La salle de presse

Scania tractors feature unique cab and fully automatic 3000 Series™ transmissions IKEA recently introduced a new specially-designed Scania tractor at each of its distribution centers in Sweden. For efficiency and comfort, they are equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 Series™ transmissions.

“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.

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.

The oldest distribution center, in Älmhult, consists of two warehouses a few hundred meters apart. Between them, goods are transported by five vehicles in two shifts between 6 and 23 o’clock every day. Every vehicle makes about 50 transports per shift, which means about 500 transports every day.

“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.”

The truck fleet in Älmhult consists of one road tractor, two flexi-trucks and two vehicles operating in warehouse area. The road tractor and the flexi-trucks are produced by Scania and equipped with fully automatic Allison 3000 SeriesTM transmissions. The new special trucks feature a moved forward, low-entry cab. The difference between road tractors and flexi-trucks is that the latter can also carry swap bodies.

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 appear 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 still operated by the Kamprad family. The IKEA brand can be found in the top 100 list of world’s most valuable brands.