Amazon shows off Kołbaskowo logistic centre [LOTS OF PHOTOS]

On 29 August 2017, Amazon showed off its new e-commerce centre to journalists. 

 

The construction works took 10 months and cost approx.  PLN 400 million. 

 

Finally, a three-storey structure covering the area of 156 thousand sq. m is now ready. Two higher storeys are fitted with windows on all sides of the building and the ground floor is additionally lit with 100-meter long ‘lighting tunnels’ (chimney-like openings in the ceiling topped with light transmitting panels). The building is fully air-conditioned.

 

“It is the largest structure of the kind in Poland and the only structure in Europe with windows on all sides and lighting tunnels,” stresses Ashraf Abu El Riesh, Amazon centre project manager.   

 

The Amazon Robotics Centre in Kołbaskowo is equipped with the latest technologies (375 thousand meters of cable were used in the building construction process). Human workers will be assisted here by 3 thousand robots.  

 

The robots (small orange self-driving lifts) are already ready for work on two higher floors. Their task will be to deliver shelves with goods to order pickers. 

 

The robotic system relies on bar-code marked tracks - robots scan the codes to follow the appropriate track and deliver the goods to the picker. They can control their battery status and, if necessary, go to charging stations by themselves. They are also able to keep track of which goods sell best and which are out of season - this allows them to move the shelves containing unseasonal goods further into the storage space.     

 

The Centre is equipped with separate packing stations for multiple orders, one-item orders and a gift wrapping facility.  Goods are transported to these stations in special bar-coded containers. 

 

The ready parcels are weighed - if the weight is inconsistent with the weight of the goods ordered, the parcel is withheld.  If all is fine, the package is labelled (with the data of the recipient) and transported further to the sorting centre located nearest the customer’s address. 

 

Oliver Kraftsik from Koblencja in Germany has been appointed the managing director of Amazon Robotics in Kołbaskowo. He joined Amazon five years ago, and has been involved with Amazon Polska for the past three years. Previously, he worked in Amazon centres in Wrocław and Poznań, but now, he has moved to Szczecin. 

 

“It is one of the most modern Amazon logistics centre in the world,” says Oliver Kraftsik. As he explains, each Amazon centre has its own specialization - Kołbaskowo will be mainly focused on smaller goods, such as books, electronics, watches, and foodstuffs.

 

Goods will be brought here from all over Europe and then transported to buyers from many different countries. Amazon Robotics in Kołbaskowo has 50 parking spaces for heavy goods vehicles and it is equipped with special docks. 

 

The majority of managers have already been hired and they are currently undergoing intensive training in other centres in Poland and abroad.

 

The recruitment of the base-level staff is still in progress and Amazon is sure to continue it until November, if not longer. 

 

Ultimately, the Kołbaskowo centre is expected to give jobs to more than 1000 people, but the initial headcount will be around 500.

 

Will the centre utilize local companies and buy services locally?

 

Marzena Więckowska, the spokesperson for Amazon Polska says that transportation services, travels to and from work (provided gratuitously to employees) as well as the food in the cafeteria will be supplied by local partners. 

 

“We are planning to offer many benefits to our employees.  We will also organize various cultural events. Each employee will be able to obtain a grant to help finance their training courses as part of our internal programme - ‘Focus on Your Development’. All additional services will be supplied locally,” says Marzena Więckowska.   

 

Amazon has 12 hectares of land in Kołbaskowo, If need be, the centre can be expanded further in the future.