Amazon is expanding in Boston, with a new $40 million office that cements the region as the tech giant’s epicenter for robotics innovation.
The new site will be 350,000 square feet in the suburb of Westborough, Mass., about 35 miles west of Boston, with corporate offices, research and development labs, and manufacturing space. The new facility, opening in 2021 with room for 200 people, will complement Amazon’s existing robotics office in North Reading, Mass.
“We’re excited to grow our teams in Massachusetts and take advantage of the talent and regional connectivity that MetroWest offers,” said Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics’ chief technologist. “This will be a world-class facility, where our teams can design, build, program, and ship our robots, all under the same roof. This expansion will allow us to continue to innovate quickly and improve delivery speed for customers around the world.”
Amazon said it has created more than 4,000 jobs in Massachusetts since 2011 and invested more than $3 billion in the state. Boston was one of 20 finalists for Amazon’s second North American headquarters. Today, the company has 475 open jobs in the area.
Boston became Amazon’s robotics hub after it acquired Kiva Systems for $775 million in 2012. The startup focused on automation technology for fulfillment centers — better known as warehouse robots.
