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Leaders from Amazon say jobs could exceed 1,000 in West Michigan

"The fulfillment centers that use Amazon robotics tend to eventually have a higher headcount (in employees) because customers are so pleased with how quickly they get their boxes," Brown said.

GAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. - For the first time, representatives from Amazon are talking about their $150 million dollar investment into a facility on a 100-acre piece of property at the corner of 68th Street and Patterson Avenue in Gaines Township.

Amazon's fulfillment centers are giant warehouses that hold anything you order on Amazon.com.

The company's Regional Operations PR Manager Shevaun Brown said the facility will house items smaller than a microwave to ship out to customers. They will use robots to help in the shipping process.

"Those robots really help make our associates jobs more efficient and it gives (the employees) a leg up on technological careers and career development down the line by engaging with those type of technologies," Brown said.

The robots won't do all the work. The company plans to hire at least 1,000 people in the middle of 2019 for a fall 2019 opening.

"The fulfillment centers that use Amazon robotics tend to eventually have a higher headcount (in employees) because customers are so pleased with how quickly they get their boxes," Brown said.

As for wages, Brown said the company is very competitive, particularly with an excellent benefit package.

"At the end of the day, for the most part, we provide 30 percent more than a traditional retail job for compensation and then on top of that some really compelling benefits," Brown said.

Amazon indicated in a recent report the company's median employee pay was $28,446 last year.

Brown named full health insurance, disability insurance, a 401k match, performance based incentives, paid paternity and maternity leave and tuition assistance as reasons people should come to work for the company.

Amazon chose Gaines Township over locations in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.This will be Amazon's fourth warehouse in Michigan and first in West Michigan.

The state of Michigan is providing Amazon $4 million in incentives for talent recruitment and the creation of the jobs. Gaines Township is providing a 50% property tax abatement in support of the project.

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