Expansion will require new Hollyhill office block

Apple is planning on expanding its presence in Cork, Ireland with over 500 more jobs, the Irish Times says. The growth will in fact require the construction of a new office block; the structure should be built sometime within the next 18 months. Apple already has about 2,800 workers located at its Hollyhill campus in Cork, which serves as its European headquarters. The facility handles a variety of operations including manufacturing, supply, and distribution.

Ireland's Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, has confirmed that Apple recently met with him, department officials, and IDA Ireland over the course of several months. The Fianna Fáil TD for Cork South Central, Micheál Martin, credits city and county managers for "providing the right conditions for the expansion."

Apple's presence in Cork dates back to 1980. At the time, it was the company's first headquarters outside of the US. The location would eventually go on to be the main production facility for the computers like the iMac, but Apple then began outsourcing production to Wales and Singapore, eliminating 450 jobs in Cork. The iPod and resurgent Mac sales helped return jobs to Ireland; Cork is now involved in supplying Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and assembling the Mac Pro.

by MacNN Staff