Amazon celebrates 15 years in Peterborough

The Peterborough fulfilment centre has grown substantially over the years, expanding its operations to better serve customers across the region and the rest of the UK.

To celebrate the 15th birthday of the building, employees at the Peterborough Amazon fulfilment centre enjoyed a week-long series of activities including music events, fun giveaways and a birthday cake.

One employee who has witnessed the fulfilment centre’s growth firsthand is operations manager Dmitrijs Bartos. Dmitrijs joined Amazon in Peterborough on a seasonal contract in 2010, just months after the centre opened. After returning to Latvia briefly for his studies, Dmitrijs rejoined Amazon the following year and has remained with the company ever since.

Over the past 15 years, Dmitrijs has used Amazon’s training and development programmes to progress through a range of roles including team lead, HR hiring assistant, area manager and now operations manager. He shared:

“I started as a seasonal associate back in 2010, when the site had only just opened. It felt like a huge opportunity for the city and I knew there would be room to grow. I've had the chance to try so many roles during my time with Amazon. I started as a seasonal associate and today I'm an operations manager – anything can happen.”

When asked how it feels to be a part of Peterborough's 15-year milestone, Dmitrijs said:

“It's incredible to look back and realise I've grown with the site. When I started, it was still being built and now we have multiple pick towers and a whole new infrastructure. What's really special is that many people who joined with me are still here and have progressed too. It's a real community.”

How has Amazon helped Dmitrijs grow?

“All the managers I’ve worked with during my time here have supported my development in different ways. Whether it was stepping into new roles or learning on the job, I've always felt encouraged to stretch myself. That support has helped shape my leadership skills and showed me how far you can go with the right mindset.”

15 years on from the site's launch, Dmitrijs is focused on continuing to develop his project management and leadership skills, with an eye on further career growth. He advises people to stay positive and embrace new opportunities:

“Don't limit yourself. You might start in one role, but with the right attitude, you can go far. Amazon is always changing, and if you embrace that, the opportunities are endless.”

Charities supported by the team at Amazon in Peterborough include Paston Riding School, St Mary Child Community Hub and Coates Primary School. In addition, 300 employees from Amazon in Peterborough have contributed over 700 volunteer hours to support charities and schools in the area.

Tomislav Batinic, General Manager at Amazon in Peterborough, added: “Reaching this 15-year milestone is a testament to our amazing team and the strong relationship we've built with the Peterborough community. Since 2010, we've grown from a brand new site to becoming a key part of Amazon's UK and European network, creating jobs and supporting charities and schools. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together and I am excited about the future as we continue to support our community.”

Amazon employees receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. The minimum starting pay for frontline operations employees is between £13.50 and £14.50 p/h, depending on location. This increase equates to annual starting salary of between £28,000 and £30,160 depending on location.

Since 2010, Amazon has invested over £2.4 billion in East Anglia and more than £7.8 billion across the East of England. This investment led to the production of goods and services that contributed more than an estimated £6.8 billion to the region's GDP.

Alongside this investment, Amazon has created around 9,000 full and part-time jobs in the East of England and more than 740 people have completed Amazon’s employability skills training programme in the region.