Amazon plans first fulfillment center in Arkansas

Amazon is opening a fulfillment center and a delivery station in chief rival Walmart’s home state.

The e-tail giant’s 825,000-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Little Rock will be its first in Arkansas. The facility, slated to open in 2021, will occupy 80 acres at the Zeuber Road site at the Port of Little Rock. Amazon’s acquisition of the property gives the company exclusive control for the development of the site. The center is expected to create over 1,000 new full-time jobs.

At the new facility, employees will work alongside Amazon robotics to pick, pack and ship small items to customers such as books, electronics and toys.

“We’re delighted to be building out our network of operations in Little Rock, Arkansas,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s VP of global customer fulfillment. “We greatly appreciate the strong support from local and state leaders as we look to open our first fulfillment center and second delivery station in the state of Arkansas. We look forward to creating over 1,000 jobs for the Little Rock community, with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.”

Amazon is also planning a new 85,000-sq.-ft. delivery station in Little Rock, which is anticipated to launch in late 2020. Delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order fulfillment process. Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, and then loaded into vehicles for delivery to customers. 

The delivery station, Amazon’s second in Little Rock, will create hundreds of permanent, full-time and part-time jobs. Amazon views Little Rock’s geographical location in Central Arkansas, with river, rail, road, and air access, as ideal for expanding its distribution throughout the South.