Amazon Pilots Load Balancing to Cut 7 Million Annual Warehouse Labor Hours
AMZN•Amazon is piloting a Full Facility Load Balancing system in its robot-filled warehouses that automatically reassigns workers every three minutes based on package volumes. It could cut about 7 million labor hours annually and will expand to all Amazon Robotic Sortable facilities this year after acquiring Fauna Robotics’s humanoid-robot unit.
1. FFLB Pilot Overview
Amazon is testing Full Facility Load Balancing (FFLB) in select robot-equipped warehouses. The system uses real-time package volume data to reassign workers to high-demand tasks every three minutes, aiming to optimize throughput and minimize idle time across shifts.
2. Expected Labor Savings
Internal estimates indicate the FFLB system could reduce approximately 7 million labor hours annually, delivering significant wage and overhead cost savings. Automated balancing also seeks to boost employee productivity and speed up order fulfillment.
3. Rollout and Expansion
The company plans to roll out FFLB across all Amazon Robotic Sortable facilities by year-end. Integration with existing warehouse management software is underway to ensure a seamless deployment across its global network.
4. Fauna Robotics Acquisition
Amazon recently acquired Fauna Robotics, developer of the humanoid robot Sprout, to enhance its automation capabilities. Sprout’s advanced navigation and task-handling features will complement FFLB by performing routine assignments and further reducing labor demands.
