Papillion Amazon Fulfillment Center aims to speed up deliveries, create jobs

PAPILLION, Neb. (WOWT) - You’ve seen the delivery trucks, but have you ever wondered how your Amazon packages get to your home behind the scenes?

6 News got a look inside the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Papillion today.

14 1/2 miles of conveyer belts and 4,500 robots are what create “the Amazon magic,” according to manager Aaron Schmidt.

“The robots that help bring the products to people really cut down the time you’re walking around the building throughout every day to what it takes to package the unit,” Schmidt said.

The fulfillment center is equipped with up-to-date technology that Schmidt said has evolved over time.

“The robots can carry over a thousand pounds on them, the pod, the shelving, and all the inventory inside,” Schmidt said.

He described the design of the workflow with the equipment and machines as being hands-free to facilitate the jobs of employees and speed up the process of getting items in and shipping them out.

“It’s nicer for things to be brought to me than me walking all around the building to go get those things,” Schmidt said.

Since it opened in January, Amazon has hired about 700 associates. Schmidt said this is only the beginning.

“We’re bringing a lot of great jobs to Nebraska,” Schmidt said.

Jim Janicki, the board chair of Grow Sarpy, said this will bring a lot of growth to the county.

“We’re pretty excited to have the fulfillment center,” Janicki said. “This develops a large amount of land here in the Papillion area in Sarpy.”

The new fulfillment center is Amazon’s fifth operational location in the Omaha region.