Amazon is set to shut down one of its fulfilment centers, impacting 590 jobs. The closure of the Milton Keynes site, the company’s first center established in 1998, is part of a strategic move. Affected employees are being offered the option to transfer to the new Amazon facility in Northampton or to other locations.
The upcoming £500 million Northampton site, scheduled to open in May, will initially hire 1,400 workers, with plans to increase to 2,000. While the fulfilment center in Milton Keynes is facing closure, Amazon’s sortation center in the same area remains unaffected by these changes.
An Amazon spokesperson stated, “We continuously assess our network to align with our operational requirements and enhance the experience for our staff and customers. Today, we have initiated consultations on the potential closure of our Milton Keynes fulfilment center, providing affected employees the opportunity to move to our new Northampton site, a larger, cutting-edge facility set to employ up to 2,000 individuals, or to other Amazon sites. Our primary focus is to assist our employees throughout this transition.”
In other news, Amazon has begun testing drone flights in preparation for launching its airborne delivery service in the UK by 2026. The company has started limited drone flights from its Darlington base, although the official drone delivery service is yet to be launched for customers. Eligible Amazon customers in Darlington will eventually be able to receive packages weighing under five pounds within a two-hour timeframe.
Amazon mentioned, “We have initiated a limited number of Prime Air drone flights from our Darlington fulfilment center at Symmetry Park. While deliveries are not operational at present, the service is anticipated to commence in 2026. This marks a significant advancement in introducing drone delivery services to the UK, and we are closely collaborating with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority during this phase.”
The drones have been engineered to operate quietly, with noise levels comparable to traditional van deliveries, ensuring minimal disruption. Amazon further explained, “As the MK30 descends for delivery, its onboard systems detect and avoid obstacles such as clotheslines or trampolines that may not be visible on satellite maps. The onboard cameras continuously monitor the surrounding airspace during flight, making real-time decisions to steer clear of other airborne vehicles.”
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