ALDI coordinates the substantial part of its European IT network from Pécs - VIDEO REPORT

ALDI coordinates the substantial part of its European IT network from Pécs - VIDEO REPORT

2019. 09. 02.

Dr. David Godschalk, Managing Director, ALDI International IT Services

ALDI substantively expands the competence and headcount of its Information Technology service centre in Pécs. The headcount of the centre nearly doubles, therefore the operation of the IT system of 3,800 European ALDI stores, as well as 55 logistics centres is provided from Hungary in Hungarian, German, English, Italian, Slovenian and French languages.

The eponymous Albrecht family, which is still the owner, opened their first store in 1912, and established the still successful food discount store philosophy by 1962; the name ALDI (ALbrecht DIscount) was also created in the same year. Shortly after, the continuously expanding store network with over 300 stores at the time was divided. ALDI NORD supplies ALDI Northern and Eastern Germany in its homeland, German network, while ALDI SÜD provides for Western and Southern Germany. The division was also realized on an international level: Hungary belongs to the scope of ALDI SÜD. ALDI SÜD is currently present in 11 countries on 4 continents with some 6,300 stores, and employs over 150,000 associates.

ALDI Magyarország Élelmiszer Bt. opened the first store of its network in Hungary in 2008, and is currently present in the Hungarian retail trade with 140 stores employing some 3,300 associates country-wide. ALDI is the first retail chain store in Hungary, which covers the electricity demand for its entire network from green electricity. Afterwards, from 2018 ALDI Hungary became carbon-neutral, i.e. offset the greenhouse gas emissions from operative activities by supporting climate protection projects, moreover, according to the plans, they will use 100% recycled packaging materials for their own brand products by 2025.

The ALDI SÜD company group decided in 2012 to establish the new unit providing IT support for their European stores in the framework of its Hungarian subsidiary. The IT department, which was launched in the Logistics Centre of Biatorbágy in 2013, provided first-level IT support for the orderly operations of stores covering IT equipment and applications for 3.300 stores in the first year. For the results exceeding expectations and the ever-increasing tasks, a new IT unit was founded in Pécs in 2018, furthermore, the service was organised under an independent company, ALDI International IT Services Ltd. (ALDI IIT).

Today, the company supports ‒ among other things ‒ the operations of the new IT system of the ALDI SÜD company group, guarantees the problem-free, smooth operations of the IT systems of more than 3,800 European ALDI stores and 55 logistics centres, furthermore, the monitoring activity for the company's certain IT systems from Hungary. Besides Hungarian, the company's professionals provide support in German, English, Italian, Slovenian and French languages. As the result of the recently announced service expansion, new positions have become available for the employees of Pécs and its vicinity; hence the headcount of the centre nearly doubles and reaches 150 people.