Amazon Seeks To Expand Further In The Midwest, Announces Two New Robotic Fulfillment Centers In Ohio

Amazon (AMZN) announced Monday that it will open two new fulfillment centers in Ohio, with both centers larger than 700,000 square feet. The two warehouses, located in Akron and Rossford, will rely on advanced robotics.

"Ohio has been a great place to do business, serve customers and create jobs; as a result, we are thrilled to develop two state-of-the-art fulfillment centers in Akron and Rossford," said Alicia Bolder Davis, Amazon's Vice President of Global Customer Fulfillment.

Gov. Mike DeWine praised Amazon for continuing "to demonstrate confidence in the great workforce and e-commerce climate we have in Ohio."

The warehouses will add an estimated 2,500 jobs and workers will be eligible for the $15 minimum wage for full-time positions. Amazon did not specify when the two warehouses would open.

Amazon has been rapidly expanding in Ohio and recently opened a distribution center in West Jefferson, which lies strategically on Interstate 70 near Ohio's capital, Columbus. In May, the company opened a hub at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

There are currently 8,500 Amazon workers in the Midwestern state. The e-commerce giant has created 6,000 jobs in Ohio over the last seven years. Amazon has been rapidly building more logistics and fulfillment centers to increase the speed of its shipments, as it rolls out its one-day delivery feature of its Amazon Prime service.

The company has faced recent controversy for its working conditions, with HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" criticizing the company and Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez claiming the company pays workers "starvation wages." Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is running for president, has also lambasted Amazon's workplace practices.

Amazon has refuted the allegations and recently announced commitments to training a third of its U.S. workforce for upcoming technical fields.