Amazon to Roll Out New Machines That Replace Employees For Boxing Orders

For the past 4 years, Amazon has more than double the number of warehouses across the United States and has grown to be one of the largest jobs provides in America. Much of their job involves packing and boxing up orders after scanning each according to where they are to be shipped.

Amazon’s new boxing machine, CartonWrap, replaces 24 positions in the warehouses and with the two additional machines in their fulfillment centers, 1,300 are expected to lose their job to the new automation process. The cost of each machine is $1 million and Amazon’s ROI is expected to take less than two years. The new machine is made by an Italian firm, CMC Srl.

Moving towards full automation soon?

Unfortunately, it is still impossible to fully automate all the process. For example, having a long conveyor belt to carry items cannot be compared to having a pair of human hands and one brain to handle it. This is a simple example of a simple process difficult to be replaced with full automation. Even the machines still require manpower to operate and oversee.

While the company has long been known to be one that prioritizes efficiency in delivery, they are also the ones that provide the most jobs to Americans. This news is expected to raise worries among workers who fear for losing their job.

Amazon spokeswoman assures, “We expect the efficiency savings will be re-invested in new services for customers, where new jobs will continue to be created.”

Dave Clark, Amazon’s Vice President of Worldwide Operations also tweeted regarding the concerns people have with the threat of fully-automated processes. He insists that there will be new positions opening up with the arrival of the big machines. During their press visit to Baltimore fulfillment center, Amazon also insisted that fully robotic future is still far ahead.

Last November, the company has also raised the wage to a minimum of $15/hour, which is double the minimum amount of several states. Amazon is possibly minimizing their turnover rate, especially around the order boxing roles since nobody like to stand for hours boxing items.

The machines are able to work 4 to 5 times faster than humans and require only three people to operate it. One person is responsible for loading the orders in the box, another is to stock the cardboard and one technician to keep the machine working in order.

Amazon has been a leading company in automating as many parts of its company as possible to ‘increase safety, speed up delivery time, and increase efficiency.’ However, the changes are not yet, finalized due to the long time it takes to vet the new technology.