Amazon showcases huge Monee complex
In an area where corn and soybean fields were once planted, a massive Amazon Fulfillment Center situated on 84 acres along West Monee Manhattan Road is now king of the landscape.
The 856,000-square-foot building — the fourth fulfillment center in Will County — was opened to the media Thursday morning as a workforce of more than 2,000 people and robotic automation sorts and send packages on their way to customers not only in Illinois and the Midwest, but across the country as well.
In a region where corn has been king for generations, sorting, packaging and shipping about 200,000 kinds of products is quickly moving up the chart of importance here.
Elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., 2nd District, along with area media, received their first look at the plant as it was in full operation.
A web of conveyor belts, which weave their way throughout the building's four levels, along with a cast of Amazon robotics help employees sort and fill customer orders from across the country.
This location never sleeps. It is in operation every hour of the week.
One person on the tour, Monee Trustee David Holston, said what Amazon has brought to not only the village and Will County, but the entire region is something incredible.
"We're already seeing interest for new houses. We're seeing interest from other companies," he said. "We will see additional development. I can say this: I never thought we would see something like this here."
There's no question he's not alone with that thought.
Will County Board member Judy Ogalla added. "It's hard to say what the spinoff will be. There's no question something like this helps drive interest in this area. There's certainly some negatives. There's more traffic. We're used to being a small town."
The town is still small — about 5,000 residents — but a big development from a massive and rapidly growing company like Amazon only increases Monee's exposure to the world.