750 jobs coming to Dunfermline as Amazon books in
Ally McRoberts • Published 14 Jan 2011 08:11
48 Comments
DUNFERMLINE has received a major jobs boost after the First Minister announced that online retailer Amazon will open up a new distribution centre in the city.
Alex Salmond confirmed that the global giant will create 750 new jobs when it moves into a new 1 million square foot warehouse - the size of 14 football pitches - to be built in Sandpiper Drive, in the eastern expansion.
The new centre will be Amazon's biggest in the UK, it will be erected on development land next to the M90 and A92 and will distribute items to customers all over the UK, Europe and worldwide.
Mr Salmond said, "Amazon's plan to create a purpose built Fulfilment Centre in Dunfermline will create over 750 jobs and deliver a very significant boost to the local economy."
There will be 200 new jobs at Amazon's existing facility in Gourock and the firm said they also expect to create another 1500 temporary jobs during peak periods.
Existing staff at the firm's facility in Glenrothes, which was bought by Fife Council last summer, will move to the new centre in Dunfermline.
Scottish Enterprise have helped pave the way for Amazon to come to West Fife by providing £2 million in Regional Selective Assistance and £500,000 in training grants.
Mr Salmond continued, "Amazon has established itself as one of the world's leading online retailers and I am delighted with its decision to expand its Scottish operations and to create 950 jobs.
"The Scottish Government, Scottish Development International and Scottish Enterprise is doing all it can to attract new jobs and investment to Scotland."
Best known for selling books, Amazon was established in 1998 and specialises in selling films, music, computer games, software and electronic equipment over the Internet.
Their goods are stored in large regional distribution centres, such as the one announced for Dunfermline, before they are shipped out to their customers.
Dunfermline West MSP Jim Tolson said, "This is excellent news for Dunfermline and the jobs will be a major boost to our local economy.
"We've already seen Shepherd Offshore announce their plans for the adjacent Hyundai factory and with the excellent transport links and high quality skilled workforce we have, I hope Amazon's decision will act as an impetus for other companies to come here."
Amazon were first credited with a move to Dunfermline in December 2006 and a planning application was approved but the deal fell through.
The company's vice president of European operations, Allan Lyall, said, "Amazon is delighted that its biggest UK fulfilment centre is to be built in Dunfermline.
"It is a great location and it has been Amazon's priority to secure a new site as close to the current Glenrothes fulfilment centre as possible in order to preserve and transfer the entire skilled workforce with all its experience and Amazon knowledge.
"Our decision to base this major expansion in Scotland, against stiff international competition, is due not only to the excellent local workforce but to the impressive professionalism of Scottish Development International."
Councillor Tony Martin, chair of Fife Council's environment, enterprise and transportation committee, said, "This is the largest inward investment project in Fife for over a decade and it is fantastic news, not only for the people of Dunfermline and Fife but for the whole of Scotland.
"The facility will be one of the largest industrial developments ever in Scotland and for Fife to be chosen confirms its reputation as a first class business location and easy place to do business.
"It also demonstrates the hard work carried out by Fife Council's Invest in Fife team who promote Fife as the location of choice for business investment creating an average of 500 new jobs per year."
Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley said, "This decision is a real vote of confidence in Dunfermline and in Fife and shows that we have people with the skills, talent and commitment to attract such investment into the city of Dunfermline."
"I believe this is the first of many good new stories on the employment front that will come to the Dunfermline area over this year and we must move forward with confidence to ensure people are able to have access to training and skills to take advantage of the new jobs as they are created.
"We have a strong local labour market and I would expect all the agencies will work together to make sure local people get access to the jobs."
The Conservative candidate for Dunfermline, James Reekie, said, "This is outstanding news for Dunfermline and West Fife.
"The Conservative-led government is committed to growing the private sector and rebalancing the economy.
"This announcement by Amazon is a clear indication that the Government's economic policies are getting Scotland and Dunfermline back on its feet after Labours recession."
Chief Executive of Scottish Development International, Anne MacColl, said, "This announcement is great news for Scotland and demonstrates once again that Scotland continues to be an attractive location for international companies to invest.
"Amazon operates across the world and its decision to base its largest fulfilment centre in the UK here is testament to the hard work of colleagues from across SE and SDI to secure this investment for Scotland."
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 13 Jan 11
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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NEILY-J
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Jan 13, 12:48
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Paddy O Doors
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 13:00
Report commentAs much as I (and probably many others in the Kingdom) welcome the jobs in this part of Fife, please god (or any other celestial being reading this) make sure it's nowhere near or within the catchment area of Dunfermline sorting office, otherwise it'll be shut in a week!
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Yes 2
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Mad Mike.
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Jan 13, 13:43
Report commentThis is a big boost for Fife and dunfermline in particular.
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No 2
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happybarrym
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Jan 13, 13:47
Report commentExcellent news for Dunfermline and surrounding areas - especially with Wincanton and the likes shutting up shop. Congratulations to those who brokered what looks like, even with the £2.5m grants from Scottish Enterprise, an excellent deal for Fife.
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No 1
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I GRAY
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Jan 13, 13:53
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terry_diamond
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Jan 13, 14:20
Report commentAny idea whose going to be building it, they'd better be Scottish!
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Dubious
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Jan 13, 14:52
Report commentWhat about the Amazon warehouse in Glenrothes??? Its already built and has sat empty for the last few years...why is a new building going up? Are they by any chance getting grants & incentives from Fife council to build in Dunfermline...I dont understand why they are investing money in yet another huge warehouse when they have already one that has not been used...I fear yet another white elephant may be on the horizon!!!!
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ThereCanBeOnlyOne
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Jan 13, 14:52
Report commentGreat news for the town and Fife as a whole, I want one of those jobs!
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The Manager
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Jan 13, 15:03
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non-car-user
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Jan 13, 15:18
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local resident
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 15:48
Report commentThey must have a distibution system that does not involve the Woodmill Road Royal Mail shambles.
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amazonfan
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Jan 13, 16:44
Report commentI hope that the warehouse in Glenrothes is not empty as I've just returned duplicate items there which Amazon were kind enough to send out afore Xmas when the originals were stuck at the bottom of Royal Mails present mountain in Bathgate.
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Job seeker
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 16:50
Report commentIt is good that new jobs are coming to the town, but I hope that the workforce will be fairly treated and that nothing like this will happen:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/amazon-accused-of-dumping-casuals-in-middle-of-the-night-1.1073959
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Peter
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Jan 13, 17:23
Report commentAmazon were at one time looking into taking over the Hyundai plant in Dunfermline but word on the street was the West Coast Jack (Jack McConnell) was not forthcoming with inward investment grants; it was claimed he wanted it built in Motherwell.
Good news for Dunfermline all round!
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Ba Jaz
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 17:52
Report comment@ Dubious, in the age of news on demand and bullitins every 20 seconds on about 4 hunner news and radio channels you must be about the only person in Fife that doesn't know that the Amazon warehouse in Glenrothes hasn't sat empty for years, its still used and the employee's that work there will transfer to the new one in Dunfermline.
Thanks for the effort tho eh?
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No 1
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John B
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Jan 13, 18:47
Report commentMore money from Fife enterprise and possibly Fife Council for a few years of work and then Amazon will bale out. No company can afford to move product which will pass itself comming into and out of Scotland. I suppose the rubbish Hyundi plant shelters a lot of stray pigeons now.
Fife Council was looking at The Glenrothes plant 8 yrs ago but Amazon rented it before any decision could be made. I think the glenrothes plant cost £42 million another few bob down the drain. The only product that goes out big time is Oil and Whisky on a one way ticket
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JohnB
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Jan 13, 18:50
Report commentMore money from Fife enterprise and possibly Fife Council for a few years of work and then Amazon will bale out. No company can afford to move product which will pass itself comming into and out of Scotland. I suppose the rubbish Hyundi plant shelters a lot of stray pigeons now.
Fife Council was looking at The Glenrothes plant 8 yrs ago but Amazon rented it before any decision could be made. I think the glenrothes plant cost £42 million another few bob down the drain. The only product that goes out big time is Oil and Whisky on a one way ticket
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jocknroll
85 posts
Jan 13, 19:10
Report commentWhat kind of staff discount do Amazon workers get? ;)
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worker
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Jan 13, 21:57
Report commentWELL they might go into LEXMARKS old premises that did not last long woul not anyway because there grants ran out and they moved to the phiopines cheaper labour out there .
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Me too
Unregistered User
Jan 13, 21:58
Report commentHi Job Seeker,
Wow I thought it would be good for 750 jobs to be based in Dunfermline, but not if they are going to temp agency foreigners! Thanks for the post. I hope that our tax money is being spent well on this - proper full time jobs.
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Bob the Builder
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Jan 13, 23:16
Report commentWorker, it says they're building it at Sandpiper Drive. Beside the motorway and in view of the [soon to be demolished?] Hyundai factory. Wonder how the folk whose hitherto quiet existance will feel with that monster at the end of the garden?
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kaka30
310 posts
Jan 14, 05:59
Report commentYet again, alot of negative comments.
Amazon are a huge success storey & an online giant.
Whatever deal was brokered to bring them to Dunfermline doesnt matter.
They are coming & they are going to provide jobs, its great news for West Fife.
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montheducks
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Jan 14, 06:07
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pedant
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Jan 14, 09:48
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Spam-Heed
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Jan 14, 10:15
Report commentWhat a bunch a whinging bawheeds, this might mean the legions of 'There's no work in West Fife, i want to get a joab but canny' might have change their excuses now eh?
Excellent for West Fife, brilliant news for Fife and Scotland in general, but instead we have eejits that want play it down and moan and whinge about it.
Deary me, whats wrang wi you folk?................
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Seen it all before
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Jan 14, 10:22
Report commentAmazon may well be a huge success story but sadly Fife Enterprise have consistently failed to reach these dizzy heights spending tax payers money we all know the history!
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Blunderbus
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Jan 14, 16:01
Report comment@Dubious
the warehouse in glenrothes hasnt sat empty for years, it has been fully operational, i was in their daily up till xmas picking and dropping off trailers.
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jocknroll
85 posts
Jan 14, 19:34
Report commentAs someone who is about to be made redundant I look forward to the opportunity to applying for one of their jobs. See you all in the staff canteen!
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fedup
Unregistered User
Jan 15, 14:37
Report commentAt the moment a lot of their books seem to come from a huge warehouse in Germany as can be seen if you are lucky enough for your order to be sent out by courier with a tracking system. I am still waiting on several Amazon parcels, including 2 which were resent, from Royal Mail. Maybe all that stuff that now comes from Germany will come from Dunfermline instead. Amazon might be better making a 'pick up from warehouse in person' option for those of us whose post is under Dunfermline sorting office!
Great news for those looking for a job, even though the jobs are likely to be mainly minimum wage, unskilled sort.
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Fifer
Unregistered User
Jan 16, 11:32
Report commentHi there
It can only be good news for the area given that Wincanton are closing their Pitreavie distribution centre with the loss of over 200 jobs.
As I understand it this new distribution centre is being located in Sandpiper Drive in Dunfermline's new eastern expansion, I'm wondering if anyone knows what sort of time scale we're looking at here before they're fully operational?
I also look forward to applying for one of their jobs especially considering it would be within walking distance from my house.
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brynhils
Unregistered User
Jan 16, 11:42
Report commentHas anyone told Amazon about the diabolical broadband service in this area?
Here we have an online company drawn to the region (with goodness knows what incentives) but, I wonder if the council told them that processing their orders is likely to be achieved at not a great deal more than 1MB bandwidth?
The Eastern Expansion has been 'one of the biggest in Europe' so we are told. Yet whay has there been no real investment in the basic infrastructure? The drains overflow, pumping stations trip and roads crumble.
We are meant to be an 'online' nation, yet this monolith Eastern Expansion lacks the internet capabilities of village. My Grandmothers old place gets 20MB speed and my glistening housing unit struggles to get above 1.5MB.
I think once Amazon realises the lack of our Council's encouragement to get utility companies to properly invest in our region they will move out. You can't expect a company with their amount of data throughput to operate effectively on what is no more than a fattened Dial-Up service.
BT Infinity? Super-fast Broadband? Not here. No plans to roll it out either.
We need proper investment to sustain long term development. In the end Fife will once again suffer due to the short-sightedness of our short-term Councilors.
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brandobhoy
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Jan 16, 19:09
Report commentSo it this getting built on the old Hyundai factory land then?
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Gigabit
Unregistered User
Jan 16, 20:25
Report commentHey brynhils, have you not heard.... Big business buys big fat pipes to the internet. You can forget the home broadband brigade old son. If you want to spend the money, you can have it too.
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SwamiS
Unregistered User
Jan 17, 08:26
Report commentIt is being built off Sandpiper Road, down from the Hyundai/Shepherd Factory, where the roundabout is. Work has started already in clearing the ground. You will see it from the motorway.
The Hyundai/Shepherd factory will be demolished in a few months, but this has nothing to do with Amazon and is on a different site.
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Rabioza
Unregistered User
Jan 17, 14:05
Report commentI think the demolition of Hyundai plant is for the 'renewable energy' business park development. I also think Burntisland Harbour is being 'deepened' for this purpose as well? i.e. to ship our wind turbines, etc which are built in Fife sites.
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rabioza
Unregistered User
Jan 17, 20:17
Report comment@Me too It's true that Amazon do employ casual labour, and in some cases they will be from other countries. However, like Royal Mail, most of this labour will be employed over the Christmas period to cope with increased demand.
The plant is good for Fife and Scotland, minimum wages or not.
As for poor broadband? Amazon will have dedicated lines installed like most businesses, i.e. they're not going to phone up Virgin and ask for cable to be installed! :-)
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Curious
Unregistered User
Jan 19, 16:57
Report commentI would hope that the jobs get advertised and it's not a case of Amazon building a distribution warehouse to get a grant then the warehouse lying empty.... Or that they will only employ part time casual workers...
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get it sorted
Unregistered User
Jan 20, 11:40
Report commentI am so happy that Amazon are coming to Dunfermline My Husband and all his work colleagues are being made redundant in the not so distant future and I hope that many of them get the opportunity to work there. :-)
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Dulochdeer
Unregistered User
Jan 20, 22:57
Report commentThey are destroying yet another greenfield site around Dunfermline and rather too close to the local residents. I understand the council approved the build despite Significant number of objections from residents - 8 million in tax payees money going into this but the government ignore everyone. Also watch out for how many real new jobs created here as numbers reported appear to vary and many transferring from existing facilities.
Bulldozers already clearing the site and chasing out the wild life whilst electricity cabling underway get ready for yet another eyesore on the landscape to rival Hyundai. Could they not have built in Rosyth docks where no one lives and as close to the motorway.
Jobs here will be for shelf stackers on a giant scale in a freezing cold metal shed blighting our landscape. Really think the Council need a reality check in there planning approach here and put this stuff in the right place and lock the companies into some long term commitment to avoid another Hyundai or Lexmark.
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barryt
1 post
Jan 24, 17:28
Report commentalot of peaple here are badmouthing lexmark but i had a good unskilled job there for 6.5 years and hope to be able to work for amazon for just as long.
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DHSMLHS
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Jan 28, 15:23
Report commentIs there any dates anounced for when the distrebution centre will be open?
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meee
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Feb 2, 23:48
Report commentany dates for when the jobs will be listed
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nastybisum
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Feb 9, 14:59
Report commentdoes anyone know how much they're paying just now at the glenrothes site?? also, does anyone know what they actually have there? is it just books and cd's??
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Nicole123
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Feb 16, 17:28
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JackieR
1 post
Apr 2, 10:56
Report commentThat's good because a lot of people needs job nowadays. Aside from that, the company needs employee due to the continuous progress of the company.
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izabel
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Jun 21, 19:49
Report commentI AGREE WITH NICOLE HOW ARE WE TO APPLY FOR A POSITION? THANKS
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sinky
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Jun 22, 08:30
Report commentI think you can apply through the recruitment agencies
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sinky
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Jun 22, 08:33
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