Daimler has said that it will further expand its US plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From 2015, an entirely new – unidentified – Mercedes-Benz model will roll off the production line as its fifth product.
The plant has been the traditional production site of the brand’s M-, GL-, and R-Class SUVs and will also build the C-Class for the North American market beginning 2014. For the production of the new model, Daimler said it will additionally invest US$ 350 million, and will create some 400 further jobs at the plant.
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Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Daimler Board of Management and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars said: “This new model from the Tuscaloosa plant is an important element of our growth strategy. It is one of the ten additional models which we will introduce within the next four years alone across all segments.” Referring to the Tuscaloosa plant’s role within the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Zetsche added: “At the same time, we are systematically broadening our manufacturing footprint in the NAFTA region.”
Robert Bentley, Governor of the State of Alabama said: “Since the time Mercedes-Benz chose Tuscaloosa County for its first US assembly plant 18 years ago, the company has proven to be an outstanding partner for the state. We join MBUSI in celebrating this milestone, and welcome the hundreds of jobs this announcement brings to Alabama.”
Earlier this year, on the occasion of the Job #1 ceremony of the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class in July, Daimler announced the decision to invest more than US$2 billion in the Tuscaloosa plant (Mercedes-Benz U.S. International – MBUSI). In total, investment in the plant between 2010 and 2014 will thus amount to US$2.4 billion, while the number of newly created jobs will add up to 1,400.
Markus Schaefer, President and CEO of MBUSI, commented on these decisions: “The entire MBUSI team is proud of its role in the success of the models made in Tuscaloosa. We are looking forward to making further important contributions to the product offensive of Mercedes-Benz.”
