Amazon Distribution Center Officially Opens in Duluth

DULUTH, Minn.– Despite beginning operations in late March, the Amazon Distribution Center officially opened its doors today.

But in the meantime, Duluth has already seen an impact from this.

“This site currently employs 80 folks, there’ll be some indirect employment from that. In addition, the site also employs a delivery service partner, which is not an employer of Amazon but rather a small business that operates under the roof of this facility. They’ll begin to ramp up and employ additional drivers,” said Jason Vangalis, Manager of Economic Development and Head of Central U.S. for Amazon.

The 55,000 square foot building is the last stop before arriving on the customer’s doorstep.

It is here packages are sorted and prepared for its final trip.

“At capacity, we will be at about 20-thousand packages a day, in capacity. That will take us a bit of time to ramp up and increase the levels of employment as well. But right now, we’re kind of in that early phase of operations,” said Vangalis.

This is an opportunity for Duluth to expand its radius, while giving the locals more convenience with Amazon.

“Right now, the facility is serving about a 60-mile radius, they’ll grow out to a 100-mile radius. Number two again the opportunity of the region to connect back into that network and reach the world. And then again of course folks that are Amazon shoppers, those things you can’t buy locally, now should show up the next day,” said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert.

In the future, the delivery station is expected to reach an impressive 45,000 packages distributed and sorted out a day.

But until then, they’re still in the early stages of sorting operations out.