Type
Offshoring/Delocalisation
Country
Norway
Region
Norge; Oslo og Akershus; Akershus
Location of affected unit(s)
Lørenskog
Sector
Retail
Retail Trade, Except Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles
Retail Sale Of Other Household Equipment In Specialised Stores
47.54 - Retail sale of electrical household appliances in specialised stores
New offshoring locations
Denmark

122 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
23 January 2017
Employment effect (start)
1 March 2017
Foreseen end date
1 July 2017

Description

Consumer electronics retailer Elkjøp is consolidating its Nordic customer support centre into one location in Copenhagen, Denmark. 122 employees at the existing Norwegian customer support centre in Lørenskog will be dismissed unless they agree to relocate to Denmark. The restructuring will also entail a staff reduction in Sweden. Employees were informed of the relocation on 23 January 2017. The new customer service centre in Copenhagen is set to gradually take over the customer calls currently handled by the Norwegian centre. The process is set to start on 1 March and to be completed by 1 July 2017, when the Norwegian customer centre closes, leaving all 122 employees (90 full-time equivalents) without a job in the country. Employees expressed surprise and shock about the sudden decision, and some criticised the short time span and lack of warning given to employees.

Elkjøp, known as Elgiganten outside Norway, is the largest consumer electronics retailer in the Nordic countries, with 400 stores in six countries and around 10,000 employees.


Sources

  • 23 January 2017: Romerikes Blad
  • 23 January 2017: VG

Citation

Eurofound (2017), Elkjøp, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Norway, factsheet number 90150, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/90150.