DaimlerChrysler Plans New Plant in SC; BMW Spartanburg Readies for Revamp

Washington DC November 28, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that DaimlerChrysler AG is expected to announce today plans to open a new production plant in North Charleston, South Carolina to assemble its Sprinter vans, reports AP. Daimler says the new 460,000-square-foot plant, an investment which could range from $30-$40 million, will employ between 200 and 300 workers, with hopes of expanding to a payroll of 1,800 by 2010.

DCX will begin work on the already existing site as early as January, and will likely have the assembly line up and running by the end of 2006, SC newspapers reported.

In other news, BMW is quickly making way for a revamp of its Z4 roadster assembly line, making way for a single flexible line capable of producing both the Z4 and the X5, with room for more models in the future, according to Automotive News.

The 4,000 workers at the plant will receive a paid four-week holiday in December, rather than the usual two weeks, in order to provide room to get the line up and running, which is expected to occur early January.