Amazon announces world-class robotics facility
Amazon plans to invest more than $40 million to develop a new state-of-the-art robotics innovation hub in Westborough, MA, complete with corporate offices, research and development labs, and manufacturing space. The facility will open in 2021.
The new 350,000 square feet facility will be in addition to the Amazon Robotics’ current facility in North Reading, MA, and together serve as the company’s epicenter of robotics innovation.
“We’re excited to grow our teams in Massachusetts and take advantage of the talent and regional connectivity that MetroWest offers,” said Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics’ Chief Technologist. “This will be a world-class facility, where our teams can design, build, program, and ship our robots, all under the same roof. This expansion will allow us to continue to innovate quickly and improve delivery speed for customers around the world.”
“Massachusetts is home to a nation-leading innovation economy with a highly educated and skilled workforce, and we are proud of the life-changing research and high quality of life that attracts leading companies to invest and grow here,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are pleased that Amazon plans to increase their substantial presence with a state-of-the-art robotics facility, creating 200 new jobs and employing over 4,000 skilled workers throughout the Commonwealth, furthering its continued investment in the state’s economic growth and development.”
“Industry leaders like Amazon continue to grow and expand in regional innovation economies like Westborough and across the MetroWest region, and we applaud their continued investment in robotics,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are grateful for this increased commitment to STEM careers and education, and are excited about the opportunities afforded by end-to-end capabilities, including design and advanced manufacturing, all in one site.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Amazon Robotics Division to Westborough! The investment of this international company in our community demonstrates the ability of the regional economy and its workforce to attract innovation and technology. We look forward to a strong partnership with Amazon Robotics,” said Kristi Williams, Town Manager, Westborough.
Amazon provides highly competitive benefits to full-time employees — from the company’s most senior executives to its hourly fulfillment center associates. These benefits include comprehensive healthcare from day one, 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match, and up to 20-weeks of paid parental leave. Through its Upskilling 2025 initiative, Amazon has also committed $700 million to programs aimed at providing its employees with the skills they need for new, in-demand jobs, from paid cloud computing apprenticeships to its Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in in-demand fields, regardless of whether skills are relevant to a career at Amazon.
Investing and creating jobs in Massachusetts
Since 2011, Amazon has invested over $3 billion in Massachusetts, from building customer fulfillment infrastructure and research facilities to compensation to its teams. The company estimates that these direct investments in the state contributed an additional $2.4 billion to the Massachusetts’ economy and generated an additional 7,000 indirect jobs on top of the company’s direct hires. There are also tens of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses, authors, and entrepreneurs in Massachusetts who are growing their businesses with tools like Marketplace, Fulfillment By Amazon, Kindle Direct Publishing, and Amazon Web Services.
As a part of Amazon’s ongoing commitment to the communities where employees live and work, the Amazon Future Engineer program — a childhood-to-career program to inspire, educate, and propel children and young adults from underserved and underrepresented communities to try computer science — serves more than 10 million students each year across the country. In Massachusetts specifically, Amazon Future Engineer is funding computer science classes in more than 40 high schools across the state. Amazon is also proud to support St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children, a leader in supporting families and empowering women experiencing homelessness in the Boston area. Through its partnership with Amazon, St. Mary’s Center has raised nearly $2.7 million to fund a new Community Resource Center on its Dorchester campus, which supports families transitioning to permanent housing and those on the brink of homelessness.
With 750,000 employees worldwide, Amazon has been recognized on LinkedIn’s Top Companies list for the past four years, ranked #2 in the Fortune 2017 and 2018 World’s Most Admired Companies, #5 in Fast Company’s 2018 World’s Most Innovative Companies and 2019 50 Best Workplaces for Innovators. Amazon has more than 400,000 full and part-time employees in the U.S., across more than 40 states and 250 different counties, two headquarters, 18 Tech Hubs, more than 150 fulfillment centers, sortation centers and delivery stations, and more than three dozen Amazon Go, Amazon 4-Star and Amazon Books retail stores. Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $270 billion in the U.S., including infrastructure and compensation to our employees.
