Coop Sweden AB: Premiere of the train to Eskilstuna

Solna / SE. (coop) More than 30 percent of Coop’s transports in Sweden are by rail, which replaces 17,000 truck transports annually. Last week, a historic change was made when the Coop train for the first time switched to its new route to Eskilstuna where Coop Sweden AB has built a completely new goods terminal for the country’s more than 800 Coop stores. Coop invests in a new highly automated goods terminal and logistics solution outside Eskilstuna. Operations are up and running and with a gradual escalation, more and more Coop stores are receiving deliveries from the new warehouse. Now another important step is being taken as Coop’s unique freight trains start arriving at the new terminal.

«For almost 15 years, Coop has been transporting food by train as part of our sustainability work. It is a climate- and resource-efficient way to transport goods that fits well into our transport mix. When we were looking for the right place to build Coop’s new goods terminal, access to train tracks was a prerequisite for choosing the site. Now we can run the electric train all the way to loading and unloading and further reduce the climate footprint of our transports,» says Peter Rosendahl, Transport Manager Coop Logistik.

(Photo: Coop Sweden AB)

Started last week, one of two Coop trains will arrive in Eskilstuna daily while the other train remains on the Malmö-Bro route (where one of the current terminals is located). As more stores receive goods from the terminal in Eskilstuna, more goods will take the train to Eskilstuna. Before the summer, the Coop trains will have completely changed the route to run between Malmö and Eskilstuna.

On the way to fossil-free transport

Coop is working to convert all transport to fossil-free fuels. A large part of this has been achieved, as over 30 per cent of Coop’s transport in Sweden is by train. In addition, several transporters use renewable diesel. At the same time, there is still work to be done.

«What mix of fuels and technology we should have in tomorrow’s transport is a strategically important issue for us. Transport must be both time and cost-effective and have as low a climate impact as possible. We have long-distance transport and in residential environments. What we know for sure is that Coop will switch to fossil-free transport, where we still want the train to be central,» says Peter Rosendahl.

Facts about transport by train

Coop is the food chain that transports the most by train in Sweden and has invested in its own trains. Since 2009, Coop trains have been travelling through Sweden every day loaded with Coop’s goods. The train transports mean that Coop annually replaces 17,000 truck transports, corresponding to carbon dioxide emissions of 9,600 tonnes or 20 percent of the climate impact Coop measures and reports each year.