CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Amazon officials announced Wednesday that the company will establish a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Clarksville.
Amazon will add 500 full-time jobs with comprehensive benefits at the new one-million-square-foot fulfillment center, where employees will pick, pack and ship larger customer items, such as bulk paper goods, sports equipment, patio furniture and larger home goods and electronics. The facility, which will house innovative Amazon technologies and energy efficient, zero-emission power industrialized truck (PIT) equipment, is expected to launch in 2022.
"New corporate investment in our community is welcome news. That news is especially welcomed when higher wages and benefits are in the same sentence. These are the key ingredients we need to help raise the standard of living for our families, and I'm excited to see a continuing trend of corporations investing in our community. This is positive proof that Clarksville-Montgomery County remains the number one best place to live," Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said.
The Clarksville facility will be Amazon’s 10th fulfillment and sorting center in Tennessee and the fourth to be announced in the past 19 months. In 2020, Amazon committed to creating 1,000 jobs at new facilities in both Memphis and Mt. Juliet and most recently in February 2021, the company announced a new fulfillment center project in Alcoa, tacking on an additional 800 new jobs.
Amazon currently operates fulfillment and sorting centers in Charleston, Chattanooga, Lebanon, Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville. The company is in the midst of building Amazon Nashville, a new downtown office that will bring more than 5,000 tech and corporate jobs to Nashville.
“It is a privilege to welcome another world-renowned company to our community. The process to bring the Amazon Distribution Center here involved a lot of collaboration with our government partners, existing local industries and the County Commission. Once again Montgomery County stood out because of the amazing people of this community.” – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.
Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $13 billion in Tennessee, including infrastructure and compensation to thousands of its employees in the state. Amazon's investments in Tennessee contributed an additional $13 billion into the state’s economy, and using methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Amazon estimates its investments in the state have created an additional 39,000 indirect jobs on top of the company's more than 25,000 direct hires in Tennessee.
Amazon’s innovative Career Choice program pre-pays 95 percent of tuition for courses in high-demand fields. Since the program’s launch, more than 30,000 employees have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, to name a few. In addition, Amazon has pledged to invest over $700 million to provide upskilling training for 100,000 U.S. employees for in-demand jobs. Programs will help Amazonians from all backgrounds access training to move into highly-skilled roles across the company’s corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retails stores, and transportation network, or pursue career paths outside of Amazon.
Over the last five years, TNECD has supported nine economic development projects in Montgomery County, resulting in approximately 2,550 job commitments and $708 million in capital investment.
To learn more about working at Amazon, visit www.amazondelivers.jobs.
“This fulfillment facility comes on a wave of recent announcements of Amazon investing in Tennessee. The creation of 500 new jobs will bolster the economic growth that Montgomery County is experiencing, and it will support Amazon’s initiatives across our state,” Gov. Bill Lee said.
Amazon said it was proud to be a part of the Clarksville community.
“Amazon is proud to make this investment toward workforce and economic advancement in the area. With starting pay of more than $15 an hour as well as comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, plus 401k, paid parental leave and more, we are excited to offer new opportunities to this talented local workforce," Nikki Forman, Amazon spokesperson, said.
State Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville, said he was proud that Amazon chose his hometown for its latest Tennessee investment.
“Clarksville offers a multitude of amenities for businesses looking to relocate or expand operations, including our skilled workforce and exceptional quality of life. This investment further strengthens our state’s partnership with Amazon and I’m very proud to welcome them,” Johnson said.
State Sen. Bill Powers, R-Clarksville, said he appreciates the work of state and local officials for securing this investment.
“I am very pleased Amazon will be creating 500 quality jobs in Montgomery County," Powers said. "This is exciting news for the economic future of Clarksville. Our dedication to a business-friendly environment is paying off and resulting in good outcomes for businesses and citizens. I welcome these Amazon jobs to Clarksville.”