Amazon To Bring Hundreds Of Delivery Jobs To Stratford

STRATFORD, CT — Amazon's planned facility in Stratford will create hundreds of delivery jobs, but will begin operations later than the open date that was initially announced, a town official said Friday.

The Seattle-based e-commerce giant has signed a seven-year lease for two buildings at 500 Long Beach Blvd. and 600 Long Beach Blvd., where it will operate a roughly 200,000-square-foot distribution facility.

Director of Economic Development Mary Dean referred to the location as a "last-mile stop" for Amazon, and said outgoing deliveries will only travel about an hour at most to reach their destinations.

The company will deliver its products from the facility through franchisees, Dean said, adding Amazon will need six franchisees with between 40 and 100 drivers each, or up to 600 drivers total.

Amazon will also hire managers and sorters for the facility, Dean said. She could not provide specific numbers for the manager and sorter jobs, but said that 90 days before opening the Stratford location, Amazon will contact the town to organize a job fair or other ways to spread awareness about hiring.

"It's different levels of opportunity for people," Dean said of the job offerings.

So far, Amazon has positions for a shift manager and area manager in Stratford listed on its website.

Although the town's initial announcement about the facility said the location would open Jan. 1, Dean said the company will actually start operations in Stratford as early as spring, but possibly not until summer or fall.

"It will be 2020," she said.

Amazon is expected to apply soon for its permits with the town, she said.