COLUMBUS, OH: November 24, 2015. Amazon.com, reportedly testing an overnight B767 freighter operation out of former DHL Express hub at Wilmington Air Park, Ohio, is to open two fulfillment centers in Obetz and Etna – close to Rickenbacher airport, Ohio.

Aircraft leasing company Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), based at Wilmington, has a contract with DHL to provide 30 B767 freighters for the company's U.S. and global operations through March 2019.

As of January this year, ATSG operated 45 B767 freighters under multi-year lease agreements with various clients.

Commenting on the new Amazon investment, the company's vice president of North America operations Mike Roth said: "We are very pleased to continue investing in Ohio by building our first fulfillment centers in the state. This investment will create thousands of jobs that will have comprehensive benefits on day one."

Etna and Obetz respectively will have one million and 800,000 sq.ft. Amazon fulfillment centers - providing full-time employment for 2,000 people. Both towns are less than half an hour by truck from Rickenbacher and just over an hour from Wilmington.

Earlier this month ATSG reported a 3.0 percent increase in third quarter revenue to US$142.3 million, including a 6.0 percent rise in freighter leasing.

ATSG president and CEO Joe Hete said: "We deployed three B767 cargo aircraft under new arrangements during the third quarter, and will deploy others, five of those under dry lease arrangements, in the fourth quarter."

The company said it bought three 767-300 aircraft this year, one more than in 2014, and plans to purchase one more 767-300 this month to modify and deploy with an existing customer in 2016 under an eight-year dry lease. ATSG said capital expenditure would total US$165 million by the end of 2015.

During Q3 ATSG also invested in United Star Express, a new joint venture to provide air services in China and other points in Asia from Tianjin beginning in mid-2016.