Amazon invests over £600m in robotics and AI in Europe
By the end of 2024, the company’s European Operations Innovations Lab will have been responsible for the installation of over 1,000 pieces of new technology
Amazon has invested more than €700m (£600m) in robotics and AI-powered technologies across Europe over the last five years.By the end of 2024, the company’s European Operations Innovations Lab in Vercelli, Northern Italy, will have been responsible for the installation of over 1,000 pieces of new technology throughout Amazon’s European fulfilment centre network.
Established in 2017, the Operations Innovation Lab serves as the hub for the global Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging team, which was formed in 2019.
The “cutting-edge” technologies used encompass item sorters, pallet movers, and automated guide vehicles, actively supporting Amazon’s employees in fulfilment centres across Europe.
The company said that robotics and technology “play a crucial role” in enhancing Amazon’s operations network, while AI enables the company to scale these advancements for its global operation.
According to the group, robotics and AI-powered innovation have improved price, selection, and convenience for customers, and in 2023, Amazon delivered to Prime members at the fastest speeds ever globally, with more than seven billion units arriving the same or next day, including more than four billion in the US and more than two billion in Europe.
In 2024 alone, Amazon expects to introduce 120 new pieces of automation technologies across the European network.
Stefano La Rovere, director, Global Robotics – Mechatronics and Sustainable Packaging, said: “We are proud to open the doors of our lab, not only as a hub of innovation for Amazon, but to encourage customers, schools, and start-ups to be inspired and learn about the potential for technologies to create a better and safer future of work.
“At Amazon, our commitment to thinking big runs deep – over five years to the end of 2024, we will have invested over €700m (£600m) in the deployment of more than 1,000 robotics systems across our European fulfilment centre network. In addition, the introduction of new technologies over the last ten years has enhanced 50,000 new jobs within our operations in Europe.”
He added: “The lab is host to a diverse and international team of engineers and scientists dedicated to finding innovative ways to enhance everyday tasks for our employees, providing a safer workplace while consistently delivering for our customers.”
