Amazon’s fulfillment center in Middletown has brought more jobs to the First State than expected.
One year after opening with 533 employees, Amazon officials say they now have over 1,600 hundred people working at the 1.2 million square foot facility. That’s more than double the 850 they anticipated hiring over the first three years when the company first announced in February 2012 that they would build in Middletown.
Middletown Mayor Ken Branner said he was shocked when he heard how many employees Amazon was able to hire.
"I thought it couldn't be right," said Branner. "We were always under the assumption that it would go to 1250 from 850 at the end of year one. This is just tremendous."
Amazon’s Regional Director Bill Kowal says that he is not surprised with the growth shown in Delaware.
“I feel a special connection to this state because we’ve always felt as if the state has welcomed us and the local community has welcomed us," said Kowal. "The state has a great reputation for it’s workforce that has allowed us to grow to this point.”
"This is the best investment I think the State of Delaware could have ever made in a company," said Delaware's Department of Economic Development Secretary Alan Levin. "We love [Amazon's] commitment to quality and service to your customers, it is the way that we try to do business in the state of Delaware as well."
The facility’s General Manager Bimal Patel says he sees additional growth, especially with the coming holiday shopping season.
“This year, Amazon is gonna hire thousands and thousands of seasonal associates. I think the number is in the tens and tens of thousands, up to probably 70,000 seasonal associates. Out of those, thousands of those associates will be converted into full time jobs.”
Hundreds of those seasonal positions are expected to be in the First State.
The Middletown fulfillment center is Amazon’s second in Delaware. The other, in New Castle, was its first on the East Coast and opened in 1997. The company currently has fulfillment centers in 14 different states.