European delivery stations are becoming increasingly automated
Delivery stations are an important part of Amazon’s operational network. They ensure fast order fulfillment and influence customer satisfaction. This is why the company prioritizes this area and improves it with innovative technologies.
Delivery stations prepare parcels for shipment. Around 40 operations are carried out here every day, including sorting and packaging. Amazon employees is doing almost all the work at this stage, which requires increased security measures. To improve these processes, Amazon has invested €700 million in innovative technology. The stations are being modernized across Amazon’s European network.
These investments are part of the company’s large-scale automation strategy. Several steps have already been implemented, including:
- Using industrial robots that perform operations alongside humans. Amazon’s facilities employ 750,000 robots, which is the largest fleet in the world.
- Repetitive task automation.
- Warehouse operation optimization and technological support for each stage of the process.
Initially, these approaches were applied to other areas of the retailer’s business. However, increased efficiency in a number of divisions stimulated digitization at the stations.
Amazon innovation center
Increasing business productivity is important for Amazon. Cutting-edge solutions are the best tools for achieving this goal. The company has established an Innovation Center in Dortmund, Germany. There, specialists develop and test new approaches aimed at improving delivery processes.
One of the center’s key projects is implementing the “delivery station of the future” concept. The first station will launch in Europe in 2026. As part of this project, specialists are working to organize processes using intelligent technologies. At the modernized stations, machines perform some of the tasks, such as:
- An automated tipper eliminates the need for manually unloading parcels.
- Echelon and a six-sided scanner. The Echelon system controls the movement of parcels on the conveyor belt. The six-sided scanner automatically records data about the goods. Thanks to these systems, employees do not need to scan each parcel manually.
- Agility and Matrix. These solutions optimize sorting and eliminate the need to process each parcel individually.
- ZancaSort. This system independently places orders in designated locations. It eliminates the need for employees to use ladders to place packages on the correct shelves.
Despite actively implementing innovations, Amazon emphasizes the importance of human resources for the company’s prosperity. Automated systems cannot completely replace humans. However, they can simplify activities and free up resources, allowing employees to reach their full potential. Proof of Amazon’s commitment to this principle is its increased investment in staff training programs and expansion of specialist recruitment. The company pays particular attention to improving technological skills. The goal is to teach staff how to leverage the capabilities of intelligent systems.
