- Site Selected in Inverclyde, Scotland -

Thursday May 20, 2004--Leading online retailer Amazon.co.uk today announced that it is planning to open a second UK fulfilment centre in Gourock, Inverclyde. The new facility, which is set to be operational in the second half of 2004*, is expected to create up to 300 new jobs within 18 months for employees in the local area.

Amazon.co.uk's decision to open a second UK fulfilment operation comes following strong international sales growth. In q1 2004, Amazon.com's international segment--made up of the company's UK, German, French and Japanese operations--grew 80% year-over-year to $684 million. The Gourock fulfilment centre will help handle future customer demand and provide network optimisation, dispatching a wide range of products including items from newer categories such as Electronics & Photo, DIY & Tools and Garden & Outdoor.

The company will continue to operate its existing UK fulfilment centre at Marston Gate, near Milton Keynes.

Allan Lyall, Amazon's VP for European Operations commented, "We are delighted to announce the forthcoming launch of our Scottish fulfilment centre. Customers in the UK continue to respond to our low prices, free super saver delivery, wide selection and the unparalleled convenience offered by Amazon.co.uk. The Gourock operation will help us to dispatch even more customer orders quickly and efficiently."

Amazon.co.uk has been supported by Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire. Scotland's Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace, commented, "The announcement by Amazon.co.uk today that it intends to site its new fulfilment centre in Gourock is extremely welcome. The 300 jobs it plans to create would be a major jobs boost for Inverclyde. And of course I am delighted that in the face of competition from locations elsewhere, such an innovative and creative company has chosen to expand their business in Scotland."

Amazon currently operates ten fulfilment centres worldwide, including six in the United States and one each in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan.

FACTS AND STATISTICS ON AMAZON.CO.UK'S GOUROCK OPERATION

 

  • The Gourock fulfilment centre is situated 28 miles from Glasgow city centre and 18 miles from Glasgow International Airport
  • The fulfilment centre will be 300,000 sq ft - the size of five football pitches (this compares to Amazon.co.uk's existing fulfilment centre at Marston Gate which is 540,000 sq ft)
  • Amazon.co.uk estimates there will be almost 3.5 miles of shelving and pallets racks in the new facility
  • The Gourock fulfilment centre will handle products from across Amazon.co.uk's product range in categories such as Books, Music, DVD, Video, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics & Photo, Home & Garden and Toys & Kids!
  • The facility will dispatch orders to customers across the UK, as well as handling international orders

 

RECRUITMENT

Amazon.co.uk is looking to recruit up to 300 full-time employees within 18 months, either with suitable distribution centre experience or who are willing to learn. The leading online retailer is looking for recruits with drive, ambition and a passion for ensuring that customers receive a first-class shopping experience.

Candidates interested in applying for these positions should call Jobcentre Plus on 01475 881558 (9am to 5pm) or log onto www.Amazon.co.uk/jobs for further details.

For further information, please contact:
Rachel Silk / Marie Fagan
Amazon.co.uk
Tel no: 020 8636 9280
Mobile: 07768 695759
E-mail rsilk@amazon.co.uk

Kirstie Crawford
Scottish Enterprise
Tel no: 0141 228 2876
Mobile: 07747 770256
Email: kirstie.crawford@scotent.co.uk

*The Gourock facility is expected to be operational in the second half of 2004—the lease agreement is subject to final contingencies.

About Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998, and strives to be the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon.co.uk and sellers list millions of new and used items in categories such as Books, Music, Video, DVD, Software, PC & Video Games, Electronics & Photo, Home & Garden, and Toys & Kids!. Through Amazon Marketplace, zShops and Auctions any business or individual can sell virtually anything to Amazon.co.uk's millions of customers. Amazon.co.uk customers enjoy the benefits of industry-leading online-shopping technology, such as secure credit-card payment, personalised recommendations, streamlined, 1-Click® ordering and hassle-free Bid-Click® auction bidding. Through Amazon Anywhere, Amazon.co.uk is also available on mobile phones with WAP technology--see www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.

Amazon.com operates six websites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.co.jp and www.amazon.ca. Amazon.co.uk is the trading name for Amazon.com International Sales, Inc., and Amazon.com International Auctions, Inc., which are both wholly owned subsidiaries of global online retailer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN).

Forward looking statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to potential future losses, significant amount of indebtedness, competition, commercial agreements and strategic alliances, seasonality, potential fluctuations in operating results and rate of growth, foreign exchange rates, management of potential growth, system interruption, international expansion, consumer trends, inventory, fulfillment center optimization, limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, fraud, and new business areas. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003, and all subsequent filings.

About Scottish Enterprise

Scottish Enterprise is the main economic development agency for Scotland covering 93% of the population from Grampian to the Borders. The Scottish Enterprise Network consists of Scottish Enterprise and 12 Local Enterprise Companies. Working in partnership with the private and public sectors the Network aims to build more and better businesses, to develop the skills and knowledge of Scottish people, and to encourage innovation to make Scottish business internationally competitive.