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October 15-21, 2020
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JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer MANUFACTURING JACKSONVILLE
Amazon adding 9th area facility
DARRIN MUELLER Record & Observer LEADING THE WAY AT BACARDI JACKSONVILLE
The city issued a permit for the online retailer to build-out a $15 million package delivery service in North Jacksonville.
Record & Observer BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
JACKSONVILLE
Amazon.com Inc. continues its Jacksonville expansion with a 477,946-square-foot package delivery hub in North Jacksonville that is being built-out for $15 million. It is the Seattle-based online retailer’s ninth identified facility in Northeast Florida. The city issued a permit Oct. 13 for Threecore LLC in Sarasota to build-out the interior of a new warehouse at 250 Busch Drive E. in Imeson International Industrial Park. Baker Barrios Architects Inc. of Orlando is the architect. Plans show the project is an Amazon.com package delivery service with employees in two shifts – days and evenings – and a possible third seasonal shift. No job count was stated. It is labeled DJX3, an Amazon code. Packages arriving at the facility will be labeled for shipping within local neighborhoods and surrounding areas by vans. The city approved construction of the shell building in May 2019 for Webb Southeast Construction Corp. to build the distribution center on 30.69 acres at a construction cost of almost $13.7 million. The developer was Orlando-based Industrial Park Investments Inc. JEA and city Planning Department documents show the property will have 102 loading bays, 337 parking spaces and 133 spaces for trailer parking.
Record & Observer
Photo by Katie Garwood
Darrin Mueller is operations center director at the Bacardi Bottling Corp. plant at 12200 N. Main St. in North Jacksonville. He began the role in June.
The operations director of the Jacksonville plant is responsible for the bottling and distribution of all the Bacardi rum sold in the U.S. and globally.
BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
A
s Darrin Mueller passed through the Bacardi Bottling Corp. plant Sept. 24, he greeted employees as thousands of bottles raced around the facility. They start as empty glass containers, then are filled with Bacardi rum, capped and boxed into cases. Mueller, 44, a five-year Bacardi employee, started in the plant’s top position in June. He
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calls it his dream job, something he’s wanted since starting in the industry more than 20 years ago. He is responsible for the bottling and distribution of about 8.6 million cases of Bacardi rum a year, along with leading 200 employees at the company’s 12200 N. Main St. facility in North Jacksonville. “I knew when I started in manufacturing and having the opportunity to work with senior SEE MUELLER, PAGE 6
KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
MY VIEW
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