Amazon Australia has unveiled a purpose-built fulfilment centre in Horsley Park in Western Sydney, with the company citing a $400 million investment in the site. Fairfield City Council Mayor Frank Carbone, Councillor Kevin Lam and Amazon Australia director of operations Wayne Angus took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility.
The centre spans approximately 80,000 square metres, which the company says is around four and a half times the size of the Sydney Opera House. It will have capacity to hold more than 10 million items sold on Amazon.com.au, covering categories such as everyday essentials, electronics, beauty products, books, toys and homeware.
Jobs and workplace benefits
Once fully operational, the Horsley Park site will offer more than 1,000 local jobs. Roles will range from entry-level positions with on-the-job training and certification programs to skilled positions in operations, human resources, engineering and workplace health and safety.
Amazon says permanent employees will receive benefits including subsidised health insurance for the entire family, free life insurance, up to 20 weeks of parental leave pay and free Amazon Prime membership. The company framed the investment as part of a long-term commitment to the region and to improving selection and delivery speed for Australian customers.
Local business and fulfilment capacity
"We are proud to continue investing in our Western Sydney operations with the unveiling of this new purpose-built fulfilment centre," Angus said. He added that the $400 million investment demonstrates a long-term commitment to the region and to delivering a world-class experience for Australian customers, while demand continues to grow.
Carbone said the investment would create new opportunities for businesses to distribute products and reach customers across Australia and internationally. He also highlighted the people behind the operation, from engineers to transport workers, and described the facility as a boost for the local economy, residents and small businesses.
The site is also intended to support New South Wales small and medium businesses that use Fulfilment by Amazon. Amazon says the expanded capacity will allow Australian sellers with smaller items to serve customers around the country more seamlessly.
Technology and sustainable design
The fulfilment centre will be equipped with advanced technology to help Amazon teams pick and pack items for shoppers on Amazon.com.au. Amazon says this contributes to efforts to deliver a smarter, faster and more consistent experience for customers in Sydney and around Australia. The facility includes state-of-the-art inbound and outbound sortation systems.
Sustainable design elements include a solar array installed on the roof, rapid rollers at all dock doors, insulation intended to maintain internal temperatures and reduce energy consumption, and motion-sensor lighting. Amazon says these features contribute to its energy-efficiency efforts.
Amazon Australia now has four operating fulfilment centres in New South Wales and five delivery stations. The Horsley Park site is the latest addition to that network and is purpose-built for the company's e-commerce operations.