Amazon to create 500 jobs at new Scottish HQ

First Minister Alex Salmond announced yesterday that the company is to set up a customer call centre in the Scottish capital, creating 500 permanent jobs and an additional 400 temporary posts during peak sales periods such as the run-up to Christmas.

The move came just four months after Amazon said it would create 950 full-time jobs in two Scottish towns and an extra 1,500 temporary posts, which means that during peak periods nearly 3,400 people in Scotland will be on Amazon's payroll.

Allan Lyall, a vice president of Amazon in Europe, speaking in Edinburgh yesterday, said that recruitment would start immediately to fill the posts at the firm's new Scottish headquarters in Edinburgh's Waverley Gate, as he described the city as an "outstanding location" for investment.

Amazon's new customer service centre in Edinburgh, which will handle customer queries for the group and technical support for flagship Amazon products such as its e-book reader Kindle and its MP3 services, will open in August, with 500 permanent staff starting immediately.

The investment boost for the capital comes as Amazon's new distribution centre in Dunfermline, packing books, DVDs, video games and other products ordered online by customers, is due to open in the autumn.

A total of 1.8 million of Scottish Government cash has been invested in the new Edinburgh call centre, with the funds being used to train staff and support the fit-out of the new premises.

The First Minister said Amazon's investment in centres across Scotland indicated that the country's economy was "showing signs of recovery".

Mr Salmond said: "Amazon has a substantial presence in Scotland and this announcement is testament to the quality, strength and skills of its Scottish workforce.

"Amazon's announcement is one of the first signs of the Scottish economy showing signs of recovery.

"This news provides a significant boost to the local economy, creates 900 jobs in the heart of Edinburgh, and demonstrates the company's commitment to working in Scotland.

"The Scottish Government, Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise are working hard to attract new jobs and investment to communities across the country.

"This announcement reinforces and supports our message that Scotland is an attractive and competitive destination for major global companies to invest and do business."

Mr Lyall said Scotland's "highly skilled workforce" had helped influence the decision to expand the Seattle-based firm's operations in the country.He said: "Edinburgh is an outstanding location, providing us with access to a highly skilled workforce who will help us to achieve the high standards of customer service that shoppers at Amazon expect."

Meanwhile, Amazon is transferring its operation from Glenrothes to Dunfermline this autumn, with the 80 employees at the existing site all being offered jobs at the new centre, where 763 jobs are being created.

A further 200 posts packing internet orders will also be created at the company's other Scottish site in Gourock, which already employees 200 people.