Amazon is expanding in the Chicago suburbs once again, with plans to open a pair of fulfillment centers in Aurora.
The new facilities will add more than 1,000 additional full-time jobs.
Amazon already has fulfillment centers in the Illinois municipalities of Edwardsville, Joliet and Romeoville. The company is also building a fulfillment center in Monee.
“In just over two years, Illinois has proven itself to be an ideal location from which Amazon can continue offering customers our vast selection and superfast shipping speeds,” said Akash Chauhan, Amazon’s vice president of North American operations, in a written statement. “We’re excited to be growing and creating even more full-time jobs that offer comprehensive benefits on day one as well as generous maternity and parental leave benefits.”
Amazon worked with Intersect Illinois and the Illinois Department of Commerce on the plans for its two new centers.
“Intersect Illinois has worked closely with Amazon for months to grow and maximize Amazon’s footprint in Illinois,” said Intersect Illinois chief executive officer Jim Schultz in a statement. “Team members like Frank Cho recognized early on that Illinois and Amazon could be tremendous partners and that hard work is paying off. Illinois can offer Amazon exactly what it needs.”
During the past two years, Amazon has announced eight fulfillment centers in Illinois. Once these centers are complete, Amazon will have added 7,000 full-time jobs to the state.
At the nearly 1-million-square-foot facility in Aurora, employees will pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, electronics and consumer goods. The other facility, spanning 400,000 square feet, will specialize in handling larger items like big-screen televisions.
“Amazon’s investment in Aurora is a testament to our growing economy, streamlined business process and dedicated workforce,” said Aurora Mayor Robert J. O’Connor, in a statement.
