With its announcement that it will invest 40 billion pounds ($54 billion) over the next three years, Amazon has strengthened its ties to Britain. The UK government has welcomed this announcement as a sign of trust in its economic strategies.
The Labour government, which was elected in 2024, has prioritized improving Britain’s weak growth and is hoping for a surge in international investment.
Amazon (AMZN.O) announced Tuesday that it would create thousands of jobs as part of its growth into Britain, which is its third-largest market after the US and Germany. With 75,000 workers in the UK, it is currently among the top 10 employers in the private sector.
In addition to the previously announced new fulfillment centers in Hull, northern England, and Northampton, central England, which are scheduled to open this year and next year, respectively, its plan calls for the construction of two brand-new, state-of-the-art facilities in the East Midlands, central England, which are anticipated to open in 2027.
Each of the Northampton and Hull locations will provide 2,000 jobs.
In addition, Amazon intends to build two new buildings at its corporate headquarters in London, expand and upgrade its current network of more than 100 operations buildings, build new delivery stations throughout the United Kingdom, and renovate the Bray Film Studios in Berkshire, southern England.
The 40 billion pounds includes a portion of the 8 billion pounds that Amazon’s cloud computing division announced in September 2024 for the construction, upkeep, and operation of data centers in the United Kingdom between 2024 and 2028. It also covers Amazon employees’ pay.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Amazon’s plans were “a massive vote of confidence in the UK as the best place to do business.” On Monday, his government unveiled its industrial policy.
News By Reuters
