Amazon has unveiled a new £107 million distribution center in Peterborough, marking a significant expansion of its logistics network in the UK. The 690,000 square foot facility, located on Flaxley Road, is adjacent to an existing Amazon site that opened in 2010 and employs over 1,000 staff. The new center is expected to create 1,400 jobs and is part of Amazon's broader £40 billion investment plan for the UK spanning 2025-27.
The distribution center is designed to streamline Amazon's operations by holding frequently purchased items like household essentials, such as pet food and toilet paper. These products will be distributed to about 20 fulfillment centers across the country, where they will be combined with the rest of a customer's order for delivery. This approach aims to reduce processing steps and accelerate deliveries.
Tomislav Batinic, Amazon's site leader, described the new center as a 'complete reinvention' of part of their logistics operation and the largest of its kind in Europe. The facility has the capacity to store 16 million items at peak, roughly twice that of other sites. Previously used for additional capacity during peak seasons, the site has now been converted into a permanent facility.