazon hired more than 1,200 employees, 60 percent of which were Detroit residents.
“When the state of Michigan shut down the state fairgrounds, I knew the state needed to turn this area over to the city so we could build it up for employment,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “In 2018, the state gave in and sold the land to Detroit, which allowed us to develop it in a special way to cultivate 1,200 jobs. This facility allows other historic buildings around it to be saved and repurposed, which will allow for more employment opportunities.”
The facility spans 823,000 square feet and is five stories tall. As one of Amazon’s newest generation of fulfillment centers, the Detroit location is among the first to use robots to help move products and deliver them to employees at workstations. This allows productivity to be more efficient and safer.
“We are thrilled to officially open our new Amazon robotics fulfillment center here in Detroit so we can continue to deliver for our customers in Michigan and beyond,” says Paola Lopez, assistant general manager of the Detroit Fulfillment Center. “Not only are we bringing great jobs with comprehensive benefits to local residents, but we are also aiming to be a strong community partner by supporting organizations in the Detroit area. It’s an honor to lead Amazon’s first operations site in Detroit and help build career pathways for our employees in a safe, engaging, and fun workplace.”
Amazon, which offers a $19 per hour starting wage to all employees, says it has created more than 21,000 full- and part-time jobs in Michigan at 36 facilities, with the Pontiac and the new Detroit locations being the biggest. It also has created more than 32,000 jobs indirectly supported by the company’s investments like construction, logistics, and other professional services.
