(IN BRIEF) IKEA, in partnership with Scania Group and transporter KLOG, is launching heavy-duty electric vehicles for transporting its products in Portugal. Starting in late June, these vehicles will move goods from the IKEA Industry factory in Paços de Ferreira to the Porto Harbour in Leixões and to IKEA stores. This initiative, a result of 2023 discussions between IKEA and Scania, addresses the challenges of electrifying heavy transport in Portugal, including route planning and charging infrastructure.
(PRESS RELEASE) SÖDERTÄLJE, 19-Jun-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In a landmark move towards sustainable transport, IKEA’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions is taking a significant step forward with the introduction of heavy-duty electric vehicles for the transportation of its products in Portugal. This initiative exemplifies the necessity for cross-industry collaborations to achieve environmental goals, as demonstrated by the recent partnership between IKEA Supply Chain Operations, Scania Group, and transporter KLOG.
Starting in late June, KLOG will deploy the first of several battery-electric vehicles from Scania to transport IKEA products from the IKEA Industry factory in Paços de Ferreira to the Porto Harbour in Leixões, and subsequently to IKEA stores. This pioneering effort marks a crucial step in the electrification of heavy transport in Portugal, a market where such transitions are particularly challenging due to the nascent state of local infrastructure.
This collaborative venture emerged from discussions between IKEA Supply Chain Operations and Scania Group in 2023, aiming to address the practical and economic feasibility of electrifying transport routes. Key considerations included route calculations, energy consumption, and charging times for the battery-electric vehicles. In addition, IKEA Industry will employ a pick-and-drop solution to maximize vehicle uptime, ensuring that trailers are efficiently exchanged at depots to avoid empty runs.
Charging infrastructure will be supported by the Portuguese Port Authority of Leixões (APDL) at the harbor, with additional solutions expected at the IKEA Industry factory. This initiative not only highlights the environmental benefits but also showcases the practical steps needed to implement such a transition.
Industry leaders have expressed their enthusiasm and commitment to this sustainable shift. Dariusz Mroczek, Category Area Transport Manager at IKEA Supply Chain Operations, emphasized the importance of collaboration across the value chain to achieve transport decarbonization. Evalena Falck, Head of Strategic Account Management at Scania, highlighted the readiness of sustainable transport technology and the necessity of joint efforts to scale and deploy it effectively.
EgÃdio Lopes, Managing Director at KLOG, voiced pride in being at the forefront of electric goods transportation in Portugal, aspiring to set high standards of quality and promote responsible business practices. João Neves, President of the Board of APDL, acknowledged the significant influence of port operations on the Portuguese economy and reiterated their commitment to supporting the transition to a carbon-neutral future through enabling electrified transports.
This collaboration in Portugal is part of a broader movement, with similar transitions taking place in southern France and Poland, signaling a concerted effort by IKEA to implement scalable, sustainable solutions in its supply chain operations globally.
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First published in this link of EuropaWIRE.
