Gov. Phil Murphy on hand for ribbon-cutting ceremony at Edison Amazon Fulfillment Center
EDISON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Amazon may not choose Newark as the location for its new headquarters, but its presence in the Garden State is growing.
Governor Phil Murphy was on hand Monday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Edison.
Touting jobs and sustainability, Murphy took a tour of the 900,000-square foot facility. It is the eighth such Amazon location in the state since the company first launched "Operation New Jersey" in 2012, and Murphy said it is proof the state can be a leader in innovation.
"We are proving again today that we have everything right here that a global company like Amazon needs," he said.
The fulfillment center employs 2,500 and uses robotics to increase efficiency, accuracy and prompt service.
"The innovation has done a lot for us, but most importantly, it's made the process very stress free, very easy, and most importantly, very safe," Amazon Edison General Manager Alex Urankar said.
The center is also home to a massive rooftop solar panel program, with 12,654 solar panels covering the roof, and the solar energy is expected to generate 20 percent of the power needed to operate the facility.
Murphy said there is no update on Newark's bid to land the much-hyped HQ2. New Jersey largest city is one of 20 finalists vying for the center, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says he expects to make an announcement by the end of the year.
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