Amazon.com move to Cork could be at Slough's expense - The decision by internet retailer Amazon.com to locate a new European customer support centre in Cork looks set to come at the expense of its operation in Slough, England says the Irish Times. The internet retailer announced on Wednesday that it would create up to 450 jobs at the centre at the Cork Airport Business Park. Amazon already employs 90 people in Slough to provide support to the British and French markets. When examining the possibility to grow the centre, the group decided the required number of people with the necessary language skills could not be found in Slough. Having conducted research on the matter the group decided to open a new centre close to UCC. A spokesman said the decision to close the operation at Slough had not yet been taken and Amazon was 'consulting the staff'. He said it was hoped that if Slough is closed many of the staff would move to Cork. The Amazon corporate office at Slough will not be affected by the move, he said. He would not say how many people were employed at the corporate office.
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ESB staff offered €40,000 in transfer to Eirgrid - ESB staff who look after the high-tension transmission system are being offered €40,000 to technically transfer to the new State body called Eirgrid, which is being hived off from the State power company, writes the Irish Independent. The cash offer, which could cost up to €4m, has been made to around 100 ESB employees. They will have the option of transferring to the grid operator, Eirgrid, but it will not involve changing location. The special cash offer has been approved by Energy Minister Noel Dempsey and senior officials in his Department, according to today's edition of 'Industrial Relations News'(IRN). It may spark similar claims in other State agencies or companies facing restructuring or decentralisation. If civil and public servants facing decentralisation to 29 locations outside Dublin settled for similar payments it could cost the Exchequer up to €350m. Most 'disturbance' money was abolished in State and private companies many years ago - unless staff faced additional commuting costs. It is now creeping back in some of the State companies.
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Magnier scoops €1.4m in Devro dividends - Bloodstock tycoon John Magnier yesterday scooped €1.4m in dividends from a Scottish food firm where he is the largest shareholder, reports the Irish Examiner. Mr Magnier, who splashed out €13.3m on an unraced two-year-old colt in Tuesday, owns 14% of Devro. He bought into the company, which makes sausage skins, three years ago. Devro yesterday announced a 43% rise in full-year profits to €37.6 million on sales, 2.4% higher at €222m. Mr Magnier's stake in Devro, held through a Swiss-registered company, is worth around €45m. Devro is primarily a food company, but has found that its products can be used for the treatment of cuts and bruises. It has an agreement with Dublin-based pharmaceutical firm Alltracel to develop products to stop cuts from bleeding.
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Mittal aims to treble steel output in a decade - Mittal Steel says its controversial planned takeover of rival Arcelor could lead within a decade to a group with an annual output of up to 200m tonnes - about a fifth of existing global capacity, says the Financial Times. The prediction that it would increase its current production by more than three times illustrates the extent of the ambitions of the group, which is already the world's biggest steelmaker by volume, with a projected output this year of more than 60m.
