IKEA, Volvo Trucks and Raben Group join forces in Poland to accelerate zero-emission transport

IKEA, Volvo Trucks and Raben Group join forces in Poland to accelerate zero-emission transport

IKEA Industry, Volvo Trucks, and Raben Group have signed a collaboration agreement on zero-emission heavy transport in Poland. IKEA will introduce heavy electric Volvo trucks for internal transport flows at two IKEA Industry factories in Poland, which will be operated by Raben Group. The learnings from the pilot will be used for the electrification of transport operations at scale in a larger transport network.

IKEA is a large transport buyer with more than 2 million shipments worldwide. To reach the IKEA strategic climate goal for product transport to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by -70 per cent per shipment*, electrification of heavy-duty vehicles is critical. Electrification of transportation is one of the solutions to address the root cause of climate change.

IKEA Industry, Volvo Trucks, and Raben Group will now join forces in Poland to deploy zero-emission Volvo FM Electric trucks. The trucks will handle the internal flow of goods between two IKEA Industry factories 12 kilometres apart in Zbąszynek and Babimost in western Poland.

The trucks will be charged at the IKEA Industry production facilities using renewable electricity from an external source. The first electric truck will begin operation during autumn, and the plan is to expand the fleet based on the learnings from the pilot.

"We are happy to announce this collaboration which aims to accelerate our shift to more sustainable road transport. This project enables us to explore and learn about the challenges and opportunities in the deployment of electric transport operations at scale and its interdependencies in a larger transport network", says Małgorzata Dobies-Turulska, Managing Director of IKEA Industry Zbąszynek.

"We are excited to work together with IKEA and Raben Group towards more sustainable truck transport. IKEA and Raben both have ambitious climate goals, just like Volvo. This project will give us valuable insights and constitutes a good basis for an extended collaboration in the future", says Robert Grozdanovski, SVP Europe Central East & East, Volvo Trucks.

"For Raben Group, this project is the first step in decarbonising our fleet, driving towards the ambitious CO₂ reduction plans recently scientifically approved by Science Based Targets (SBTi) experts. This is also an important project for the full truckload transportation process. We are one of the first logistics companies in Europe to undertake the ambitious challenge of running an electric truck working with a 24-ton trailer. The future of electrified heavy transport starts today", says Piotr Banasiak, Managing Director at Raben Transport.

*Compared to the baseline year 2017 (this excludes last-mile deliveries to customers).

About Volvo

Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 13 countries across the globe. In 2021 approximately 123,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment, and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks' work is based on the core values of quality, safety, and environmental care.

About Raben

Raben Group is a logistics provider that offers comprehensive TFL services: contract logistics, road network (domestic, international and East), Fresh Logistics, FTL & intermodal transport, sea and air freight. It is a family-owned company that originated in the Netherlands and now has more than 160 own branches in 15 European countries, over 10,000 employees. It manages approximately 1,300,000 m2 of warehouse capacity, and each day it sends over 9,000 trucks on the roads. The Group offers logistics "with a human face" for over 90 years now. Partnership and trust are part of its style of cooperation. Raben wants to be the drive that will not only keep the world on the way but also will make it better and greener. Therefore, it consistently implements its sustainable development strategy based on three pillars: responsible organisation, environmental protection and social impact.

About IKEA Industry

The IKEA Industry, part of the Inter IKEA Group, is the world's leading wooden furniture manufacturer and an integral part of the IKEA value chain. IKEA Industry has 38 production units in 21 locations in 8 countries and employs over 18,300 co-workers. IKEA Industry Zbąszynek is the world's largest furniture manufacturing complex consisting of 5 factories in the neighbouring towns of Zbąszyń, Zbąszynek and Babimost in western Poland, with a total number of co-workers close to 3,500. These factories supply IKEA stores with furniture from families like KALLAX, LACK, BESTA, EKET and many more.

About IKEA

IKEA offers well-designed, functional, and affordable, high-quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA Brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.

About the IKEA franchise system

The IKEA retail business is operated through a franchise system with franchisees that are authorised to market and sell the IKEA product range within specified geographical territories. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the owner of the IKEA Concept and worldwide IKEA franchisor, who also assigns different IKEA companies to develop the product range, supply products and deliver communication solutions. Today, 12 different groups of companies have the right to own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V.

About Inter IKEA Group

Inter IKEA Group includes Inter IKEA Systems B.V., IKEA of Sweden AB, IKEA Supply AG, and IKEA Industry AB related businesses. Inter IKEA Holding B.V. is the holding company for the Inter IKEA Group.