MILLS RIVER – Amazon, the behemoth retail and distribution company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, will locate a distribution center employing about 200 people in this Henderson County town.
“In these times when there’s so much economic uncertainty, and honestly so many jobs being lost, it’s really nice to see some good news,” said Mills River Town Manager Daniel Cobb. “And that is that the facility going up there on Fanning Fields Road is an Amazon Distribution Center.”
The large building under construction near U.S. 280 (Boylston Highway) has posed an intriguing mystery, with the town previously saying only that it would be a distribution center of some kind. But Cobb was able to confirm the Amazon name on May 13.
“I reviewed preliminary sign designs yesterday for Amazon,” Cobb said. “They are being revised to comply with town code. I expect final drawings in the coming days.”
Amazon spokesperson Shone Jemmott confirmed via email May 14 “the location in Asheville will be an Amazon delivery station, expected to open in 2020.
“If you aren’t familiar, delivery stations power the last mile of our order fulfillment process,” Jemmott said. “Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment centers, are sorted, and then loaded into vehicles for delivery to customers.”
Jemmott said Amazon has “more than 150 delivery stations in the U.S.”
“We are excited to continue our investment in the state of North Carolina and provide great job opportunities for the talented workforce,” Jemmott said.
Amazon distributes a wide range of goods that are delivered to American households. In just over two decades, the company has become one of the largest in America, with 840,400 employees and 175 fulfillment centers world wide.
The total project site is about 27 acres, and the total investment is $28 million, Cobb said. The building will comprise 112,000 square feet.
Mills River issued a permit for the project Dec. 4, 2019.
ZipRecruiter.com states the average annual pay for Amazon Distribution workers is $32,055, with a range of $20,000-$47,500. Amazon did not provide salary information.
A sprawling town of about 7,500 people, Mills River ranges from Transylvania County to the West, Buncombe to the north and east, and the city of Hendersonville to the south. It has seen a burst of economic activity lately, drawing a Bold Rock Cidery, Mills River Brewing, and a Gaia Herbs expansion, among others.
Cobb said the Amazon news is another boost to the town’s economy.
“We’re excited about it,” Cobb said. “Mills River is a great place to work and do business, and this will be a nice addition to our economy.”
Cobb said he has not heard for certain what Amazon’s timetable for opening the distribution center is, but it likely will be operational this year.
“I’ve not heard anything formal,” Cobb said. “What I’ve gathered in talking with their designers is they want to be operational this fall.”
On its website, Amazon noted, “In March and April, we announced plans to and have now hired 175,000 people in our fulfillment and delivery network in response to increased customer demand and to assist existing employees. We are happy to welcome these new hires to our team and are continuing to hire.”
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing business shutdowns and an apprehension about in-person shopping across the country, Amazon’s business has boomed.
Amazon has more 150 million square feet of building space, “the majority located across North America and Europe,” the website states.
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