by Murrel Bland
Public officials and Wyandotte County business leaders received a guided tour of the Amazon Fulfillment location Tuesday, May 1, at 6925 Riverview Ave. More than 2,000 employees work there. That number will increase by about 1,000 as the holiday season approaches.
Gov. Jeff Colyer said Amazon is an excellent example of providing jobs; this helps keep the Kansas unemployment rate at 3.4 percent. He also praised Amazon for its Career Choice program which pays up to 95 percent of courses related to in-demand fields regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said he recently visited towns along the U.S. 36 Highway corridor, which runs through the top tier of counties. He said one of the major issues with businesses was the lack of qualified employees.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder praised Amazon which employs more than 560,000 employees nationally; an estimated 25 percent of Americans are Amazon Prime members.
The property where the Amazon plant is, about 120 acres, was acquired by NorthPoint Development and then sold to an investment company. NorthPoint hopes to develop nearby property into an industrial park. Rep. Yoder and Sen. Roberts are helping the Unified Government obtain federal funds as it seeks better access to I-70.
Mayor Dave Alvey said Amazon is receiving a 0 percent tax abatement for ten years. Mayor Alvey, who served previously for 8.5 years on the Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities, thanked Rep. Yoder and Sen. Roberts for their help with federal issues.
The fulfillment center has more than 850,000 square feet of floor space on three floors. Millions of products, including books, electronic devices and toys, are picked and packed and then sent to customers who ordered items on the internet. Amazon uses innovative technology including robotics to assist personnel who fulfill customer orders.
The plant operates from 7 a.m. until 5 a.m. seven days a week.
Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.
