OPERATING PROFITS at the main Irish unit of online retailing giant Amazon increased by 29 per cent last year as revenues climbed sharply to $53.6 million (€37.6 million).
Accounts filed with the Companies Office show the operating profits of Amazon Data Services Ireland Ltd (ADSIL) increased by €722,552 to €3.15 million in the 12 months to the end of December 2010. This follows the company’s revenues increasing by 62 per cent or €20.5 million, from €33.1 million to €53.6 million last year.
Amazon operates five data-hub facilities in Dublin and at the end of 2010 ADSIL employed 131 people – an increase of 54 on the 2009 figure – supporting the Amazon group websites.
Accounts for the company’s European Systems Network Operations Centre show that the company’s pretax profits increased last year by 18 per cent from €1 million to €1.2 million.
Together with another Amazon Irish subsidiary, the Cork-based Amazon CS Ireland Ltd (ACSIL), the two companies employed 462 people at the end of December, with ACSIL employing 331.
ADSIL had accumulated profits of €3.4 million that were part of shareholder funds totalling €16.8 million, compared to €7.2 million in shareholder funds in 2009.
The rise in shareholder funds is mainly attributable to ADSIL receiving a capital contribution of €7.4 million from Amazon EU at the start of the 2010.
The company’s staff costs increased by 37 per cent from €6.7 million to €9.3 million in 2010.
