New Amazon facility delivers more than 1,000 jobs to Johnston County
Amazon and local leaders cut the ribbon Tuesday on a a new, 620,000-square-foot warehousing facility expected to employ up to 1,000 people at jobs that start at $17 per hour.
The facility – an "inbound cross dock" – brings inventory from small and medium sellers across the world into the Amazon supply chain so they can be offered for sale online.
Eric Arnold, general manager of the Amazon warehouse in Smithfield, took reporters on a tour on foot, following the route that the typical package takes.
"Everything comes in and then we cross it over to an outbound dock," he explained.
At a prep station, items are bagged or bundled into yellow bins. A combination of automation, robots and human employees guide each bin through sorting and packaging to be delivered to one of dozens of Amazon fulfillment centers across the country and then to the home of the customer.
"It’s all one journey that can happen in a matter of minutes for our product," Arnold said.
The journey through the Smithfield center, Arnold said, takes about six minutes per item.
"Speed is definitely one of our top focuses at Amazon," he said.
Once fully operational, more than 1 million items will go through the facility each day. During peak seasons, that number will rise to an estimated 2.5 million items each day.
And the hiring continues. "We still have openings," Arnold said. "We're looking to fill jobs from floor workers to IT & management."
The facility has already delivered big for Smithfield.
“We are absolutely thrilled to see this facility come to fruition after years of hard work by everyone involved,” said Mayor Andy Moore. “From day one, Amazon has been a great partner, and we look forward to building that relationship for decades to come.”
Gov. Roy Cooper cited "North Carolina’s diverse and well-trained manufacturing workforce" as the lure for companies like Amazon.
Amazon received tax grant incentives for a 7-year period. It required the giant retail firm to make a $100 million investment in the plant. Those dollars will make a big impact on this small town.
