Amazon has increased the amount of products shipped from centres in Victoria and Queensland due to a temporary COVID-19 closure at its main DC in Sydney.
The tech company had to close its Moorebank distribution centre after two employees tested positive to COVID-19.
The 44,000 sqm distribution centre stocked with half a million products, will remain closed while it is deep cleaned after the positive tests.
The centre is now unable to ship tens of thousands of orders, but Amazon’s network around the country is working to fulfil the backlog of orders.
The company’s other centres in New South Wales remain open and operational.
Around 100 casual workers have been impacted by the closure.
Craig Fuller, Amazon Australia Director of Operations, says the online giant is following the directions of NSW Health.
“The safety of our people remains our highest priority and we have taken prompt, proactive measures to ensure the safety of employees at our site,” Craig says.
Amazon opened the 44,000 sqm fulfilment centre in Moorebank in 2018, its second in Australia, shortly after opening its 24,000sq m Melbourne fulfillment centre in Dandenong.
Employees who are close contacts to the infected have already been notified by NSW Health and have been told to self-isolate for two-weeks.
The company is confident the majority of the orders will be able to be filled from other distribution centres across the country.