Thanks to legendary yelpers @Boon and @Grace, I tagged along on a comprehensive guided tour of this immense and intense facility. I didn't know what to expect and I got exactly that x 1000.
Sign up was easy peasy, on the amazon fulfillment center web site. Just agree to not take photos, walk miles and climb many flights of stairs and you are IN! I was glad my health has improved a bit and I've been exercising daily. This tour involves 1.5+ hours of walking and climbing. Bring comfy closed shoes and wear safe/protective clothing.
I found what I saw and experienced very hard to describe. The facility is five very tall stories high, contains 23 miles of conveyor belts, is loud like a factory, and straight out of a science fiction movie that hasn't yet been made! To say the place was clean and well-organized would be the understatement of the year!
We wore ear protection, as did all the staff! But we could also ask questions and engage with the enthusiastic and friendly and knowledge Amazon tour staff. The only thing we couldn't do was find the package addressed to us!
Safety was key and employees were focused on their jobs. Robots abounded and wandered and danced an incredible choreographed dance that has to be witnessed to be believed! It was unimaginable until I saw it. I understand and respect what something like this takes to create because I worked in computer science and technology innovation for 37 years! The number of inventions and associated patents has to be huge!
Life is good with a US company that has truly transformed how products are sold and delivered. Strong kudos to the workers who make it happen so they can support their families and themselves. read more