[Greenbuilding] IKEA North American Factory

[Khalil Hassan]

I realize the discussion is more about their products, any thoughts on 
how green their construction practices are?

Khalil



PLANS UNDER WAY FOR IKEA PLANT

Company hopes to hire its first batch of employees by March and be fully 
operational by 2008.

By Mac McLean
Register & Bee staff writer

DANVILLE - Swedwood, IKEA's furniture manufacturing subsidiary, will 
begin laying the foundation for its first North American factory in 
January. By March, the company hopes to hire its first batch of employees.

On Oct. 13, Swedwood announced plans to build its first North American 
plant in Danville. Over the next several years, the company plans to 
create 740 new jobs and invest $281 million in the Dan River Region. 
Officials have not yet worked out a pay scale for the jobs.

Two Swedwood executives met with city officials Thursday morning to 
explain their plans for the factory.

Swedwood North America Vice President Jörgen Lindquist said that the 
company hopes to finish grading the site for the 1 million-square-foot 
factory - a building five times the size of Danville's Wal-Mart - and 
pouring concrete for the structure by January.

The company hopes to hire its plant manager and human resources manager 
by January as well, according to Swedwood North America President Bengt 
Danielsson. Once these executives are in place, Danielsson said the 
company would hire a core team of 15 to 25 supervisors and key operators 
for the factory by March.

"It's very important to have teams that can work without supervision," 
Danielsson said. "It's a process industry rather than a furniture industry."

Danielsson said a number of things would separate Swedwood's 
manufacturing processes from the traditional style of manufacturing used 
in tobacco and textiles.

He said the company's production schedules require employees to be able 
to operate their machinery to make one product and then adjust their 
equipment to make a different product almost instantly and with little 
or no supervision.

Danielsson said these processes require a group of workers who could 
work as part of a team, but also think individually and show individual 
initiative. Prospective employees also would have to have some 
experience or training with automated manufacturing systems.

Danville Community College President Carlyle Ramsey said graduates of 
his school's two-year machining, electronics or general engineering 
technology programs would make great candidates for the jobs at 
Swedwood. He also compared Swedwood's manufacturing style and culture 
with those used at Columbia Flooring and Essel Propak.

Danville Economic Development Director Ron Bunch said applicant interest 
forms for Swedwood would be available through the Virginia Employment 
Commission. He said Swedwood would contact people who had filled out 
these forms when the company was ready to start hiring.

Danielsson said he would send Swedwood's core team of employees to 
Poland for two to three months of on-site training at a Swedwood 
facility. This group also would be responsible for installing the 
Danville plant's equipment, which Danielsson hopes to start shipping 
over in the spring.

Danville's Swedwood factory is expected to become fully operational by 
January 2008. Danielsson said he plans to have a total trained workforce 
of 80 to 100 people when the factory opens and that he plans to hire 10 
more employees each month as his business continues to grow.

"We expect to put two or more factories on the same site," he said, 
describing Swedwood's full growth expectations providing there is enough 
demand for its products.


PLANT TIMELINE



Here's a quick rundown of the events surrounding construction and 
employment prospects for Swedwood's Danville factory.



JANUARY 2007: Company plans to finish grading the site for its factory 
and start pouring the plant's concrete foundation. Hopes to hire 
executives, including plant manager and human resources manager.



MARCH 2007: Company plans to start moving equipment into plant and 
hiring its core team of 15 to 25 supervisors and key operators. These 
people will be sent to Poland for two-three months of training. 
Prospective applicants need to fill out a job interest form at the 
Virginia Employment Commission.



JANUARY 2008: Danville factory is set to become fully  operational. It 
will employ 80 to 100 people and begin hiring an average of 10 new 
employees a month as the company continues to grow.