Amazon has announced plans to close its historic fulfilment centre in Milton Keynes, a move that will directly affect 590 employees. The site, which first opened in 1998, was the online retail giant's inaugural warehouse in the United Kingdom.
Consultation Launched for Landmark Closure
The company has entered a formal consultation period regarding the proposal to shut down the Milton Keynes operation. All 590 workers at the site will be offered the opportunity to transfer to other Amazon facilities. The primary destination is the brand-new, state-of-the-art fulfilment centre in Northampton, which is scheduled to open in May.
A spokesperson for Amazon stated the company is continually evaluating its operational network. "We’re always evaluating our network to make sure it fits our business needs and to improve the experience for our employees and customers," they said. They confirmed that supporting their staff through the transition remains their top priority.
New Northampton Hub to Become Major Employer
The new Northampton site represents a significant £500 million investment by Amazon. It is described as a larger, more modern building designed to employ up to 2,000 people. Initially, it will launch with a workforce of approximately 1,400.
"Employees will have the chance to work at a larger, state-of-the-art building," the spokesperson added, referring to the Northampton facility. Workers who do not wish to transfer to Northampton will have the option to move to other Amazon centres within the UK.
Milton Keynes Sortation Centre Unaffected
It is important to note that this closure only pertains to the specific fulfilment centre. A separate Amazon sortation centre, which handles a different stage of the logistics process, is also located in Milton Keynes and will continue to operate as normal, unaffected by the current proposal.
The closure of the Milton Keynes centre marks the end of an era for Amazon's UK operations, closing the door on the warehouse that started it all over two decades ago while simultaneously opening a new chapter with its advanced Northampton counterpart.
