17 Members and Partners visited Amazon’s enormous distribution centre in Swindon. It is a mind-boggling building of over ½ million square feet. It is split into inward and outbound. Lorries arriving to keep the centre stocked with many of the 30 million items that are sold by Amazon. Handling over ½ million parcels a day it is bewildering to watch. Conveyor belts on multiple levels having incoming boxes opened put into crates and labelled. Artificial intelligence is used to control the processes which are permanently being improved. When an order comes in robots carry items to a packing area the product selected is labelled and put on a conveyor belt moving at high speed to be shipped out. Watching robots insert packages into gaps on the conveyor was mesmerising. It was not possible to take pictures in the building because of the advanced equipment being used.

The hosts showing us round were well motivated and Amazon takes great care to make sure their staff are happy. They work 4 day weeks10hour days with 2 breaks of ½ an hour. It was a united nations of staff from many different countries all working harmoniously. Thanks to Bruce for organising the visit and the follow up pub lunch where the food was excellent. A good day out and an appreciation what happens when you place the order and it is there next day. In fact their New Amazon Now delivery service has delivered a parcel 11mins after it was ordered.