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Monday, February 16, 2026

Amazon to Close Fulfilment Center, Transfer 590 Jobs

Amazon is set to shut down a fulfilment center in Milton Keynes, affecting 590 jobs. The closure of the site, opened in 1998, has prompted a consultation process. Impacted employees will have the option to transfer to the new Amazon facility in Northampton or to other locations.

The new £500 million Northampton building is expected to begin operations in May, initially hiring 1,400 workers with plans to increase to 2,000 staff members. The Amazon sortation center, a separate division of the logistics business also located in Milton Keynes, remains unaffected by the closure proposal.

An Amazon spokesperson stated that the company continuously evaluates its network to align with business requirements and enhance the overall experience for employees and customers. The priority during this transition is to provide support to affected personnel.

In other news, Amazon has initiated test drone flights in preparation for the launch of its airborne delivery service in the UK by 2026. The company has started limited flights from its Darlington base, although the drone delivery service for customers has not yet commenced. Once operational, eligible customers in Darlington will receive packages weighing less than five pounds within two hours.

Amazon confirmed the commencement of Prime Air drone flights from its Darlington fulfillment center, with deliveries expected to officially start in 2026. The company is collaborating closely with Darlington Council and the Civil Aviation Authority as it progresses towards introducing drone delivery services in the UK.

The drones have been designed for minimal noise levels, comparable to traditional van deliveries. Advanced onboard systems enable the drones to detect and avoid obstacles during descent for delivery. The technology includes sophisticated machine learning models to recognize objects and ensure safe flight paths.

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