City: Erlanger
State: Kentucky
Owner: Amazon

Amazon CVG Hub Phase 1 Project

In 2017, Amazon announced its plans to construct a new state-of-the-art cargo warehouse at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). This facility is set to serve as the primary hub for Amazon Air’s U.S. cargo operations, facilitating the weekly transport of millions
of packages across the nation. It will become the largest Amazon hub worldwide, positioning Kentucky as a national leader in air cargo.

Challenges Brought by the COVID-19 Pandemic

The project began at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was temporarily shut down as most field personnel left the site due to health concerns. This caused a two-week delay until new personnel willing to work during the pandemic were found. Schnabel also dealt with supply chain issues, particularly with cement deliveries, which further complicated the project. Additionally, there were times when Schnabel had full crews on-site, but their contractor partners did not, and vice versa. This lack of consistency hindered production, as beams and lagging boards were being installed on the same wall. Full crews from both parties were rarely present simultaneously. Moreover, crew members had to undergo constant COVID-19 testing, and many had to quarantine for weeks after potential exposure.

Conclusion

In February 2020, Schnabel completed the installation of 534 tiebacks for the project, facilitating the construction of a new cargo warehouse at CVG airport for Amazon, which will serve as a central hub for their U.S. air cargo. Despite the numerous operational and safety challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Schnabel’s safety department quickly implemented measures to protect field team members. Despite the pandemic, Schnabel managed to complete their work on schedule, much to the client’s satisfaction.