Amazon increase free tours of distribution centre

Amazon's site in Dartford has more than two million sq ft of warehouse space

Amazon has increased the number of tours at its two million sq ft depot in Kent.

The multi-national technology firms LCY3 centre in Dartford has been open to the public once a week since 2021. But it will now offer tours multiple times a day.

Tours are led by Angie White, who said: "You can see exactly what happens here from an item coming in, storing it, to being delivered to your doorstep."

Visitors can see how robots guided by QR codes work alongside human associates to store, select and dispatch goods.

Tour leader Angie White shows guests how robots are guided by QR codes

Ms White said: "We have lots of people celebrating birthdays. They bring their partners and children.

"It's a free tour so it's a very cheap surprise gift."

Aaron Bourne keeps thousands of Hercules Drive robots running at Amazon's Dartford site

Aaron Bourne is part of the engineering team and helps keep thousands of Hercules Drive robots running.

"They carry thousands of tonnes of product thousands of kilometres each year," he said.

"They're forever moving as they don't sleep, and each robot can carry about 575kg. They even take themselves to a charging point when their batteries are low."

Education institutions are also welcome on the tours of one of Europe's busiest distribution centres.

General manager John McEwen said there were jobs for everyone at the site

General Manager John McEwen said: "We want to show people all the cool stuff that we do from our technology, to our people, to involvement in the community and our sustainability.

"In particular, we love having schools and universities to see all different types of jobs we have – with people from MBAs to people who have no formal qualifications, as there is a job for everybody."

Walking tours of the depot last about an hour and a half, with new date availability released mid-month.