Amazon to Build First Fulfillment Center in Alabama, Bringing 1,500 Jobs to Bessemer

BESSEMER, ALA. — Amazon has announced plans for its first fulfillment center in Alabama. The Seattle-based e-commerce company will operate an 855,000-square-foot facility located in Bessemer, roughly 16 miles southwest of Birmingham. The development cost was not disclosed, but local media outlets report that the facility represents a $325 million investment. Amazon, which currently operates a sortation center in Mobile, expects to bring 1,500 jobs to the new facility, which will utilize Amazon Robotics. The Birmingham Business Alliance led several aspects of the project, including presentation of the site, infrastructure issues and local incentives. According to Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley, Amazon’s new facility will be the single-largest private investment in the history of the city. No construction timeline was given.