LOCAL

Amazon to open fulfillment center in North Pekin, bringing 200 jobs to the Peoria area

Mike Kramer
Pekin Daily Times

Amazon, the world’s largest retailer, will open its fulfillment center next week at 1961 Edgewater Drive in North Pekin, a village just outside Peoria.

The Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. Feb. 9 to celebrate the facility’s opening. Work on the 90,785-square-foot facility began last year and was completed last month.

Background:Why Amazon chose North Pekin for a distribution center in Illinois

About 30 employees will operate the facility when it opens. Ultimately, the company plans to expand the fulfillment center’s operation and could employ about 200 workers by the end of 2023, according to a joint news release from the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council.

The fulfillment center will be a “last mile” facility, which will facilitate package delivery directly to a customer’s door, said Amazon spokesperson Caitlin Polochak. She noted that last-mile operations are the most visible aspect of Amazon’s transportation network and are 50% of its shipments worldwide.

“They say that good things come to those that wait,” said David Zimmerman, chairman of the Tazewell County Board. “We appreciate how difficult circumstances have been since the beginning of this project, but are so very happy to have Amazon’s facility open and hiring locals.”

Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Amy McCoy called the center "a big win" for the Pekin area.

"Amazon has already proven … to be a good corporate citizen and has worked with the chamber to identify local service partners and charitable organizations to support,” McCoy said.

The 100,000-square-foot converted warehouse at 1961 Edgewater Drive in North Pekin is the future site of an Amazon fulfillment center. The center, scheduled to open next week, is expected to create 200 new local jobs by the end of 2023.

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The project has been under development since 2019. Amazon worked locally with Tom Camper of Joseph & Camper Commercial to investigate available spaces in the Peoria area, though the search was delayed by COVID.

The lease agreement was finalized earlier in 2021, according to the EDC.

The location is the former site of Illinois Machine & Tool Works. A real estate listing in 2021 cited an asking price of $2.2 million for the building, which has about 3,500 square feet of office space and 96,000 square feet of warehouse space.

“Amazon chose to make its investment in Greater Peoria for the same reason so many other companies choose to do the same,” added Chris Setti, the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council’s chief executive officer “Our region boasts logistical advantages that help connect products to customers and an incredible workforce. We look forward to building a relationship with Amazon and their management team, and helping them launch their operations here.”