Amazon Announces First Fulfillment Center in South Dakota

New 640,000 square-foot site will be in Sioux Falls and create 1,000 full-time jobs

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. plans to open its first fulfillment center in the state of South Dakota in Sioux Falls. The site, which is anticipated to launch in 2022, will create 1,000 full-time jobs with industry leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.

At the new 640,000 square-foot fulfillment center, employees will work alongside Amazon robotics to pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, electronics and toys.

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 as well as 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 also offers employees access to innovative programs like Career Choice, where it 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, Amazon’s Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment

“We are thrilled to be opening our first fulfillment center in the great state of South Dakota and bringing 1,000 full-time jobs with industry-leading pay and benefits to Sioux Falls. Amazon leverages its scale for good and makes investments to support communities. We appreciate the strong support from local and state leaders throughout the process, and we look forward to supporting the South Dakota community with great delivery options.”

U.S. Senator John Thune

“Today’s announcement serves as a testament to the success of South Dakota’s business-friendly environment. This distribution facility will bring numerous, high-paying jobs and millions of dollars in investment to the city of Sioux Falls and the rest of the region. I am proud of the state’s economic progress and infrastructure investments that have allowed businesses to thrive.”

Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem

“South Dakota is open for business, and this commitment has put our state in the position to welcome Amazon to Foundation Park. Amazon is investing in South Dakota with 1,000 jobs, including excellent benefits, which will help fuel our state’s growth for the next generation. So on behalf of the entire state, I want to welcome Amazon to South Dakota.”

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken

“We are proud to have been selected by Amazon as their next fulfillment center location. Amazon’s decision to invest in our community reflects the company’s confidence in Sioux Falls’ economic climate and excellent workforce. The team at Amazon has been incredible to work with, and we are excited to welcome them to Sioux Falls and to help make this partnership a win-win for many years to come.”

Todd Ernst, Board Chair for the Sioux Falls Development Foundation

“It is both an honor and a privilege to welcome Amazon to the Sioux Falls business community. Our commitment to business growth in the region is apparent, and Amazon will be a vital player in our continued efforts to build the economy of Sioux Falls and leverage the attractive power of Foundation Park.”

Amazon in South Dakota:

• From 2010-2019, Amazon has invested more than $1 million in South Dakota, including infrastructure and compensation to employees in the state.
• Amazon's investments in the state contributed an additional more than $469,000 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 South Dakota. There are more than 3,000 small and medium business sellers and independent authors in the state growing their businesses with Amazon.

Additional Resources:

• See an Amazon fulfillment center in action
• Read the latest Amazon news on the Day One blog
• U.S. investment map

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.