With more than 750,000 robots deployed across our network, Amazon has built and scaled the world's largest fleet of industrial robotics. We currently have advanced technologies supporting employees as they stow, pick, and pack your orders at our fulfillment centers, and we just unveiled a new concept that will transform how we sort and load packages at our delivery stations—which are the final stop on a package’s journey.
Our new Last Mile Innovation Center in Dortmund, Germany demonstrates what we anticipate future delivery stations will look like: cutting-edge facilities featuring new robotics systems that will help take on heavy lifting and repetitive tasks.
We got a first look inside our Dortmund facility to see how it works. Check out this exclusive tour:
Tipper
Our first stop is Tipper, an automated solution that eliminates the need for manual package unloading. Instead of physically removing packages from carts, employees simply bring carts to this innovative system, which automatically transfers packages onto the conveyor belt. This technology significantly reduces physical strain while maintaining efficient package flow.
Echelon and six-sided scanner
As we follow the packages along their journey, we encounter two complementary technologies working in perfect harmony. The Echelon system manages package flow on conveyor belts, while the six-sided scanner automatically captures package information from every angle. Together, these innovations eliminate the need for manual scanning and handling, creating a more streamlined process.
Agility and Matrix
Moving deeper into the facility, we find the Agility and Matrix systems—sophisticated technologies that determine optimal paths for package sorting. These systems minimize the need for employees to push, reach for, or manually handle packages, creating a more efficient and ergonomic work environment.
ZancaSort
Perhaps the most impressive stop on our tour is ZancaSort, a transformative technology that brings packages and their designated bags directly to employees at an ergonomic height. With this tech in place, employees no longer need to walk through numerous aisles or reach to stack parcels. They simply place packages into their designated bags, making the process more efficient and significantly more comfortable.
VASS
Our final stop showcases the Vision Assisted Sort Station (VASS), which uses computer vision and projection technology to help employees sort packages more efficiently. The technology visually highlights packages and their correct sorting locations, making it much easier for employees to quickly match thousands of packages to the right delivery route totes.
While all the new tech inside will help make sure packages are delivered on time and in great condition, it’s also making work safer and easier for the people who sort and load Amazon orders at these sites. And, it’s an opportunity to create new opportunities for employees to grow. Technology-related courses have become the most popular pathway for employees looking to advance their careers through Amazon's Career Choice program, and the development of our new technologies has created thousands of engineering roles around the world.
“We want to create more high-skilled work that is ergonomically sound for everyone at our facilities,” said Nicola Fyfe, vice president of Amazon Logistics in Europe. “Technology is helping us achieve this vision by creating better, safer work environments inside our delivery stations.”
Amazon is now ready to implement these innovations at scale, starting in Europe and eventually rolling out globally.
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