13 May 2016
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Amazon has marked its 10th year in Cork this week with a series of community initiatives and special events for the team, including a birthday party on site for all employees.
Amazon first opened its Customer Service Centre in Cork in 2006 with just 76 employees. Ten years on Amazon now occupies a 47,500 sq. ft. campus housing 800 employees speaking 19 different languages, representing the global nature of the work carried out at the Centre.
Picture: Clare Keogh
Over the years, the team at Amazon has built strong relationships with the Cork community, working in partnership with local charities including Marymount Hospice, Irish Cancer Society, Irish Guide Dogs and various youth groups including Foróige.
Ian Semple, who heads up the Customer Service Centre, said:
“Amazon Cork has enjoyed rapid growth since it first opened ten years ago. By embracing Amazon’s exciting culture and obsession with providing a great service for both customers and enterprises, our team in Cork has excelled itself year after year. It is a privilege for me to work with such a passionate and inspiring group of people.
“A decade on, I would like to say how profoundly grateful I am to everyone in the team for their help in providing a first class customer service experience for our customers and Marketplace sellers.”
Michael McGrath TD (Fianna Fail)
Cork South Central TD, Michael McGrath added:
“Since Amazon first came to the city in 2006, the company has demonstrated a commitment to the future by creating hundreds of employment opportunities for the city whilst continuing to grow and expand across areas of customer and seller support.
“Amazon is a dynamic and high growth business that is a significant employer within the local economy and I am pleased to see the company mark ten years in Cork.”
Other fun activities for staff included competitions, sweet treats, spot prizes and fun games throughout the day.
Amy Clarke has worked in the team at Cork since the Centre first opened 2006. She said:
“It’s hard to believe that we’ve been open for ten years this month. Those ten years have seen me progress through seven different roles within the company, travel to five new countries with Amazon, get married, buy a house and welcome two children.
“We have such a great team here at the Cork site and and it’s lovely to see 29 of my colleagues and friends who joined with me on the first day are still here today. Joining Amazon has been a brilliant career choice for me and I’ve never looked back. Here’s to the next ten years.”
