Like major shipping carriers, Amazon has relied a great deal on the USPS for “last mile” delivery of packages to shoppers’ homes. This week it announced an expansion of its fulfillment capacity in Arizona that could signal a determination to wean itself from postal dependence.
Amazon announced 11 new sites across the Phoenix metro area expected to be open by the end of 2020 to support customer fulfillment and delivery operations.
In the press release announcing the news, Amazon quoted the head of Arizona’s economic development organization Arizona Commerce Authority Sandra Watson, who said, “Efficient delivery services are more critical now than ever, and this significant Amazon expansion will not only greatly enhance last mile fulfillment in greater Phoenix but will also create thousands of jobs for our residents.”
The new sites include seven delivery stations and two additional facilities that support fulfillment operations in Avondale, Chandler, Goodyear, Mesa, Phoenix and Tempe. Delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order fulfillment process.
Amazon’s first cross-dock facility in the state is also slated to open by year’s end in Phoenix. The 600,000 square-foot building will support customer fulfillment by receiving large orders of inventory and redistributing products to fulfillment centers across the company’s operations network.
Construction is also underway on an 855,000 square-foot fulfillment center in Goodyear featuring Amazon robotics. It will be used to fulfill small items to customers such as books, electronics and toys and is expected to launch by the end of the year.
Amazon also said that next year, it will launch additional sites to support customer fulfillment and operations, including a cross-dock facility in Goodyear and a delivery station in Surprise.
You can find the press release on the AboutAmazon.com corporate website.
