Automated Packaging Machines
Amazon Deploys Automated Box-Makers to Minimize Shipping Waste
Georgia Wray Norsten — June 3, 2025
Amazon is rolling out hundreds of AI-powered automated packaging machines across its European fulfillment centers to minimize waste from shipping boxes. By the end of 2025, over 70 of these machines will be installed in major markets including the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The system uses sensors and machine learning to create made-to-fit cardboard boxes on demand for each order, eliminating unnecessary empty space.
This innovation is estimated to eliminate ~26 grams of packaging per shipment on average, and Amazon reports it has already reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 43% since 2015 (avoiding 3 million+ metric tons of packaging). In addition to cutting materials, right-sized packages improve truck space utilization, potentially reducing the number of delivery vehicles on the road.
Amazon’s investment in packaging automation illustrates how sustainability measures can also drive efficiency and cost savings. Custom box-making at scale will likely lower material and shipping costs while improving Amazon’s environmental footprint – a key concern for regulators and consumers.
