Amazon opened a one-million-square-foot fulfillment center in the Kansas City metro area dedicated to handling furniture, sporting equipment and other oversized products.
The facility in Liberty, Missouri, is already operational with 150 employees, according to a release sent to Supply Chain Dive. Amazon hopes to ultimately employ 500 at the center to maximize the facility’s capacity.
“It’s a privilege to further our investment in Liberty to meet the growing customer demand for larger items in the Kansas City metro, while also creating career opportunities for the community,” said Site Leader Jyoti Sharma.
The big-and-bulky facility typically handles items longer than 96 inches or greater than 50 pounds, such as furniture, TVs and exercise equipment.
An Amazon spokesperson told Supply Chain Dive that the e-commerce giant operates dozens of delivery stations and fulfillment centers dedicated to “extra large” items. In 2017, Amazon transported its first shipment from its warehouse in Livonia, Michigan, which specializes in oversized items.
The new facility comes as Amazon shifts to a regional fulfillment model to cut costs and remove complexities associated with operating a national network. The company recently overhauled its inventory placement strategy to position goods closer to end customers.
Other companies including Instacart and Maersk have also launched big-and-bulky services as a way to expand their operations.
