Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Plant: Production of Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe Starts in the U.S.
- Start of new model series at the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant
- Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management: “The production launch of the GLE Coupé is an important milestone in our growth strategy. In 2015 we will renew almost our full SUV portfolio and have therefore built up our capacities in the U.S. Together with the C‑Class, we will produce more than 300,000 vehicles in Tuscaloosa this year.”
- Jason Hoff, President and CEO of MBUSI: “For more than 20 years, we have been sucessfully building sport utility vehicles in Alabama for the world market. We have had three keys to our success here. First, we have an excellent partnership with the State of Alabama. Second, we are integrated in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz. And third, we have a fantastic workforce that continues to put in 100 % of effort every day.”
TUSCALOOSA, MISSISSIPPI/STUTTGART, GERMANY -- April 9,
2015: Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. (MBUSI) today
celebrated production of the first customer-ready all-new GLE Coupé.
“The production launch of the GLE Coupé is an
important milestone in our growth strategy. In 2015 we will renew almost
our full SUV portfolio and have therefore built up our capacities in the
U.S. Together with the C‑Class, we will produce more than 300,000
vehicles in Tuscaloosa this year,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the
Divisional Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply
Chain Management, at the ceremony held to celebrate the production launch
of the new model in the Mercedes-Benz plant Tuscaloosa (Mercedes-Benz U.S.
International – MBUSI). The event was attended by numerous guests,
including Alabama Governor Robert Bentley.
Mercedes-Benz has dubbed 2015 as the year of the SUV for
the brand, with the majority of its SUV portfolio being renewed, including
the model update of the GLE (former M-Class). The GLE Coupé is a completely
new series of Mercedes-Benz. It combines typical attributes of a coupé with
the versatility and robust nature of a SUV. Mercedes‑Benz thus
expects additional sales momentum in this year. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz Cars
as a whole set new records with over 1.75 million vehicles produced and
more than 1.74 million sold.
In March 2015,
Mercedes-Benz increased its U.S. sales by 9.2 percent to 29,921 passenger
cars and set a new sales record on monthly basis. Sales of C-Class
increased by almost 35 percent to 7,635 units. In the first quarter, U.S.
sales grew by 7.6 percent to 78,156 passenger cars. Worldwide sales of
Mercedes-Benz in the first three months of 2015 increased around 14.8
percent to 429,602 units, making it the first quarter with the strongest
sales in the history of Mercedes-Benz. The SUV models enjoy great
popularity: Since the beginning of the year, sales grew by 31.9 percent to
107,321 vehicles.
“For more than 20 years,
we have been successfully building sport utility vehicles in Alabama for
the world market. We have had three keys to our success here. First, we
have an excellent partnership with the State of Alabama. Second, we are
integrated in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz. And third, we
have a fantastic workforce that continues to put in 100 % of effort every
day,” says Jason Hoff, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S.
International, Inc.
To date, Mercedes-Benz has
made a $4.5 billion capital investment in the Tuscaloosa operations.
Besides the models GLE and GL, Plant Tuscaloosa has built the C-Class sedan
since 2014. Production of R-Class vehicles will be moved to the U.S.
contract manufacturer AM-General in Mishawaka, Indiana, which will
gradually free production capacities to be used for the SUV series. In
2014, MBUSI produced more than 232,000 vehicles.
“As part of our growth strategy, we are expanding our
global production network and use additional capacities of our contract
manufacturers as well. So we are increasing flexibility and efficiency of
our production organization. Our global production standards guarantee the
world-renowned high quality of our Mercedes‑Benz vehicles,
independent of their production site,” said Markus Schäfer.
About the Mercedes-Benz GLE
Coupé
Mercedes-Benz is combining two
classes of vehicle – each with its own distinct style – to make
a new model, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. The sporty nature of a coupé
dominates, imbued with the striking characteristics of a robust SUV. In
addition to convincing on-road vehicle dynamics, the GLE Coupé looks
impressive as well. With its flowing side contour, elongated and low
greenhouse, striking radiator grille with central chrome louvre and rear
end design, the GLE Coupé cites styling features typical of particularly
sporty Mercedes-Benz models. The GLE Coupé feels like a true sports coupé
right from the word go. Despite the similarity to an SUV with its raised
seating position and an all-round view that is expansive for a coupé, the
occupants are led to believe that they are in sports rather than off-road
mode. The sound is reminiscent of powerful sports cars and, combined with
the spontaneous and direct response to all commands, is guaranteed to get
your pulse racing. On the other hand, it can also create a superior feeling
of calm, coupled with unshakably serene driving dynamics. These two
different worlds can normally only be experienced in two separate vehicles
– an agile, thoroughbred sports coupé and an easy-going, comfortable
SUV. But the new GLE Coupé is different: DYNAMIC SELECT enables a wide
spread in the driving dynamics and combines these diametrical worlds of
experience in a single vehicle – an automobile premiere.
About the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa
plant
The Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa
plant (Mercedes-Benz U.S. International - MBUSI) was founded in 1995 and
started production of the M-Class in 1997. The plant added the R-Class in
2005, the GL in 2006, and the new C-Class sedan for the North American
market in 2014. In 2014, the plant produced more than 232,000 vehicles. To
date, more than 2.1 million vehicles have rolled off the plant's line for
customers around the world.
About
Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations
Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations is responsible for passenger
car production at 26 locations around the world as part of a flexible and
efficient production network involving more than 70,000 employees. This
includes the central functions of planning, Technology Fab, logistics and
quality. Mercedes-Benz Cars produced more than 1,754,000 Mercedes-Benz and
smart passenger cars last year, marking the fourth record in a row.
The network is based on the product architectures of
front-wheel drive (compact cars) and rear-wheel drive (for example the
S-Class, E-Class, and C-Class) as well as the SUV and sports car
architectures. In addition, there is a powertrain production network
(engines, transmissions, axles and components). Each of these production
networks is grouped around a lead plant that serves as a center of
competence for the ramp-up of new products, technology and quality
assurance.
The focus of day-to-day work is on
the continuous improvement and refinement of state-of-the-art production
methods, which allow future high-tech vehicles to be produced in a way that
is efficient, flexible and environmentally friendly, according to the
typical Mercedes-Benz quality standards. All of this revolves around the
employees and their expertise, whose work is systematically supported by
ergonomic workplace design and intelligent automation. In addition to its
own production plants, Mercedes-Benz is increasingly leveraging
partnerships and utilizing capacities at contract manufacturers as part of
its growth strategy.