• After the success of Amazon Robotics in many Amazon fulfilment centres, the time has come for further modern technologies designed to make it easier for employees to carry out their daily duties while ensuring greater comfort and safety at work
  • Amazon's innovative technologies include automated sorting stations, robots that lift containers with products, and other remotely controlled robotic solutions
  • Some of the solutions developed by the new lab are already being used in selected Amazon e-commerce logistics centres in Europe. The others are currently being tested and will only be introduced after testing is completed.

Amazon announced the opening of the European Innovation Lab. Thanks to advanced technological solutions, Amazon actively supports employees and provides them with greater safety in the workplace. Learn more about the European Innovation Lab by watching the video.

The innovative technologies developed and refined in the newly established lab are the result of the successful deployment of more than 350,000 transport robots operating in Amazon e-commerce logistics centres around the world. Amazon Robotics and four-sided yellow high-density storage shelving – introduced by Amazon for the first time in 2012, and in Europe in 2014 – are now widely used in the company's centres. They help employees in their daily duties by bringing them goods and reducing the distances they have to cover during the day. To take care of employees' health and well-being, Amazon has also introduced automated palletising systems. This has made it possible to eliminate the need to lift heavy objects and to reduce the performance of repetitive tasks by employees. Amazon is currently working on creating further solutions of this type.

Technologies of the future in Vercelli

In Vercelli, located in northern Italy, a team of Amazon experts at the Innovation Lab is working on a range of advanced, innovative technologies for Amazon's operations division – responsible for the supply chain and logistics. Since the company introduced its first robotics-based solutions 10 years ago, more than one million new jobs have been created at Amazon. In Poland alone, the company has created more than 18,000 permanent jobs. Many of these are operations roles, where employees help pick, pack and ship orders placed by customers.

Five new solutions in practice

Amazon Announces Opening of European Innovation Lab

The lab is primarily focused on testing and developing new technologies that increase work safety in Amazon e-commerce logistics centres in Europe, as well as supporting the company's employees. The newly introduced technologies include:

  • GOODS SORTERS: a fully automated sorting system – employees do not have to search for products in containers, which helps reduce muscle strain.
  • PALLETISING ROBOTS: thanks to large robotic arms, there is no need to use forklifts to transport pallets. Palletisers automatically move containers from place to place.
  • CONTAINER LIFTERS: they automatically lift containers and place them on conveyor belts.
  • SELF-DRIVING VEHICLES: assistive robots – similar to transport robots – move smoothly around the warehouse, delivering goods to employees, so they cover shorter distances and do not have to pull or push carts or containers with goods. These devices are equipped with special sensors and move along programmed routes, preventing collisions with another machine or employee.
  • SORTING ROBOTS: smaller robotic arms that replace employees in performing repetitive tasks such as lifting, stacking and turning. As a result, employees can focus on tasks that machines cannot perform.

Deployments in Europe

Automated Guided Vehicles are already in use in Italy and are being introduced in Poland and the United Kingdom. Container lifters are being deployed in Poland and the United Kingdom. Goods sorters and palletisers operate in Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom. Sorting robots are used in Italy, Spain and Germany. Later this year, they will be introduced in Poland, France and the United Kingdom.

Safety after deployment

The next step after implementing new technologies is supervising the solutions by the RME – Reliability Maintenance Engineering team to ensure continuous safety. After new innovations are introduced, comprehensive training is also carried out for all employees at a given location.

Summary

Amazon has opened the European Innovation Lab in Vercelli, Italy, where it tests technologies supporting employees at logistics centres. This is the result of deploying more than 350,000 transport robots worldwide. The new solutions include goods sorters, palletising robots, container lifters, self-driving vehicles and sorting robots. Some of them are already operating in Poland, including container lifters and sorters. The company has hired more than 18,000 people in Poland, and after each deployment it conducts training for employees and engages RME engineers to supervise safety.