Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

newsworthy

Amazon begins $1.5 billion expansion of Cincinnati air hub

Cargo facility to open in 2021 as e-tail giant invests in next-day delivery plans.

Amazon begins $1.5 billion expansion of Cincinnati air hub

E-commerce industry leader Amazon.com Inc. broke ground Tuesday on a massive, $1.5 billion expansion of its air cargo hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, saying the facility would open in 2021 with a mission to drive the company's trademark offer of "fast, free shipping," as the e-tailer continues to add new services and territories.

First announced in 2017, the move is set to expand Seattle-based Amazon's capacity to handle growing amounts of express freight as the company is keeping its foot on the accelerator for its ambitious plans to offer fast fulfillment services to a growing number of both customers and suppliers.


Last month, Amazon announced it had begun upgrading the nationwide delivery terms of its Amazon Prime subscription service from two-day shipping to next-day shipping. The company said during its quarterly earnings call that the process would require a year to roll out and would require an $800 million investment in its supply chain and logistics capabilities.

Within weeks, rival retailer Walmart Inc. countered with its own initiative to provide free, next-day shipping on orders of $35 and above. But Amazon continued expanding its services in May, making its blockchain network available to the public and then expanding the metropolitan areas covered by its home delivery service for groceries from Whole Foods Market, the supermarket chain Amazon acquired in 2017 for $13.7 billion.

Expanding its air hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, which is known by its airline-industry initials CVG and is located in Hebron, Ky., could help Amazon sustain that breathless growth by providing a hub for its growing fleet of freighter aircraft and supporting the addition of third party sellers to its "Fulfillment by Amazon" service.

"Our new Amazon Air hub, opening in 2021, is part of our continued investment in Prime to ensure we have the capacity required for continued outstanding service for our customers," Sarah Rhoads, the director of Amazon Air, said in a release. "We're proud to call Kentucky home for our air hub, creating more than 2,000 jobs in this fantastic community."

In a social media post about the groundbreaking ceremony, Dave Clark, Amazon's senior vice president for worldwide operations, shared more details about the specifications of the new facility. "We're investing $1.5 [billion] in our new air hub to get you your packages faster," Clark posted on Twitter. "This thing will be an action packed [three million square feet] of high speed package sortation getting nationwide selection from our [fulfillment centers] to customers even faster."

The Latest

More Stories

person using AI at a laptop

Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Report: SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Report: SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Businesses are cautiously optimistic as peak holiday shipping season draws near, with many anticipating year-over-year sales increases as they continue to battle challenging supply chain conditions.

That’s according to the DHL 2024 Peak Season Shipping Survey, released today by express shipping service provider DHL Express U.S. The company surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gauge their holiday business outlook compared to last year and found that a mix of optimism and “strategic caution” prevail ahead of this year’s peak.

Keep ReadingShow less
retail store tech AI zebra

Retailers plan tech investments to stop theft and loss

Eight in 10 retail associates are concerned about the lack of technology deployed to spot safety threats or criminal activity on the job, according to a report from Zebra Technologies Corp.

That challenge is one of the reasons that fewer shoppers overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences lately, Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Zebra said in its “17th Annual Global Shopper Study.”th Annual Global Shopper Study.” While 85% of shoppers last year were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences, only 81% in 2024 are satisfied with the in-store experience and just 79% with online shopping.

Keep ReadingShow less
warehouse automation systems

Cimcorp's new CEO sees growth in grocery and tire segments

Logistics automation systems integrator Cimcorp today named company insider Veli-Matti Hakala as its new CEO, saying he will cultivate growth in both the company and its clientele, specifically in the grocery retail and tire plant logistics sectors.

An eight-year veteran of the Georgia company, Hakala will begin his new role on January 1, when the current CEO, Tero Peltomäki, will retire after a long and noteworthy career, continuing as a member of the board of directors, Cimcorp said.

Keep ReadingShow less

Securing the last mile

Although many shoppers will return to physical stores this holiday season, online shopping remains a driving force behind peak-season shipping challenges, especially when it comes to the last mile. Consumers still want fast, free shipping if they can get it—without any delays or disruptions to their holiday deliveries.

One disruptor that gets a lot of headlines this time of year is package theft—committed by so-called “porch pirates.” These are thieves who snatch parcels from front stairs, side porches, and driveways in neighborhoods across the country. The problem adds up to billions of dollars in stolen merchandise each year—not to mention headaches for shippers, parcel delivery companies, and, of course, consumers.

Keep ReadingShow less