Amazon is set to shut down a fulfilment center, affecting 590 jobs. The closure of the Milton Keynes site, the first Amazon center established in 1998, is under consultation. Employees impacted by this decision will be given the option to transfer to the new Amazon facility in Northampton or other locations.
The upcoming £500 million Northampton site, slated to open in May, will initially employ 1,400 individuals, with plans to increase this number to 2,000. Notably, the Amazon sortation center, a separate entity within its logistics operations also situated in Milton Keynes, will remain unaffected by these changes.
An Amazon representative mentioned, “We continuously assess our network to align with our business requirements and enhance the experience for our staff and customers. Today, we have proposed the closure of our Milton Keynes fulfillment center, providing affected employees with the opportunity to relocate to the new Northampton site or other Amazon facilities. Our primary focus is to assist our workforce throughout this transition.”
In other news, Amazon has initiated testing drone flights in preparation for the launch of its airborne delivery service in the UK by 2026. The company has begun a limited number of flights from its base in Darlington but has not yet commenced drone deliveries to customers. Upon the official launch, eligible Amazon customers in Darlington will be able to receive packages weighing less than five pounds within a two-hour timeframe.
Amazon stated, “We have started a few Prime Air drone flights from our Darlington fulfillment center in Symmetry Park. While deliveries are not active yet, the service is expected to be fully operational in 2026. This signifies a significant advancement in introducing drone delivery to the UK, with ongoing collaboration with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority.”
The drones have been engineered to operate quietly, with noise levels comparable to traditional van deliveries. Advanced technology onboard the drones enables obstacle detection and avoidance during the delivery process, ensuring safe and efficient operations.