E-commerce and cloud giant Amazon may be planning to increase its data centre footprint in Dublin after acquiring the former Jacob’s biscuit factory on Belgard Road, Tallaght.

Amazon already operates seven data centres and employs over 1,400 people in Ireland.

Last year, the company announced 300 new jobs in Dublin, including data centre technicians, software engineers and security specialists.

Amazon has already created jobs for 50 construction workers at the former Shinko Microelectronics site in Tallaght, which it acquired last year.

It is believed the new development could pave the way for hundreds of construction jobs.

Biscuits and gravy for Dublin’s digital dreams

Amazon operates one of its main data centres in Tallaght, after acquiring a former 240,000 sq ft Tesco distribution centre in 2010.

Amazon also operates a call centre in Cork, where it employs over 800 people.

Last year, Amazon moved its Dublin Development Centre to a 69,000 sq ft facility at Burlington Plaza in Dublin 4.

Today’s news is a welcome boost to Dublin’s digital economy, where major data centres are operated by Google, Microsoft and Digital Realty Trust.

In recent months, Apple revealed plans to build a major US$850m renewable energy data centre in Athenry, Galway, while Facebook has confirmed plans to build a €200m data centre in Clonee, Co. Meath.

Source: www.siliconrepublic.com