Minister Opens Amazon Centre In Cork

Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has performed the official opening of Amazon’s new customer service centre at the Airport Business Park in Cork.

The Minister was joined at the opening ceremony by Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Marc Onetto.

The new centre handles both internet and telephone customer queries for Amazon’s UK and French web sites, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr. Minister Martin congratulated the company on its success to-date in Ireland. “I had the pleasure of announcing this investment for Cork just over a year ago and I am delighted to see nearly a third of the 450 new positions planned for this facility are already recruited. The experienced and multilingual personnel in the South West Region was a strong factor in Amazon’s decision to locate this centre in Cork. Its thriving operation here enhances Ireland’s reputation as a base for the most sophisticated global digital media companies. The digital media sector is transforming the information technology, media and entertainment industries and is creating new opportunities in our ever-evolving knowledge-based society”.

Marc Onetto, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, said: “We are delighted to officially open our new customer service centre here in Cork. As our business has grown, and as we have expanded the categories of products we offer, we need to expand our customer service support as well. The Cork centre, with its strategic location and highly skilled workforce, enables us to grow with the business and provide our many millions of European customers with an improved level of service.”

Amazon is one of the largest online retailers in the world, with revenues of more than $10.7 billion in 2006.

The company sells a wide variety of consumer products such as CDs, DVDs, videos, books, electronic devices, cellular phones, accessories, toys, computer equipment, health products, tools, sporting goods, kitchenware, and home furnishings.

(CD/SP)