Amazon.com will build its first fulfillment center in Illinois in Joliet, a significant occurrence given the history between the marketplace and the state.
Illinois had been off limits for years due to Amazon’s refusal to collect sales tax from residents there. Illinois legislators reacted in 2011 by passing a law that required out-of-state merchants who advertised on affiliate websites in Illinois to collect sales tax, arguing that the affiliate relationship created the necessary nexus. Amazon reacted by cutting ties with affiliates.
Amazon had a change of heart as it began building out its fulfillment network and began entering into deals with states and locales.
On Monday, Amazon announced its plans to open a nearly 500,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Joliet, saying it would create 1,000 full-time jobs.
News also surfaced late last week that Amazon was adding two warehouses to its UK distribution network, one at Bardon and one at Weybridge.
And Amazon is building its second Sortation Center in New England, bringing the total number of US Sort Centers to the neighborhood of 20.
