As the United States emerged from the Great Recession, cheap real estate and the rise of e-commerce collided to create a warehousing boom.
Construction skyrocketed when Amazon and others began building million-square-foot distribution centers. Since 2011, over 2.3 billion square feet of new warehouse space has come to market. This is enough space to comfortably accommodate her 3.5 in Manhattan.
Past industrial booms have produced coal nations, steel cities and oil towns. Now, with warehouse boom towns booming in places like California’s Inland Empire, Pennsylvania’s Lehigh County, and Columbus, Ohio, the number of warehouse workers has nearly tripled in his decade.
Here, Insider explores how the rise of warehouses and warehouse work has transformed the United States and its citizens into a warehouse nation.
Warehouse Nation guide
Warehouses and employers like Amazon bring new jobs and higher wages to some blue-collar workers, but they can be tough on cities and human bodies.
Rapid increase in warehouse work
Insiders used data and field reports to highlight opportunities and hidden costs from increased warehouse operations.
Continue reading “Warehouse Nation”
Insider looks at how the warehouse boom reshaped America.
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