Carrefour Romania hypermarket network is set to create a logistics centre, which, by 2009, will cover almost 5 hectares in the locality of Bucharest. The logistics centre will also house the retailer's direct imports, which rose by 25% after EU integration, a development Carrefour had anticipated as long ago as last year.

The company increased its level of direct imports in the wake of this year's launch of its own clothing label, Tex. Other imported goods witnessing significant sales increases, after the EU integration (due to the elimination of customs duties), could be dairy products, electronics and electrical home appliances. Carrefour owns several regional procurement centres in Europe, from where commodities directly reach the network's domestic warehouses.

The company is likely to invest around 15m euros (according to ZF estimates on the basis of rents) in a 45,000-sqm warehouse facility and 2,000 square metres of office space in Cefin Logistics Park. The space will be taken over in several stages, ending in 2009. "We will look into all the possibilities to increase our national warehousing capacities in line with future expansion," stated Andreea Mihai, marketing manager of Carrefour Romania.

Mihai added that the expansion of logistics capacities was part of the network's strategy for an improvement in its supply of fresh produce through the direct control of fruit and vegetable warehousing. According to statistical data, the takeover of warehouse spaces at Cefin Logistics Park is the biggest rental agreement conducted in its field. Within Cefin, Carrefour will also have access to a 4,000 square metre refrigeration unit for the storage of fresh fruit. Carrefour will continue to outsource part of its logistics services to specialised firms such as Norbert Dentressangle, the retailer's current partner.

If it maintains H1 growth rate, Ca