Amazon has launched a major expansion in the UK logistics sector, opening a new fulfilment centre in Northampton while confirming plans for a second large-scale facility in nearby Kettering. Together, the developments take the company’s investment in Northamptonshire to more than £1 billion and are expected to generate over 4,000 jobs in the region.
The announcements come a year after Amazon pledged to invest £40 billion in the UK between 2025 and 2027, its largest commitment outside the United States. The company says more than £15 billion of that investment has already been deployed across infrastructure, technology and logistics operations.
Customer orders are already being processed at the £500 million Northampton fulfilment centre, which Amazon describes as one of its most advanced facilities in the country. The site spans three floors and houses tens of millions of products, supported by thousands of Hercules robots that retrieve items and deliver them to employees on the warehouse floor. Around 2,000 staff are expected to work at the centre once it reaches full capacity.
A second £500 million site in Kettering is scheduled to open later this year. The 900,000 sq ft cross-dock facility will sort and distribute roughly 20 million items each week, making it the largest of its kind in the UK. It is set to create more than 2,000 permanent roles as well as seasonal positions, with recruitment already underway for engineering, IT, HR, finance and operations staff.
Starting salaries for frontline positions begin at nearly £30,000 a year, alongside benefits including private medical insurance, subsidised meals, employee discounts and funded training opportunities.
Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey said the Northamptonshire projects demonstrate the company’s commitment to delivering on its investment promises, pointing to wider expansion across the UK including new sites in Hull, Peterborough and Swansea, as well as drone delivery trials in Darlington.
Regional director Gareth Davies highlighted the significance of the developments for the local workforce, describing Northamptonshire as an increasingly important hub within Amazon’s national network.
Alongside its logistics expansion, Amazon has also grown its London corporate presence with a new Shoreditch campus building, bringing around 6,000 employees together at its UK headquarters. The site incorporates design elements inspired by archaeological discoveries linked to Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre, uncovered during construction.
The company said its wider UK operations now include more than 75,000 permanent employees across over 100 sites. It has also expanded its electric delivery fleet, launched ultra-fast grocery services in London, and invested heavily in cloud and AI infrastructure.
Amazon continues to promote training and employment initiatives, including tuition support through its Career Choice programme and internship schemes aimed at supporting young people and individuals with learning disabilities into long-term work.
