ECR Visit to Amazon Fulfilment Centre

On June 12th, ECR Ireland members had the opportunity to visit the 630,000 sq. ft. Amazon Fulfilment Centre (FC) in Baldonnell and gain a unique, behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s largest and most influential companies runs its daily operations.

Amazon in Ireland

Amazon opened the FC in 2022 and has experienced rapid growth since then. Today, the company operates six facilities across the country, and the Baldonnell FC has a total of 11 kilometres of aisles filled with inventory. The centre we visited, known as SNN5, is one of the newest sites in the network. Currently, much of the work at SNN5 is carried out manually, but as the Irish market matures, Amazon plans to introduce more automation, leveraging its advanced Amazon Robotics technology. The entire facility is meticulously organised to process a high volume of orders with remarkable speed and efficiency.

Customer at the Heart

Throughout our visit, Amazon emphasised that the customer is at the core of everything they do. Their mission is to deliver the best possible customer experience, driven by their ambition to be “the Earth’s most customer-centric company.” This customer focus is supported by four core leadership principles that guide every decision and operation:

  • Customer Obsession
  • Passion for Invention
  • Operational Excellence
  • Long-Term Thinking

These principles form the foundation of Amazon’s continuous growth and constant improvement.

How the FC Operates

During the tour, we observed how orders are picked, packed and prepared for delivery. As SNN5 is still in its early stages of operation, most tasks are currently performed by employees. However, every process is carefully designed for speed, scalability and accuracy. To support these goals, Amazon applies well-known operational methodologies such as 5S (a system for workplace organisation) and Kaizen (continuous improvement), ensuring that every step in the process remains highly efficient and adaptable.

Technology in Action: S.C.O.T and AWS

We also learned how Amazon leverages cutting-edge technology to manage its extensive global supply chain. One system is S.C.O.T. (Supply Chain Optimisation Technology), which helps coordinate the movement and availability of over 200 million products now listed on Amazon.ie. For those interested, further insights into S.C.O.T can be found at amazon.science.

Another major component of Amazon’s technology ecosystem is AWS (Amazon Web Services), which powers not only Amazon itself but also many global companies like Netflix, Uber and more since 2011. AWS provides the cloud infrastructure behind many services people rely on every day.

A particularly innovative example of AWS and AI in action is Amazon Go, the checkout-free store. Shoppers can simply walk in, take the items they want and walk out, while a combination of sensors, cameras and AI automatically detects which items were taken and charges their accounts. This technology, originally designed to save time for busy customers, has since expanded into venues like stadiums and concert halls including SSE Arena in Belfast, where it helps reduce queues and improve the visitor experience during events.

Employee Retention and Sustainability

Amazon also shared its approach to employee wellbeing and retention, offering a range of benefits designed to support work-life balance and personal development. These include:

  • A four-day work week
  • Pension scheme
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Comprehensive health insurance
  • Various additional support programs

In terms of sustainability, Amazon has committed to ambitious environmental goals, including making 50% of its shipments carbon zero by 2030.

Data and AI

Data plays an important role in Amazon’s operations and decision-making processes. As they describe it: “Data is your ship.”

The company collects vast amounts of information, from customer surveys and satisfaction scores to purchasing patterns and operational metrics. This wealth of data allows Amazon to better understand customer needs, proactively identify issues and develop targeted solutions. Their use of Artificial Intelligence extends well beyond Alexa. AI is used extensively to optimise the supply chain, analyse consumer behaviour, improve customer service, address operational challenges and innovate new technologies, including developments in Generative AI.