Amazon is set to shut down one of its fulfilment centers, affecting 590 jobs. The closure will impact the site in Milton Keynes, the first Amazon center established in 1998. Employees impacted by this decision will have the option to transfer to the new Amazon site in Northampton or other facilities.
The new £500 million Northampton facility is slated to open in May and is expected to initially employ 1,400 people, with plans to increase this number to 2,000. The Amazon sortation center in Milton Keynes, a separate part of its logistics operations, will remain unaffected by the closure.
According to an Amazon spokesperson, the company continuously assesses its network to align with business requirements and enhance the experience for both employees and customers. The spokesperson emphasized that the primary focus during this transition is to provide support to the affected employees.
In other news, Amazon has begun testing drone flights as part of its upcoming UK airborne delivery service, scheduled to launch in 2026. These test flights are currently being conducted from the company’s base in Darlington, but the drone delivery service for customers has not been officially launched yet.
Once operational, eligible Amazon customers in Darlington will be able to receive packages weighing less than five pounds within a two-hour timeframe. Amazon has confirmed the commencement of Prime Air drone flights from its Darlington fulfillment center and anticipates a full-scale launch of the service in 2026.
The drone technology has been engineered to operate quietly, with noise levels comparable to traditional van deliveries. The drones are equipped with advanced systems to detect and avoid obstacles during delivery, ensuring safe and efficient operations. Additionally, the technology includes sophisticated machine learning models to recognize various objects and navigate the airspace effectively.
