Amazon opens distribution center in Merrillville
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Touting a footprint of 1 million square feet and over 500 full-time jobs, Amazon cut the ribbon this week on a new distribution center in Merrillville.
The center is Amazon’s second fulfillment center in the area and is located on a nearly 80-acre site at The Silos and Sanders Farm near Interstate 65. Amazon is leasing the building from Dallas-based Crow Holdings. The estimated cost for developing the facility is $90 million, according to Merrillville Town Councilor Shawn Pettit.
In a press release, Amazon says the facility will serve as a consolidation depot where items from individual sellers will be organized, packaged and then shipped to other Amazon fulfillment centers across the country.
The new center’s lead manager, Mary Beth Klippel, thanked Merrillville leaders for a warm welcome.
“Today marks an exciting milestone as we open our newest facility in Indiana,” Klippel said. “We’re bringing more than 500 full-time jobs with comprehensive day-one benefits to Lake County, while enhancing delivery speeds for customers across Indiana.”
The 40-foot tall building features 79 loading docks, 527 car parking spaces and 765 trailer parking spaces, in addition to a more than 18-acre industrial outdoor storage yard.
The new facility is in addition to Amazon’s $30 million, 190,000-square-foot delivery station that opened three years ago at the AmeriPlex at the Crossroads business park.
According to Amazon, which is the second largest employer in the country, the company has created 26,000 full-time and part-time jobs in Indiana since 2010.