A press release touting Amazon's new buildings and growth in Michigan got me to wondering where they rank as far as the number of employees in Michigan.

Finding some numbers from right before the pandemic hit, in 2019, General Motors was Michigan's largest employers with over 52,000 Michigan employees, Ford was second with 46,000 and the State of Michigan is third

Stellantis, the former FCA (Chrysler's parent), is fourth, and the University of Michigan is fifth. It's difficult to find exact Michigan numbers, as most of the companies on this list are multi-national behemoths, but it does give you a sense of who's big. Add to that, healthcare companies have grown in recent years, especially through mergers.

It's no secret Amazon is the biggest retailer on the planet. It can be debated whether their effect on local businesses and economies is good or bad, but with the announcement of this new growth, the figure they give of already 21,000 jobs immediately makes them a major player in the state.

On Wednesday, Amazon opened a new fulfillment Center in Pontiac. If the site sounds familiar it's because it was the Pontiac Silverdome. Amazon announced an expansion of seven news sites in the state, with a new fulfillment center in Lansing, plus sites in Gaines Township (Kentwood-Grand Rapids) and metro Detroit sites, and opening three new locations. All this new growth should put the total of Michigan employees to over 22,000.

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