The news that Amazon will set up a fulfillment centre in Balzac is bringing smiles to the faces of many people.

One of those smiling faces is Amazon spokesperson Ashley Robinson.

"We're really proud of the ability to create 750 full time jobs. For us, it really does come down to better serving the customer, being part of the community, being a positive economic driver is just the icing on the cake."

Robinson says there are many reasons why they choose to put their centres in certain locations, and Rocky View County fit all those descriptions.

"How can we best serve customers, how can we increase speed of delivery, increase inventory selection. We also look at the workforce. What workforce is in the area, who's going to raise the bar on operational excellence in our fulfillment centre. We've seen just tremendous community support in Rocky View County and throughout the greater Calgary region and across Alberta."

If you may be confused as to what exactly a fulfillment centre is, Robinson has that answer.

"That's where the inventory is stored, that's where, when you send in a customer order through the website, our associates will pick that order for you, pack it up in a box and put it in a truck and send it out for delivery."

The new centre is located on an existing building near Cross Iron Mills, but an additional facility will be built on 42 acres of nearby land.

Robinson hopes that the centre will be complete in time for the 2018 Christmas shopping season, with hiring set to begin by the end of next summer.

 

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