North Wake News

Amazon is expanding its operations in North Carolina, with Economic Development Manager Sam Blatt describing the state as "a great place to do business." Blatt's comments were included in a City of Jacksonville press release dated January 9th.

"North Carolina is a great place to do business and we're proud to be expanding our operations footprint across the state through collaborative partnerships and our continued commitment to economic growth," said Blatt. "We're looking forward to better serving local customers, creating job opportunities for the talented workforce in this region and appreciate the support we've received from these communities."

According to the press release, Amazon plans to establish a Same-Day Delivery facility in Kannapolis and four last-mile delivery centers in Jacksonville, Mount Airy, Southern Pines, and Tarboro. The Jacksonville facility will be approximately 100,000 square feet and located near the city's water treatment plant. It is expected to play a significant role in Amazon’s delivery network by streamlining package distribution.

Amazon warehouse employees | About Amazon

Since 2010, Amazon has invested over $12 billion in North Carolina. The company's Economic Impact Report states that this investment has boosted the state's GDP by $13.1 billion and created 24,000 direct jobs along with 26,400 indirect positions as of January 2024. Amazon's presence in North Carolina includes 13 fulfillment centers, 14 delivery stations, 16 Whole Foods Markets, two Prime Now facilities, and renewable energy projects such as wind and solar farms. Additionally, the company supports over 11,000 independent sellers in the state—many of which are small and medium-sized businesses—and has brought major productions like "The Summer I Turned Pretty" to North Carolina.

Mayor Sammy Phillips of Jacksonville expressed his enthusiasm for Amazon's new facility: "Over the past several months, we have had the pleasure of collaborating with Amazon to establish their presence in our business park," he said. "We welcome them to our community and look forward to their success here in Jacksonville."

Amazon is also increasing compensation for U.S. fulfillment and transportation employees as part of a $2.2 billion investment in pay and benefits. According to a blog post from the company, average total compensation will rise to more than $29 per hour. Employees receive various benefits including discounts, education assistance, paid family leave, medical benefits starting on day one for most full-time workers, and healthcare options like virtual orthopedic care and pregnancy support through doula services.

Sam Blatt is identified as Amazon's Economic Development Manager on LinkedIn.