IKEA Industry has a total of 43 production facilities in 9 countries across the world with approximately 20.000 employees. We kicked off the pilot project for cultivating fast-growing trees in Slovakia as the soil offers ideal conditions for the trees themselves.
You’re asking why?
Light and sandy soils are typical in the Záhorie region and these soils are unsuitable for many crops, but favourable for poplars. The climactic conditions in Western Slovakia are favourable to cultivating poplars.
Plantations of fast-growing trees are only permitted in soils with quality classified into class 5 to class 9 (sometimes class 3 and 4 under specific conditions). There is ample land in these soil quality classes around our facility in Malacky.
Slovak legislation, the location of IKEA Industry’s facilities in Europe, the accessibility of arable land, natural conditions and support from the European Union have all come together to enable Slovakia to be the pilot country for IKEA Industry’s efforts to cultivate fast-growing trees.
CHRISTOPH LEIBING, IKEA Industry program manager
“Planting is automated, but our project still generates numerous jobs in the region, especially for those with low-level qualifications, who can manage the plantations during the growing season.”
How is the wood from out plantations used?
IKEA Industry in Malacky will then process wood from our own plantations, thereby reducing the transport distances for materials and reducing the fossil fuels needed for such transport. The wood that is delivered to our facility in Malacky is shredded, mixed with adhesive and pressed into boards. These are then used to produce IKEA’s popular products.
