Solna, Sweden, November 25, 2009
ICA is continuing its work with a long-term infrastructure plan aimed at fewer but larger warehouses. This will facilitate lower costs, improved long-term service to stores and customers, together with reduced environmental impact. ICA has therefore decided to start negotiations to shut down its warehouses in Umeå and Årsta.
The warehouses in Umeå and Årsta are currently ICA’s two smallest in terms of size and volume, and other distribution units have unutilized capacity, which can be put to more effective use following the restructuring.
“ICA established a long-term infrastructure plan back in 2003, and the changes we are now making are fully in line with this. In order to provide our stores with goods, we need efficient logistics, which we will better achieve going forward. In this way, we will increase efficiency, sustainability and quality in our entire logistics system,” says Anders Svensson, CEO of ICA Sweden.
The shutdown affects warehousing operations with approximately 130 positions in Umeå and 190 in Årsta. New positions are expected to be added at other warehouses, primarily in Västerås and Kallhäll, but also in Borlänge.
“Our evaluation of the warehouses in Umeå and Årsta has been ongoing since last spring. This is a decision that will naturally affect many people. We understand that it creates concerns among employees. ICA will therefore support them through various types of outplacement programs,” says Anders Svensson.
The shutdown of the warehouses in Umeå and Årsta will be gradual, but is expected to take between 12 and 18 months once a definitive decision is made.
For further information, please contact:
ICA’s press hotline (business hours), phone +46 702 53 66 60
(evenings/weekends), phone + 46 705 44 07 10