We have entered a world of robotic arms, moving shelves, automatic packaging machines: advanced robots, driven by artificial intelligence. No, we are not lost in a science fiction story, but rather in a manual on future of logistics. Amazon has opened the doors of its Amazon Operations Innovation Lab Of Vercelli, a unique center of excellence in Europe. And it is one of only three present worldwide, along with those in Seattle and Boston.
Amazon Operations Innovation Lab in Vercelli, between robots and AI
We arrived at the future by driving on a highway, rather than through some wormhole in the middle of the galaxy. In Vercelli, strategically positioned near airports, ports, railways and borders, Amazon has an operations center within which, seven years ago, Amazon's innovation laboratory began operating.
Stefano La Rovere, International Robotics Director, explains to us that the team he leads has an international footprint, but has one of the network's nerve centers in Vercelli. In which ideas are born, prototypes are developed and robots are tested. The primary objective of the Lab is to develop cutting-edge technological solutions to improve the experience of employees in the company's logistics centerssupporting them in daily activities.
During the inaugural event, in the presence of local and regional institutions and the United States Consul General in Milan, La Rovere explained that “the primary focus is to make workplaces safer and more efficient thanks to robots. To then use theAI to expand success worldwide“.
A hub for robotics, mechatronics and AI
This central hub, located inside the Amazon distribution center in Vercelli, is used for the testing and development of these innovative logistics technologies. Visiting the center with La Rovere, we were able to see robotic cells, mechatronic units with artificial intelligence and sustainable packaging solutions.
Not only that: the Lab acts as training center for engineers and maintenance teams, allowing them to expand their skills and work in contact with cutting-edge machinery. La Rovere reminds us that “in 1228 the seventh Italian university was founded in Vercelli, the twelfth in Europe”: for this reason the Amazon engineering team has found it natural to work with dozens of Italian and international universities in recent years. The official opening of the center will make this contamination of ideas even more alive.
An innovative center, which puts Italy at the center
Mariangela MarseilleAmazon Country Manager for Italy and Spain, underlined during the event pride in choosing Italy as the European headquarters of the Lab. According to the manager, this is a confirmation of the strategic role attributed to the country in the development of Amazon's activities. Since its arrival in Italy, the company has invested further 16.9 billion euroscreating more than 18,000 permanent jobs, of which 3,700 in Piedmont. Amazon's presence in the area translates into an active relationship with local institutions and communities.
The Country Manager also explained the positive impact of the Vercelli center. In the first three years of opening, businesses within a 20 minute drive saw a 6% increase in revenue it's a employment growth of 11%higher than more distant companies.
How the Amazon Operations Innovation Lab in Vercelli works
Amazon explains to us that the design of the Lab, curated by the RAA architecture firm, Ralph Appelbaum Associates, is based on the concept of “Warp & Weft / A Symphony of Collaboration“. It was therefore not created only to test new technologies, but also to share the information collected. The space is divided into four main areas: theAuditorium for presentations and workshops, The Big Picture to introduce visitors to the world of Amazon logistics, The Innovation Mindset to immerse them in the innovative mentality of the company, e The Shop floor to present the technologies developed in the Lab and installed in European logistics centers.
In the coming months, the Operations Innovation Lab will open its doors to acompanies, schools and universities for guided tours, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the robotic technologies of the future. The goal is to become a point of reference for technological innovation, in dialogue with the community.
The future of logistics will also pass through here. Not only for the technological innovations tested, but also for theinspiration that it will give to those who visit it.
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