The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Ex-gunner aims for records as he takes over at Amazon centre
New site manager for fulfilment centre as significant investment is under way
The new boss of the Amazon’s rapidly growing fulfilment centre in Peterborough is aiming to break records. And Lee Shepherd(45) is likely to be spot on target.
For Mr Shepherd, who was recently appointed site manager of the 500,000 sq ft-plus centre, which at peak times employs 2,000 staff, is aformerWarrantOfficerwith the Royal Artillery.
He said: ”I left the military after 22 years and decided I wanted to go into management.
“So I joined Amazon and started as an area manager at the fulfilment centre.
“I have been here from day one - since the centre opened inJuly2010whenitwasalarge empty warehouse.”
Over the last six years, Mr Shepherd has overseen every department in the centre and probably has an unrivalled knowledge of its inner workings.
He said: “It was an empty shell whenIcameinandstarted to put the tape on the floor and began to bring it up to the standard we have today.
“It gives me a great sense of pride to see what we have achieved.”
Mr Shepherd takes over the centre at a time of significant investment at the centre.
Work is currently underway to expand the centre’s picking tower, where as the name suggest, products requested by customers - and Amazon offers more than 150 millionproducts- are“picked” for packing and distribution.
Other improvements include creating more and brighter break out areas for staff and more parking for peak times,
Mr Shepherd said: “I want to achieve bigger and better things each year.”