CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Amazon recently announced it will be laying off 10,000 employees, leaving many to wonder what that means for the distribution center recently built in Clarksville.
The facility has already had some setbacks, with an 8-to-10-month delay announced earlier this year. That delay was one of several Amazon announced across the nation, citing supply chain issues sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The retail giant also experienced a $3.8 billion loss in the first quarter of 2022.
Buck Dellinger, president and CEO of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council (EDC), said that most of the layoffs pertain to corporate and IT positions. He explained that the personnel losses are not expected to affect the distribution model.
“They’ve got their building. It’s built. They’re going to open it up and start using it,” he said at the EDC meeting on Thursday. “Over the next year, they’re going to start partially opening it up, and hiring some employees, and using that space for some activities around here.”
Dellinger explained the facility will reach full capacity within the next couple of years, but no firm date is available as to when that will happen.
The new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center will have employees pick, pack and ship larger customer items, such as bulk paper goods, sports equipment, patio furniture and larger home goods and electronics.
“They still project to have a heavy equipment or medium-size package and larger package delivery system fully operational in the next couple of years,” Dellinger said.