Most consumers have already accepted this as a normal thing. They go to Amazon, search for the book or coffee maker they want, click it, and the next day the package arrives at their door with no hassle. Even as it feels routine, behind the scenes a massive system operates—warehouses, order takers, shipping routes, distributors, and a host of technologies that organize every step for timely delivery.
In Alicante, a gigantic mechanism keeps turning. Its final logistics hub was built by a North American multinational in the Llano del Espartal industrial zone, beside the A-31 highway. All packages destined for the province and nearby Albacete pass through this facility.
On an ordinary day, more than 23,000 packages move through the network. Yet only 35% to 40% of the station’s capacity is typically in use, leaving room for peak-time bursts during seasons such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas. Those periods are genuine stress tests, often doubling the load of packages to manage.
Leading these facilities is an 8,000-square-meter operation staffed by 50 permanent workers overseen by Patricia Galindo, who relocated from Malaga to start the Alicante hub. She is a hands-on leader who greets staff by name, bringing a human touch to a high-tech operation. Recently the team has grown by 30 temporary employees to strengthen service ahead of the busy shopping season.
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At the heart of this system, packages arrive by large trucks and are sorted for distribution along multiple routes that delivery vans must follow for door-to-door delivery, known in logistics as the Last Mile. In this chain, the network’s hubs—akin to department stores for the digital economy—recycle millions of products for sale, including automated processes in some facilities such as the newly opened site in Onda, Castellón. Across Spain, the company now operates ten such centers where orders are processed and moved toward final delivery.
Amazon also maintains two compact distribution centers in Getafe (Madrid) and Barberà del Vallès (Barcelona) and more than twenty logistics stations that operate around the clock, including one in Alicante.
delivery cycle
The cycle begins overnight as trucks arrive at the logistics centers with orders from the provinces of Alicante and Albacete. Once unloaded, a conveyor belt carries each item to be scanned, and a sticker is created by the computer system to guide the package through the various checkpoints. It resembles a controlled game of Tetris, as staff optimize space to fit as many packages as possible onto each route for efficient departure.
Advanced software uses artificial intelligence to calculate each route and assign vans in the most efficient way. The system considers the distance between delivery points and adjusts daily loads. If a driver is predicted to miss a deadline, the program reduces the daily orders for that route; if capacity allows, it increases the workload on subsequent days.
Among the door-to-door delivery workforce, around 400 drivers operate under five companies, including some subcontractors working with the North American multinational that runs the network.
This setup includes Allzone Logistics, a Cadiz-based company founded by Adrian Montiel after partnering with a contractor in his home country and seizing the Alicante hub’s opportunities. He oversees distribution in Alicante city and Elche. The entrepreneur notes that the hardest part is often locating rural addresses near the city’s core, a challenge supported by a municipal app used by the Elche Local Police to aid delivery.
Concerns about false self-employment and worker conditions have prompted scrutiny. Montiel’s drivers are paid around 1,200 euros monthly plus bonuses, with schedules tightly controlled and weekend work limited to protect workers. Amazon emphasizes strict adherence to safety and labor standards across its network.
Within the Alicante hub, packages are limited to 1.2 meters in size and under 23 kilograms, ensuring two-person handling and the safety of workers. A special division, Amazon XL, handles large devices and other outsized items.
rural areas
During peak seasons, a dedicated rural-delivery program expands reach to local stores, which then distribute the goods to their own territories. Morning departures run on a tight schedule, with minibuses leaving at nine and direct delivery fleets starting around 10:30, delivering to rural and urban communities with a precise cadence. In the afternoon, the same-day delivery option remains possible if stock is available at the Murcia center.
Meanwhile, staff at the Alicante site prepare for the next cycle and handle returns or packages with address issues. The Alicante leadership notes that delays often stem from incorrect addresses or recipients traveling abroad. A dedicated customer service team works to resolve issues quickly, and most concerns are settled within a day. The core strength of the business is earning customer trust that orders will arrive as promised.
Beyond the large hubs, Amazon operates smaller facilities in nearby cities that support high-volume areas, including a site in Denia processing thousands of packages daily.