US-headquartered telecoms firm Brightstar has announced a £50m investment into its UK business based in Crewe, Cheshire.
The Miami-based firm provides global wireless distribution and services, serving mobile device manufacturers, wireless operators and retailers.
As part of the investment Brightstar is creating new operations in the town, securing Crewe as the company’s UK and European hub and the home to its 700 UK-based employees.
The subsidiary of SoftBank Group will be relocating its existing Crewe operations to a new purpose-built Advanced Fulfilment Centre, equipped with operations technology and AI fulfilment automation.
The new centre will be the hub for all device processing operations including forward and reverse logistics, device trade in, mobile insurance services and mobile accessories.
Brightstar will also open two new dedicated ‘centre of excellence’ call centres in Crewe to provide support to its customer base.
The firm’s customers include some of the largest brands in the mobile industry including network operators, mobile virtual network operators, large retailers and smartphone manufacturers, as well as clients in the financial services sector.
The announcement comes shortly after the firm acquired a majority stake in WeFix, a UK smartphone and tablet repair service.
Announcing the news Brightstar CEO Rod Millar said:“Brightstar’s £50m investment in technology, a state-of-the-art fulfillment centre and new call centres not only reaffirms our commitment to Crewe, but also secures Brightstar’s position as the leading provider of integrated services to the mobile industry in the UK.
This is an exciting time for our employees, our customers and our local community as we push forward with world class solutions that will power our growth for years to come.”
Executive Vice President Gerry O’Keeffe added: “t’s a huge boost to Crewe and the North-West and demonstrates our commitment to the region and the specialist knowledge our teams have developed within the area. This is great news for our customers and delivers the platform to deliver industry leading service levels for the next decade.”
Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone said the US was key trading partner, and the UK was “committed to striking an ambitious trade deal that opens up new opportunities for our businesses, brings in more investment and creates better jobs for people across the whole of the country.”