Kaufland spends 80 million euros on second distribution centre

Kaufland, the discount hypermarket network owned by LIDL&Schwartz group, is planning 80 million euros in investments for its second regional distribution centre, located near Turda. The first warehouse will be built by Baumeister, controlled by businessman Dan Adamescu, in one year.

The new logistic centre of Kaufland, the retailer with the biggest investments made during this time of crisis, could create 180 jobs at the German company, local authorities estimate.

This is the second distribution centre of the retailer, after the one opened in Ploie[ti five years ago, when it opened its first stores in Romania. The network currently includes 53 stores and has the biggest expansion budget in the retail sector for 2010, put at 100 million euros.

Kaufland’s initial plan announced in 2005 when it opened its first hypermarkets was to develop the network to 50 stores. The target was reached this year, but considering the retailer will have two distribution centres in Romania in 2011, the new expansion target may be 100 hypermarkets.

The operator expanded its network with 8 hypermarkets outside Bucharest in the first half alone, following investments put at some 70 million euros, and recruitment pace reveals that expansion in 2010 will continue with at least five or six new stores in the second half.