- Aldi Nord opts for wooden construction as standard in new stores.
- By using wooden structures in its retail outlets, the discounter wants to improve its CO2 balance and shorten the construction time.
- Aldi Süd is heading in a similar direction. It also plans to focus more on sustainability.
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Aldi opens. Six new locations in August
New design of Aldi stores
Aldi Nord is opting for wooden construction as the standard for new stores. The costs are to be in line with those for reinforced concrete structures, but the discounter may build new stores a bit faster. A prototype of such a new wooden store was built in Gelsenkirchen. Aldi Nord has opted for wood in about 50 of its 2,200 stores so far.
The innovation involves changing the look of future locations. The current design in dark concrete colors will be replaced with a more sustainable alternative: light wood. When creating new, free-standing facilities, the discounter is putting emphasis on this raw material. "Wood is a renewable raw material and therefore sustainable," it writes on its website.
The use of wood has a particular impact on the load-bearing elements of the stores and, consequently, on the interior design. Aldi wants to create a friendly atmosphere for customers with open ceilings and roof beams made of light wood.
The wooden elements are already prefabricated and only need to be assembled on the construction site. This allows for much faster construction of the shops.
– In the case of independent branches, the preferred option is a wooden structure. Where this is not possible, for example for structural reasons, we adapt to the conditions – says Torsten Janke, Expansion Director at Aldi Nord, quoted by lebensmittelzeitung.net,
CO2 balance and profitability
Thanks to the wooden structure of its retail outlets, the discount store wants to improve its CO2 balance and at the same time shorten the construction time.
– By building a store using a standard wooden structure, we gain two to three weeks. We can complete a new building in less than six months – explains Torsten Janke. – However, the planning period remains the same and is several years – he adds.
Aldi Nord assures that it has gained enough experience to make this construction method economically viable.
– We have optimized our planning and execution processes. We can now build our stores at the same cost as a reinforced concrete structure – the discounter assures.
The sister chain Aldi Süd is heading in a similar direction. It also plans to focus more on sustainability in the future, and therefore on wood as a building material. When the 2000th store was built in Hamminkeln-Mehrhoog, even the flat roof was green, reports merkur.de. Another element of the concept is the installation of a photovoltaic system on the buildings.
The Aldi Nord Group is one of the leading international retail companies. It employs over 91 thousand people in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Poland. The chain of stores in our country, which are subordinate to the Aldi Nord Group, employs over 4,400 people. The chain has over 300 branches. The plan is to create around 60 new ones.
Aldi Süd operates in European countries as well as in Australia, China and the United States. In Slovenia and Austria it operates under the Hofer brand.
