Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | | MAY 15, 2023 25 Officials: Army of robots makes e-commerce giant's newest Windsor warehouse safer, more efficient By Michael Puffer mpuffer@hartfordbusiness.com A mazon management cut a ceremonial ribbon at a new 3.8-million-square-foot fulfillment center in Windsor on May 2, about six months after begin- ning operations in the massive, five-story building. Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and other political leaders were on hand to praise the more than 3,500 full- and part-time jobs the facility will create when fully staffed. They also lauded benefits being offered by Amazon, including higher-education subsidies. "I tell anybody who's thinking about a job right here, you wouldn't believe it in there," Lamont said. "Get rid of your old stereotype of what a warehouse is. It's robotics and it's IT. And it's incredible, the opportunities you heard described, in how you can keep learning while you are earning. That means Amazon is a partner." State Sen. Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) also spoke highly of Amazon's response to nooses that repeatedly appeared on the construc- tion site in 2021. The company reached out to minority leaders and businesses, he noted. He expressed confidence Amazon would connect with local high schools and commu- nity colleges to provide opportunities for local residents. McCrory said he was able to speak directly with top Amazon leaders to develop a response to the crisis. "One of the best things Amazon did was they listened," McCrory said. "They listened to me. They listened to people from my community, and we worked things out." The distribution facility is where orders are assembled for shipment to smaller "last mile" facilities, which serve as the final destination for goods before they are delivered to customers' doorsteps. Windsor also hosts a last mile warehouse at 200 Old Iron Ore Road. The Kennedy Road facility offers the most modern version of Amazon's distribution process, where an army of 5,465 "Hercules" robots move around roughly 10-foot-tall stacks of goods called "pods." The robots look like oversized, low-slung bathroom scales on wheels. They zip along to the right pod, tuck underneath it, and then lift and move it over to a nearby human worker. The employee then picks up the order and puts it into a bucket to trundle along 17 miles of conveyors and down shoots, for packaging and shipping to last mile delivery centers. Robotic arms help lift, sort and stack heavier items. The robots are designed and built at Amazon Robotics locations in North Reading and Westborough, Massachusetts. "The robots make the shelves come to the people so they can pick it up right there," said Gurol Botun, general manager of the facility. "There are not a lot of steps (human workers) are putting in. So, it's a safer operation, but it's also a more efficient operation." Boutun said the new Windsor facility is an 11th-generation building, with each version getting "bigger, safer, faster and more efficient." Amazon leaders insist humans remain an essential part of the process. "It's for sure making it safer," Botun said of the use of robots. "It's for sure making it more efficient. But this building can be a prime example (of being a job creator). We launched six months ago and we have hired over 2,000 people, and we are looking to hire another 1,500." At NBT Bank, our goal is to help you reach yours. Our relationship managers provide the expert guidance and custom solutions it takes to help grow your business. Our local commitment builds strong, long-lasting partnerships that maximize your potential for success. Capital and Treasury Management Solutions Fraud Protection & Secure Banking Solutions Local Perspective & Decision Making Let our experienced Connecticut commercial banking team create real opportunity for your business. Santo Pirrotta, Deb Oakliff, Maureen Kennedy, Steven Angeletti, Andreas Kapetanopoulos, Kate VanValkenburg, Heather Piteo, Dale Stewart Member FDIC nbtbank.com/ct FAST50 The Commercial Record's HBJ PHOTO | MICHAEL PUFFER A conveyor belt in Amazon's new 3.8-million-square-foot distribution center in Windsor on Kennedy Road.

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