Project entails an investment of more than $20.7 million in the
Commonwealth, operations set to begin by late summer
FRANKFORT, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 9, 2012--
Governor Steve Beshear and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today
announced Amazon’s plans to open a new 70,000-square-foot customer
service facility in Winchester, Ky., investing more than $20.7 million
and creating more than 550 full-time and 600 seasonal jobs in the
Commonwealth by 2017.
“Amazon’s decision to grow its Kentucky footprint is fantastic news,
especially when you consider the impact of more than 1,100 full-time and
seasonal jobs it will bring to the central Kentucky region,” Gov.
Beshear said. “Kentucky is proud to have Amazon choose Winchester for
this growth opportunity and wish them continued success and prosperity.”
The Winchester facility will be Amazon’s first customer service center
in Kentucky. Amazon subsidiaries currently operate fulfillment centers
in Louisville, Lexington, Campbellsville and Hebron, Ky. The
multi-million dollar investment in Winchester will help Amazon to
provide customer service and technical support.
“There are thousands of employees working in Amazon’s fulfillment
centers across Kentucky, and we’re proud to be expanding our presence in
the state with the opening of a customer service center,” said Tom
Weiland, vice president, Amazon Customer Service. “We hope to have our
team in Winchester up and running before the holiday season, and we’re
hiring great people to join us in giving Amazon customers a first-class
shopping experience.”
The new customer service center is expected to open in late summer and
will be based at Winchester Plaza during construction of the permanent
facility. The permanent facility is expected to open in 2013.
“I am thrilled that Amazon has chosen to open a customer support center
in Winchester,” said Sen. R.J. Palmer II, of Winchester. “Amazon’s
investment in this new facility will allow our region to reap the
rewards of economic growth, development and jobs. It also speaks well of
our workforce that Amazon has chosen to locate its operation here. I
applaud Gov. Beshear for taking the lead to support our industry.”
“Since first opening the doors of their facilities in Lexington and
Campbellsville more than a decade ago, Amazon and the Commonwealth have
enjoyed a long and fruitful economic partnership that has created jobs
for many Kentuckians,” said Rep. Donna Mayfield, of Winchester. “I am
pleased that the company once again has selected Kentucky, and in
particular Clark County, to open a new customer service center that will
employ more than 550 full-time people in our region.”
“Being selected for a project of this magnitude will certainly
positively impact our community, now and in the years to come,” said
Winchester Mayor Ed Burtner. “The investment and careers that Amazon
will create will ripple through our economy, putting people to work and
generating income for our region. This is what economic development is
all about.”
“Amazon’s choice to locate in Clark County is a testament to our
community, our workforce and our capability of attracting high quality
companies for investment and job creation,” said Clark County
Judge-Executive Henry Branham. “Amazon will certainly elevate our local
community and region with its decision to locate its customer support
service center here.”
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is
available at www.ThinkKentucky.com.
Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the
discussion on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ThinkKentucky
or follow on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ThinkKentucky.
A detailed community profile for Winchester (Clark County) can be viewed
at http://thinkkentucky.com/EDIS/cmnty/index.aspx?cw=093.
Follow Governor Beshear on Twitter @Govstevebeshear,
read the Governor’s personal notes on his blog at http://blog.governor.ky.gov/,
and view his video commentaries at http://www.youtube.com/governorbeshear.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle,
opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s
Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most
customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything
they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the
lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of
unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books;
Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home
& Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health &
Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web
Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to
in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end
technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any
type of business. The new latest generation Kindle is the lightest, most
compact Kindle ever and features the same 6-inch, most advanced
electronic ink display that reads like real paper even in bright
sunlight. Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an
easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages,
search, shop, and take notes – still with all the benefits of the most
advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch 3G is the top of the line
e-reader and offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch,
with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle Fire is the
Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games and
web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud,
Whispersync, Amazon Silk (Amazon’s new revolutionary cloud-accelerated
web browser), vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core
processor.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com,
www.amazon.co.uk,
www.amazon.de,
www.amazon.co.jp,
www.amazon.fr,
www.amazon.ca,
www.amazon.cn,
www.amazon.it,
and www.amazon.es.
As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include
Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates
otherwise.
Forward-Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly
from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to
competition, management of growth, new products, services and
technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international
expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center
optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and
strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption,
inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More
information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's
financial results is included in Amazon.com's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most
recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Kerri Richardson, 502-564-2611 or
502-330-6633
Terry Sebastian, 502-564-2611 or 502-229-6130
Mandy
Lambert, 502-564-4886
or
Amazon.com, Inc.
Amazon Media
Line, 206-266-7180
