IKEA introduces special Allison-equipped vehicles at its Swedish distribution centres
08/02/2017
Furniture and home furnishing retailer, IKEA, has introduced specially-designed Scania tractors at its two distribution centres in Sweden. For efficiency and comfort, they are equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 Series™ transmissions.
The oldest distribution centre, in Älmhult, consists of two warehouses a few hundred metres apart. Between them, goods are transported by five vehicles in two shifts between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. every day. Every vehicle makes about 50 transports per shift, or 500 per day.
The truck fleet in Älmhult consists of one road tractor, two flexi-trucks and two vehicles operating in the warehouse area. The road tractor and the flexi-trucks are Scanias equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 SeriesTM transmissions. The new special trucks feature a moved forward, low-entry cab. The bodies on the flexi-trucks can be swapped.
"Over the next few years, we are updating our truck fleet and replacing the existing warehouse tractors with considerably more effective and comfortable road tractors and flexi-trucks equipped with Allison transmissions," said Heléna Persson, an internal hauler team leader at the IKEA distribution center in Älmhult.
"We have been very satisfied with fully automatic transmission-equipped vehicles throughout the years. The oldest Euro 3 truck has been in service in our fleet for 14 years,” said Persson. "With that one, and all other Allison-fitted vehicles, we never experience transmission-related failures. Other than regular oil and filter changes, there is nothing else they require. Fully automatic transmissions are a perfect solution for our kind of transports.”
Globally, IKEA’s logistics operation is handled by its 33 distribution centers. The two facilities in Sweden deliver products to 37 stores in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
Andreas Gustavsson, a driver and fork truck operator, says the increased comfort with road trucks and flexi-trucks comes from softer and more efficient acceleration thanks to the transmission and more comfortable compartments. With low turnover at the facility, the crew of 19 drivers appears to agree.
IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in the Swedish town Älmhult. Today, the company is headquartered in Leiden, the Netherlands, and is still operated by the Kamprad family. The IKEA brand can be found in the top 100 list of the world's most valuable brands.
IKEA‘s road tractor and the flexi-trucks are produced by Scania and equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 Series™ transmissions. The trucks also feature a moved forward, low-entry cab.
"Fully automatic transmissions are a perfect solution for our kind of transports," said Heléna Persson of the IKEA distribution center in Älmhult.
The difference between road tractors and flexi-trucks is that the flexi-trucks can also carry swap bodies. Both are equipped with Allison transmissions.
Globally, IKEA’s logistics operation is handled by its 33 distribution centers. The two facilities in Sweden deliver products to 37 stores in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.
For its distribution centers in Sweden, IKEA’s road tractors and the flexi-trucks are produced by Scania and equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 SeriesTM transmissions.
