17. July 2025, 18:29 o'Clock
France
Article: More rail, less road: IKEA shifts to rail for deliveries to Paris
DB Cargo France, the PORTMANN Group and logistics partners launch a sustainable intermodal service to supply IKEA stores in the Greater Paris area.
From flat-pack furniture to freight trains – IKEA is now going greener in logistics too.
With a new intermodal rail service, IKEA, the PORTMANN Group and DB Cargo France are making sustainable logistics a reality. Since June 30, freight trains have been running five times a week from the IKEA depot in Metz (Moselle), via Champigneulles, to Valenton, serving the Greater Paris area – and saving serious CO₂ along the way.
The goal: fewer trucks on the roads, more freight on rail. The new connection replaces up to 24,000 truck journeys per year – a major milestone for IKEA and a strong signal for greener supply chains.
From left to right: Roland Heizmann, President of the PORTMANN Group & Director of Swiss Post Cargo, Claes Lindgren, Head of Transport and Logistics Services at IKEA Supply Chain Operations, Jean-Michel Bauer, CEO PORTMANN Group, David Teixeira, Country Fulfilment and Supply Chain Manager IKEA France, Alexandre Gallo, Managing Director DB Cargo France and David Urbach, Head of Development at the PORTMANN Group
A first for IKEA in France: This marks the company’s first full-scale use of rail to supply all its stores in the Paris region. The project was made possible through close cooperation between DB Cargo France, the PORTMANN Group (part of Swiss Post Cargo), terminal operators Novatrans and Rhenus, and additional logistics partners along the route.
“DB Cargo France is proud to launch its first intermodal service as a combined transport operator. With IKEA as the majority customer, we’re excited to offer this service to other logistics providers looking to reach Eastern France.”, says Alexandre Gallo, CEO of DB Cargo France
Strong partnership, strong impact: working together for sustainable supply chains
For the PORTMANN Group, this is another big leap toward the future. “Multimodality is not a trend for us – it’s a necessity. This service alone allows us to save more than 2,400 tons of CO₂ per year,” says Jean-Michel Bauer, CEO of the PORTMANN Group.
The benefits are clear: combining rail and truck transport not only reduces emissions, but also eases traffic on France’s congested roads – especially in busy regions like Paris. At the same time, it helps stabilize supply chains by reducing dependency on road transport alone.
IKEA sees great potential in this model: “This new transport flow into the Paris region will remove over 6,000 trucks from the road each year. It’s a concrete step toward our long-term goal: making IKEA more accessible and affordable while reducing our environmental impact,” says David Teixeira, Country Fulfilment Manager at IKEA France.
Strong partners are behind this service:
- DB Cargo France: Rail operation and coordination
- PORTMANN-Gruppe: Transport logistics, part of Swiss Post Cargo
- Novatrans (Groupe Charles André): Terminal operator Valenton
- Rhenus Group: Terminal operator Metz
This pioneering partnership proves that logistics can be smart, sustainable – and commercially viable.And customers in Paris can now pick up their BILLY bookshelves with an even clearer conscience.
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