Amazon’s profit more than triples as pandemic boom continues
Fueled by the growth of online shopping, Amazon posted revenue of more than $100 billion, the second quarter in a row that the company has passed that milestone.
Distribution & Logistics
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Apple plans $100M distribution center, 500 jobs near Indianapolis
The “state-of-the-art” distribution center in Hendricks County is expected to accelerate delivery times for Apple customers in Indiana and the rest of country.
Five Below planning $105M-plus distribution facility in Shelby County
The massive facility, which would employ hundreds of people, would be built on a 100-acre site adjacent to Interstate 74.
Logistics firm planning up to 500 distribution jobs in Whitestown
A logistics company affiliated with online retailer Shein plans to open a distribution center in Whitestown that will employ up to 500 full-time workers, the city announced Wednesday night.
USPS chief cuts post office hours, lengthens delivery times in new 10-year plan
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said the Postal Service is weighed down by $188.4 billion in liabilities, and that he expects it to lose $160 billion over the next 10 years.
Supply bottlenecks leave ships stranded, businesses stymied
Main Street businesses are now forced to wait months instead of the usual weeks for a delivery from China, and no one knows when the situation will be resolved.
Indy, Fishers will be test sites for contactless deliveries, automated cars
Three pilot programs planned for this year are more than just robo-taxi and delivery-bot science experiments. They’re dry runs for the real thing—possibly coming soon.
Conexus Indiana’s top executive to depart in June
Mark Howell, 56, who joined Conexus in 2018, plans to focus on volunteer and philanthropic activities after leaving the Indianapolis-based not-for-profit, the organization said Wednesday.
State lawmakers debate whether to increase weight limits for trucks
Manufacturers and trucking groups are supportive of the legislation, but opponents, including law enforcement agencies, have raised concerns about possible damage to state infrastructure and safety on the roads.
Indianapolis-based Bastian Solutions on 400-employee hiring spree
Bastian Solutions, which makes conveyor systems, robotics and other automated materials-handling items often used by the retail industry, has seen growth accelerate because of the pandemic.
Judge says railroad talks should be included in lawsuits
The ruling undercuts one of the defenses that Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX and Norfolk Southern had offered in dozens of lawsuits that major companies filed last year questioning the way railroads set shipping rates.
Walmart sales still surging, but a chill may be on the way
Walmart has pushed hard into fast and convenient delivery during the pandemic. But even the massive infrastructure put into place by Walmart in recent years was strained by the crush of orders from millions of people sheltering at home.
Amazon faces biggest union push in its history
The stakes are high. If organizers succeed in Bessemer, Alabama, it could set off a chain reaction across Amazon’s operations nationwide, with thousands more workers rising up and demanding better working conditions.
Election of Democratic chair portends change at struggling post office
A former labor leader and Obama administration official was elected Tuesday to serve as chair of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors, marking the first step in a potential shakeup under President Joe Biden.
FAA outlines new rules for drones and their operators
Federal officials say they will allow operators to fly small drones over people and at night, potentially giving a boost to commercial use of the machines.
Retailers urge shoppers to buy early amid shipping crunch
The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating a logjam for shipping companies as well as delivery delays. The U.S. Post Office admits that processing plants are “overwhelmed.”
Warehouses luring more cash than offices in pandemic-fueled flip
Investors have poured money into industrial properties in 2020, spending more on U.S. warehouses than office buildings for the first time as social-distancing pushes even more consumers to e-commerce.
Phishing ploy targets COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort
IBM security researchers say they have detected a cyber-espionage effort using targeted phishing emails to try to collect vital information on the World Health Organization’s initiative for distributing COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries.
US Foods planning $20M distribution center expansion in Fishers
The wholesale food distributor received a positive recommendation from the Fishers Plan Commission on Wednesday to change zoning of an adjacent property so the company can eventually add 69,000 square feet to its existing 230,000-square-foot facility.
North Split construction, traffic closures to begin in December
The North Split project, which was first announced in 2017, will reconfigure the Interstate 65/Interstate 70 interchange on the northeast side of downtown.