Amazon is continuing to expand its logistics network in Europe with a €140 million investment in two new fulfilment centres in Italy this year.
The new fulfilment centres, giving Amazon six facilities across the country, will be located in Castelguglielmo/San Bellino, south of Padua in the Veneto region, and in Colleferro, south-east of Rome in the Lazio region. Both facilities will be operational in autumn 2020, creating 1,400 permanent jobs over three years.
Amazon explained that it is further expanding its Italian fulfilment centre network to meet increasing customer demand, expand its product selection and support a growing number of independent small businesses selling at Amazon and using Fulfillment by Amazon warehousing and delivery.
“We are proud and excited to expand our operation with two new fulfilment centres in Veneto and Lazio,” said Roy Perticucci, VP Amazon EU Operations. “2020 marks our tenth year in Italy, and in that time we’ve invested heavily in the country and its people, employing thousands of talented individuals who receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits from day one. This new investment is another sign of our commitment to the people and communities of Italy, creating 1,400 new permanent jobs and helping us deliver to even more customers across the country.”
The fulfilment centre located in the municipalities of Castelguglielmo and San Bellino, 25km away from Rovigo in the Veneto region, will create up to 900 jobs within three years of launch of the site. The site, whose construction works are carried out by P3 Logistic Parks, will be equipped with advanced Amazon Robotics technology, which reduces worker walking time by bringing shelves to them.
The Colleferro fulfilment centre will be the second opened by Amazon in the Lazio region after the Passo Corese facility, which started operations in 2017. Vailog srl (Gruppo Segro) is responsible for the construction of the warehouse that will provide over 500 new permanent jobs by 2023. This facility will be used by Amazon to stock larger products, working in partnership with a similar site opened in 2017 in Vercelli.
The two new facilities will be operational in autumn 2020 and will integrate energy savings and a low overall CO2 footprint. In particular solar panels will be installed on the roof, low energy consumption systems will be provided such as LED lighting, heat and energy recovery in the ventilation systems, while windows, roof and façade will be provided with high thermal efficiency in order to guarantee insulation. The building will be delivered with a BREEAM very good certification. Green areas and planting will also be carried out to maintain the balance of biodiversity of the area.
Amazon, which has invested €4 billion in Italy since launching in 2010, currently has four distribution hubs across the country, the latest opening at Torrazza Piemonte near Turin last year. In addition, the company has opened several sortation and delivery centers from north to south of Italy over the last two years, and two urban distribution hubs in Milan and Rome to serve Amazon Prime Now customers. It also launched Prime Now deliveries in Turin last September.
