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Amazon has announced a series of investments aimed at modernising its European fulfilment network, expanding rapid delivery services, and developing workforce skills, including a €10 billion commitment to robotics and fulfilment infrastructure.
Amazon has unveiled plans to invest more than €10 billion in its European fulfilment network, alongside new robotics deployments, expanded rapid delivery services and a $1 billion commitment to employee upskilling.
The announcements were made during the company’s Delivering the Future event in London and form part of a broader strategy to increase operational efficiency, support workforce development and accelerate delivery speeds across international markets.
Robotics Investment to Modernise European Operations
A key element of the investment programme is the expansion and modernisation of fulfilment centres across Europe through the deployment of next-generation robotics technologies.
Amazon revealed the latest version of its autonomous Proteus robot, which can now operate throughout fulfilment sites rather than being limited to dock areas. The robot uses AI-powered capabilities that allow employees to provide instructions using conversational text prompts, enabling Proteus to determine priorities, routes and timing independently.
Designed to handle physically demanding tasks such as moving heavy carts and travelling long distances across facilities, Proteus is intended to support employees by taking on repetitive operational work. The technology is currently being piloted in Amazon laboratories, with deployment across Europe planned for the first half of 2027.
Alongside its technology investments, Amazon plans to expand its European fulfilment workforce by 25,000 employees over the coming years.
The investment programme also includes the expansion of Vulcan, Amazon’s robot with a sense of touch, and STARK, a robotic tote-handling system designed to work alongside employees by moving full totes from conveyors onto carts. Following an initial pilot in Barcelona, STARK is expected to be deployed at 15 European sites by 2027.
Workforce Expansion and Skills Development
The company is also committing $1 billion to its Career Choice programme by 2030 as part of its broader Future Ready 2030 initiative.
More than 300,000 employees have participated in Career Choice globally, including 30,000 in the UK. The programme provides access to training and education in areas including cybersecurity, software development, logistics, renewable energy and mechatronics.
“We couldn’t find enough skilled people for the roles we need, so we made a decision: we’re going to develop them ourselves,” said John Boumphrey, Amazon UK Country Manager. “That’s what this $1 billion commitment to Career Choice is about, preparing hundreds of thousands of employees for the careers of the future.”
Faster Delivery Network Expands Internationally
Amazon is also extending its rapid delivery capabilities across Europe and other international markets.
Amazon Now, the company’s ultra-fast delivery service offering groceries and household essentials in 30 minutes or less, is expanding beyond its existing locations. The service is currently available in parts of London, with planned expansion into Manchester and Birmingham later this year.
The model relies on a network of micro-fulfilment centres located close to residential and urban areas to support rapid order processing and delivery.
It is also increasing the reach of its Sub Same-Day Delivery network. More than 25 European locations are expected to be operating the model this year, including Coventry in the UK and Nürnberg in Germany.
The facilities combine inventory storage, fulfilment operations and final-mile delivery within a single site, allowing customers to place orders later in the day while still receiving products the same evening.
New Convenience Features for European Customers
Amazon announced that its Add to Delivery feature will expand across Europe later this year.
The service enables Prime members to add products to an existing order without completing a separate checkout process, with all items delivered together at no additional cost. The feature will be introduced in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
Customers in parts of Central and East London can now combine fresh grocery purchases with other Amazon products in a single Same-Day Delivery order. The offering includes fresh produce, dairy, meat and frozen goods, with plans to expand availability across London and other parts of the UK.
Sustainability Progress in Delivery Operations
Amazon reported continued progress toward its sustainability goals through the expansion of low-emission delivery solutions.
It has now deployed more than 50,000 electric delivery vans globally, reaching the halfway point of its target to put 100,000 electric vans on the road by 2030. The fleet operates across the United States, Europe and India and includes vehicles developed in partnership with Rivian as well as models supplied by Mercedes-Benz.
The company also announced that it has surpassed 100 million deliveries across Europe using micromobility solutions, including electric cargo bikes, electric mopeds and on-foot delivery methods. According to Amazon, these operations have avoided more than 17,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
This article was produced by the editorial team at EME Outlook and published as part of the Outlook Publishing global network of B2B industry magazines.
Outlook Publishing delivers industry insights, company stories, and sector coverage across manufacturing, mining, construction, healthcare, supply chains, food production, and sustainability.
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