Recruitment Underway for Store Opening Spring 2007 in Draper, Utah

Contact: Joseph Roth at (610) 834-0180, x 6500

DRAPER, UT, October 24, 2006 - IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today announced the recruitment program for its future Utah store, opening Spring 2007 south of Salt Lake City, in the City of Draper. The store will be the Swedish company’s first store in the Mountain West and 30th in the U.S. (Until the 310,000 square-foot future IKEA Draper opens in Spring 2007, Utah customers can shop at IKEA stores in Covina, CA; Tempe, AZ; West Sacramento; or they can shop online at www.IKEA.com.)

Candidates interested in working at the much-heralded employer of choice should look (www.IKEA-usa.com) for all positions available at the future IKEA Draper store. Candidates with limited access to computers are encouraged to visit their local recreation centers as well as local libraries where staff members are prepared for residents to navigate the IKEA application process on the Internet.

Named in FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list (two consecutive years), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of the “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (four consecutive years) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100” ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (four consecutive years), IKEA places value and emphasis on coworkers’ personal lives and the importance of a work/life balance.

“We are thrilled to offer interested jobseekers in the area diverse positions with limitless opportunity at a global company,” said Joseph Roth, IKEA public affairs director. “At IKEA, we realize that the opportunity to be able to do the things in life that bring success and happiness is extremely valuable to our coworkers.”

While the future IKEA Draper progresses through construction and outfitting phases, a variety of leadership positions are open to local residents. Moreover, prospective coworkers soon will be welcome to apply for the almost 350 diverse coworker positions as the postings become available in: home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment. Also, setting itself apart from other retailers in the area, IKEA Draper will offer – among the 350 total positions to be hired for the store – approximately 80 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Café Bistro and coworker cafeteria.

Drawing from the company’s Swedish heritage, IKEA is committed to a flexible workplace that emphasizes a work/life balance and provides professional opportunities to people from all life situations. If an IKEA coworker needs to take time off to find a
nursing home for an aging parent, be home to kiss their child before bed or have flexible scheduling to best juggle caring for a newborn, one can do so without worrying about risking their career aspirations.

IKEA offers family-friendly initiatives and diverse workplace benefits including full medical/dental insurance to coworkers working 20 hours or more per week with eligibility for domestic partners and children. Coworkers working less than 20 hours still are eligible for medical and dental insurance too.

Other benefits include: vacation, paid maternity/paternity leave and paid time off for child adoption, tuition assistance, 401(k) match, professional development, training and mentoring programs and, of course, a discount on IKEA purchases. The organization puts career opportunity into the hands of the individual, encouraging coworkers to consider assignments within different functions, at other IKEA stores or even in other countries.

Under construction on 22.5 acres along Pony Express Drive at the northwestern corner of I-15 and Bangerter Highway, the future IKEA Draper will present 50 different room settings, three complete homes, a supervised children’s play area, and a 300-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries or salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a Children’s IKEA area in the showroom, baby care rooms, preferred parking and play areas throughout the store. Also, IKEA will generate significant sales and property tax revenue for local governments. When IKEA Draper opens in Spring 2007, the new store will welcome 350 coworkers to the IKEA family of more than 10,000 coworkers in the United States and 90,000 globally.

There currently are more than 240 IKEA stores in 34 countries, including 28 in the U.S., where the company plans to open three to five stores a year. Other U.S. stores are being planned in: Brooklyn, NY; Dublin, CA; Orlando, FL; Portland, OR; Round Rock, TX; Somerville, MA; Sunrise, FL; and West Chester, OH.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” List (two years in a row), Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” (four years in a row) and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100” ranking of companies that excel at human capital development (four years in a row). IKEA incorporates environmentally and socially responsible efforts into day-to-day business, and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. To visit the IKEA Web site or for information about working at IKEA, please go to http://www.IKEA-usa.com.