Business & Tech

Amazon Building New Fulfillment Center In Baltimore County

The new Amazon fulfillment center will bring 1,500 jobs to Baltimore County, officials say.

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD – Amazon will build a new fulfillment center in Maryland at Tradepoint Atlantic in Baltimore County, the company announced Wednesday. The center will be a hub for picking, packing and shipping items like toys, housewares, electronics and books for Amazon.

"Amazon’s decision to open a fourth facility in our state is tremendous news for this local community and for Maryland as a whole," Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement.

Amazon has three other facilities in Maryland, located in Baltimore City and Cecil County.

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The new center will provide 1,500 jobs, according to Amazon, which already employs 5,000 in the state.

"Maryland has an incredible workforce," Amazon's Vice President of North American Customer Fulfillment Sanjay Shah said in a statement. "We're excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in historic Sparrows Point and to continue innovating..."

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Amazon plans to construct an 855,000 square-foot fulfillment center at Tradepoint Atlantic.

Formerly known as the home of Bethlehem Steel, Tradepoint Atlantic spans 3,100 acres and is poised to once again be known as an industrial center, with tenants such as FedEx and Under Armour locating there. The land on Sparrows Point Boulevard was purchased in 2014 by investors and renamed Tradepoint Atlantic.

“We are very pleased to welcome Amazon as our newest tenant,” Tradepoint Atlantic Chief Development Officer Eric Gilbert said in a statement, adding it was evidence of the "unique logistical advantages we offer."

Tradepoint Atlantic markets itself as an industrial gateway, due to its proximity to the port of Baltimore and railroads.

To help attract Amazon to the site, state and county agencies provided loan assistance.

The Maryland Department of Commerce approved a $2 million conditional loan through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund, and Baltimore County provided a $200,000 conditional loan toward the new facility's development.

“This is what job creation looks like: a world-class company investing in the region, bringing 1,500 new jobs to Baltimore County. We are pleased to welcome Amazon to the growing list of companies with a Tradepoint Atlantic address,” Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said in a statement.

In addition to the county and state loans, Amazon is eligible for various state and local tax credits, including Maryland’s Job Creation Tax Credit, according to Maryland officials.

“Amazon’s continued commitment to Maryland shows that we are working hard to make our state a place where global companies choose to locate, grow, and create jobs," Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill said in a statement. “I want to thank Amazon’s leadership team for continuing to invest in Maryland and creating thousands of jobs for our citizens.”

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