Kuehne+Nagel and Amazon are strengthening their existing business relationship through a new long-term strategic collaboration designed to expand logistics services and create additional opportunities across Amazon and its affiliated companies.
At the centre of the agreement is logistics support for Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure. The scope covers the construction and commissioning of facilities, equipment deployment, ongoing maintenance and modernisation, as well as future expansion projects.
The arrangement is backed by a call option on existing Kuehne+Nagel shares. The option may be settled in cash or, at Amazon’s choice, in shares. Its vesting is linked to commercial milestones and the delivery of services over a period of up to seven years. To support the structure, Kuehne+Nagel has also entered into hedging transactions in its shares through a third-party financial institution.
The logistics group said the new collaboration builds on its established relationship with Amazon while broadening the services it can provide to the company and its affiliates. Kuehne+Nagel expects its global network, digital capabilities and supply chain expertise to help meet Amazon’s evolving operational requirements and growth plans.
The agreement comes as Kuehne+Nagel continues to invest in specialised logistics infrastructure. Earlier in September, the company opened a 3,505 sq m healthcare logistics centre at Frankfurt Airport dedicated to temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical and healthcare products.
The HealthChain-certified facility includes approximately 2,500 sq m of controlled room-temperature storage maintained between +15°C and +25°C. A further 500 sq m-plus is dedicated to cold-chain storage at +2°C to +8°C, while ultra-low-temperature freezers are available for products requiring storage at -70°C.
The Frankfurt site also benefits from direct tarmac access and specialised pharmaceutical truck-handling facilities, supporting the movement of temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments through the airport.
The investment in Frankfurt followed the airport’s addition to Kuehne+Nagel’s Boeing 747-8F freighter network. It also coincided with the launch of the Frankfurt-Atlanta Cool Corridor, designed for temperature-sensitive healthcare shipments.
With these developments, Kuehne+Nagel’s global network has grown to more than 270 HealthChain-certified locations, reinforcing its capabilities in specialised healthcare logistics.
Kuehne+Nagel CEO Stefan Paul said the long-term collaboration with Amazon will centre on scale, innovation and customer value. He added that the company’s global network and supply chain expertise position it to support Amazon’s changing business requirements as the group continues to expand.
