Amazon.co.uk is creating 900 jobs by opening its seventh fulfilment centre in Rugeley, Staffordshire – an ex-mining town where there has been high unemployment for many years. Amazon is also poised to open a new customer service centre in Edinburgh next month, offering technical support to people who have bought its Kindle. This operation will create 500 permanent and 400 temporary positions, the company says.
At Rugeley the 700,000 sq ft fulfillment centre will begin processing orders from September and aims to employ more than 900 permanent and temporary workers before the end of 2012. This is the second new fulfilment centre Amazon has announced this year. It revealed plans to open a 1m square foot centre in Dunfermline before the end of 2011, which will create 750 new permanent jobs and 1,500 temporary jobs during peak times.
Amazon.co.uk’s other fulfilment centres are in Glenrothes and Gourock in Scotland, Swansea Bay in Wales and Marston Gate, Peterborough and Doncaster in England.
Arthur Valdez, vice president of operations for Amazon.co.uk, said: “The centre at Rugeley will play an important role in fulfilling orders for customers in the UK, Europe and all over the world. We have a busy Christmas coming up and look forward to assembling a team of talented people who will play their part in ensuring that customers receive the millions of items that will be ordered over the festive season.”
Amazon is constantly seeking ways to expand its product range and reach more customers. It started selling food last summer, and is currently building its fashion offer.
