Amazon Announces First Fulfillment Center in North Dakota

New one million square-foot site will be in Fargo and create 500 full-time jobs

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. plans to open its first fulfillment center in the state of North Dakota in Fargo. The site, which is anticipated to launch in 2021, will create 500 full-time jobs with industry leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.

At the new one million square-foot fulfillment center, employees will pack and ship large customer purchases such as sports equipment, patio furniture, fishing rods, pet food, kayaks, bicycles and other household goods.

Amazon is a great place to work with highly competitive pay, benefits from day one, and training programs for in-demand jobs. On top of Amazon’s industry-leading minimum starting wage of $15 per hour, full-time employees receive comprehensive benefits, including full medical, vision and dental insurance and a 401(k) with 50 percent company match, starting on day one. 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.

Amazon employees have access to innovative programs like Career Choice, where Amazon will 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 25,000 employees across the globe have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, to name a few.

Key Quotes:

Alicia Boler Davis, Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment, Amazon

“Today is an exciting day for Amazon as we announce our first fulfillment center in North Dakota, bringing 500 full-time jobs with industry-leading pay and benefits to Fargo. Amazon leverages its scale for good and makes investments to support communities. We thank the local and state leaders for their support throughout the process, and we look forward to supporting the North Dakota community with great delivery options.”

Doug Burgum, Governor, North Dakota

“We’re excited and grateful for Amazon’s substantial investment and the hundreds of jobs it will bring to our state. This is a testament to North Dakota’s attractive business climate, appealing communities and the strong work ethic of our citizens, and we look forward to being part of the company’s growth.”

John Hoeven, U.S. Senator, North Dakota

“This is a welcome investment in Fargo and the surrounding communities, bringing approximately 500 jobs to the region. That’s why we worked with the City of Fargo and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to secure the permit needed to construct the building on this property, and we look forward to its completion. Developments like this continue our state’s record of growth due to the business-friendly environment we’ve worked to build.”

Dr. Tim Mahoney, Mayor, Fargo, North Dakota

“Team Fargo worked expeditiously to advance this monumental project, which is a substantial win for our metro area and the entire state of North Dakota. Amazon’s decision is additional proof that the greater Fargo region is one of the Midwest’s best epicenters for businesses to relocate or expand. We are elated to welcome Amazon to the City of Far More!"

Joe Raso, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC

“From the beginning of this project in late spring to our announcement today, it has been a pleasure working with City of Fargo staff and leadership to support Amazon on this exciting opportunity for our region. We look forward to our continued work with Ryan Companies on the construction of this impressive facility, and with Amazon supporting their workforce development and operational needs.”

Amazon in North Dakota:

• From 2010-2019, Amazon has invested more than $239 million in North Dakota, including infrastructure and compensation to employees in the state.
• Amazon's investments in the state contributed an additional more than $168 million into the state’s GDP over that same time period.
• Amazon’s worldwide fulfillment network supports businesses of all sizes through its Fulfillment by Amazon offering, and many of those local businesses are based in North Dakota. There are more than 2,000 independent authors and small and medium-sized businesses in the state growing their businesses and reaching new customers with Amazon.

Additional Resources:

• Fulfillment center images and b-roll: https://press.aboutamazon.com/fulfillment-centers
• See latest Amazon news on the Day One blog: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/
• North Dakota Investment Map: https://www.aboutamazon.com/investing-in-the-u-s

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 amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.