US online retail giant Amazon will open a 43,000 square metre facility at Moorebank in South West Sydney in second half of 2018 - its second ‘fulfilment centre’ in Australia.
The company says it will begin recruiting immediately for a range of roles including operations, support and technical specialists.
Amazon launched in Australia last year and offers print-on-demand book publishing through its CreateSpace publishing and distribution partner, which sells editing, book design, and marketing services. Amazon’s Kindle business offers on-demand self-publishing in digital and print, including paperbacks. The company sells Kindle e-reader devices, audio books and content through its Australian website, where there's also office printers, printing inks, toner cartridges and printing paper from major brands including Epson, Brother and Canon.
Australian packaging companies are seeing huge benefits from the rapid expansion of online retailing and have welcomed the US giant into Australia.
Anthony Pratt, head of Melbourne-based Visy, one of the world’s largest packaging businesses, told The Australian Financial Review that Amazon was “one of our most important and biggest customers. They have grown from zero in 1997 to become the world's largest buyer of corrugated boxes – and they are growing at 30 per cent a year, which is stunning."
Robert Bruce, Amazon Australia operations director, said: “We are thrilled to be establishing our next fulfilment centre in Sydney and working with incredible people in the local community around Moorebank. Sydney represents another important development for our growth strategy in Australia, following a steady and progressive increase in customer demand.”
The new warehouse is located in the Goodman Centenary Distribution Centre in Moorebank, providing easy access to the M5 and M7 motorways.
“The new facility builds on the capabilities of our first centre in Dandenong South, allowing us to continue to fulfil our commitment to fast and reliable deliveries for Australian customers,” said Bruce. “This investment will benefit both customers and the local economy by generating new jobs and providing small and medium sized Australian businesses who sell on amazon.com.au and use our Fulfilment by Amazon program with an opportunity to more easily access millions of customers across the country.”
Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller welcomed the announcement: “This is a great win for our local community. The Amazon facility will be a boon for South West Sydney and we look forward to having good jobs for people close to where they live and having a partner involved in the local community. We expect the Sydney fulfilment centre will become a key logistics hub thanks to its strategic position in south west Sydney.”
Amazon owner Jeff Bezos - worth an estimated $US132 billion dollars - has defended the company against allegations of brutal working conditions inside Amazon warehouses in the US and the UK.
Amazon currently has over 1,200 employees in Australia.