Governor Announces Amazon.com Opening Distribution Centers in Campbellsville and Lexington

For Immediate Release
May 25, 1999
Contact: Melissa Forsythe or Mark Pfeiffer (502) 564-2611 or
Pamela Trautner, (502) 564-7670
Email: ptrautner@mail.state.ky.us
www.thinkkentucky.com

FRANKFORT, KY – Governor Paul Patton, along with leading online retailer Amazon.com company officials, today announced Amazon.com has obtained two distribution facilities in Campbellsville and Lexington that will allow the company to reduce standard shipping times to key markets in the Midwestern United States. Total combined jobs could reach as many as 1,500 employees within two years.

Campbellsville, hard hit by thousands of lost Fruit-of-the-Loom jobs, anticipates 500 people will be employed at Amazon.com within a few months of operation and as many as 1,000 within two years. The company will expand the existing 570,000 square foot former Fruit-of-the-Loom distribution facility to approximately 770,000 square feet. The 600,000 square foot facility in Lexington will have more than 200 people within a few months of operation and as many as 500 within two years.

Amazon.com’s Kentucky distribution centers will play an integral role in the company’s overall global logistics strategy and are part of the company’s effort to develop a significant distribution infrastructure to provide Amazon.com customers nationwide and around the world with fast, reliable shipping that comes directly from the company.

"This is extremely good news for the Campbellsville area," stated Governor Paul Patton, "we are continually working to attract good quality jobs to all areas hard hit by high levels of unemployment." "Having Amazon.com locate in both Campbellsville and Lexington says a lot about Amazon.com’s confidence in Kentucky and our workforce," he added.

According to Jimmy Wright, Amazon.com Inc.’s chief logistics officer, "With the addition of our Kentucky distribution centers to our supply chain network, Amazon.com continues to deepen our inventory for fast, reliable shipments by a team of dedicated Amazon.com professionals." He added, "At Amazon.com our distribution center associates are the last people to touch an order before it reaches our customers—that’s why we do our own shipping. When it comes to our customers, we don’t take any chances."

The Campbellsville and Lexington operations will allow Amazon.com, the Internet’s No. 1 music, No.1 video, and No. 1 book retailer, to significantly increase the number of books, CDs, videos, and other products kept on hand for immediate shipment to customers. The Campbellsville and Lexington distribution centers will be operated by MGB, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN).

Amazon.com opened its virtual doors on the World Wide Web in July 1995. Today, the Amazon.com store has expanded to offer free electronic greeting cards, online auctions and more than 4.7 million book, music-CD, video, DVD, computer-game, and other titles.

Amazon.com recruiters will be in Campbellsville at the Campbellsville Department for Employment Services (DES) for an open house on June 1-3 to answer questions, accept resumes, and conduct pre-scheduled information sessions. The hours of the open house are Tuesday from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m., Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the Campbellsville DES May 25 – June 1 to fill out an application, obtain open house details, and be pre-screened for a scheduled information session at the open house. Amazon.com will take applications by e-mail at camjobs@amazon.com and respond to questions via e-mail at camquestions@amazon.com.

Amazon.com recruiters also will have an open house at the Lexington facility at 1850 Mercer Road on June 5-6 to receive applications. The hours of the open house are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Applications will be taken by e-mail lexjobs@amazon.com. Questions can be e-mailed to lexquestions@amazon.com.

Amazon.com was granted preliminary approval today for tax incentives by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA). The company received approval for benefits under the Kentucky Job Development Act (KJDA), a state incentive program aimed at increasing the number of service and technology-related jobs in the state.

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