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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Walmart Plans Second Fulfillment Center In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

10/15/2014
Walmart plans to open a second state-of-the-art fulfillment center projected to create 300 new jobs in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Coupled with the first fulfillment center, Walmart will invest $96 million and employ approximately 650 full-time associates at fulfillment centers in the Lehigh Valley.

Walmart’s new 1.2 million sq. ft. facility in the Majestic Bethlehem Center will feature state-of-the-art automation and warehousing systems. Announced in 2013, the first facility, located in the Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII and measuring 1 million sq. ft., will employ approximately 350 full-time employees. Both facilities are set to open in 2015.

“We continue to expand our next-generation fulfillment network with state of the art e-commerce facilities, like the one in Bethlehem in order to support the rapid growth of our e-commerce business,” said Brent Beabout, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics for Walmart Global eCommerce. “By combining large-scale online fulfillment centers with Walmart’s world-class supply chain and 4,300 U.S. stores, we can serve more customers faster and at a lower cost.”

“This is another economic success story for our commonwealth as these two expansion projects will create 650 more jobs for the best workforce in the world – our Pennsylvania workforce,” Governor Tom Corbett said. “By creating policies that encourage economic growth, companies like Walmart are choosing Pennsylvania as the best place to grow their businesses.”

The addition of two, new state-of-the-art fulfilment centers, positions Pennsylvania to capitalize on Walmart’s Made in the USA initiative, the Governor’s Office said. Already an ideal location to U.S. and Canadian markets, manufacturers returning to the U.S. will look to set up operations near distribution and fulfilment centers to reduce logistics costs. “The addition of two, new job creating fulfilment centers combined with our location to markets, pro-growth policies, and strong manufacturing reputation, I’m confident many of these companies will make their products in Pennsylvania,” Governor Corbett said.

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