Today, Amazon.com, Inc. announced plans to open its first fulfillment center in Waco, Texas, which is anticipated to launch in 2021 and will create over 1,000 new full-time jobs with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.
“We are proud to be bringing our newest Amazon facility to the city of Waco and we look forward to bringing in new jobs and supporting this great community,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are excited for our future in Central Texas, and for what this means for our customers as we continue to grow. We’d also like to thank local and state leaders for their strong support in making this project possible.”
Every day at Amazon, incredible employees come together to deliver magical experiences for customers. In the 700,000 square-foot robotics fulfillment center, Amazon employees will pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, electronics and toys.
“The Lone Star State is proud to celebrate another economic achievement for Central Texas with Amazon’s new investment in Waco,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott. “Texas continues to thrive as the nation’s premier destination for companies like Amazon thanks to our skilled workforce, diverse economy, and business-friendly model that promotes economic growth. This facility is the latest milestone in the strong partnership between Amazon and Texas, and I look forward to seeing the prosperity this facility will bring to the Waco community.”
On top of Amazon’s industry-leading minimum $15 per hour wage, the company offers full-time employees comprehensive benefits including full medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as a 401(k) with 50 percent match starting on day one. Amazon prioritizes the safety and health of its employees and has invested millions of dollars to provide a safe workplace. The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave and innovative benefits such as Leave Share and Ramp Back, which give new parents flexibility to support their growing families.
“We are delighted to welcome Amazon to Waco. This is an especially exciting economic development success for the City of Waco and our entire region. Within two years after opening, Amazon plans to have more than 1,000 new jobs in Waco,” said Kyle Deaver, Mayor of Waco. “Amazon’s investment and commitment to job growth in Waco will help drive our economic recovery forward. We appreciate the work of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, the Waco/McLennan County Economic Development Corporation, and the Waco Industrial Foundation in attracting Amazon, and we look forward to having this innovative fulfillment center as a showpiece in the Central Texas Industrial Park.”
Amazon is a great place to work with highly competitive pay, benefits from day-one, and training programs for in-demand jobs. Amazon has also pledged to invest over $700 million to provide upskilling training for 100,000 U.S. employees for in-demand jobs. The programs will help Amazonians from all backgrounds access training to move into highly skilled roles across the company’s corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retail stores, and transportation network, or pursue career paths outside of Amazon.
“I would like to join the McLennan County Commissioners Court in welcoming Amazon and its state-of-the-art robotics fulfillment center to Waco. This project is definitely a breakthrough collaboration of the Waco McLennan County Economic Development Corporation working with the Waco Industrial Foundation,” said McLennan County Judge, Scott Felton. “We can draw the interest of Fortune 100 companies, we can do the big deals, and we can meet the infrastructure and resource needs of most companies. We continue to promote workforce development and are creating a growing skilled workforce.”
Amazon in Texas:
Since 2010, Amazon has created more than 43,000 jobs in Texas and invested more than $16.9 billion across the state, including infrastructure and compensation to our employees.
Amazon’s investments have contributed more than $18.8 billion in GDP to the Texas economy and have helped create over 49,000 indirect jobs on top of Amazon’s direct hires – from jobs in construction and logistics to professional services.
More than 116,000 independent authors and small and medium businesses in Texas are selling to customers in Amazon’s store, creating thousands of additional jobs across the state.
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.aboutamazon.com and follow @AmazonNews.