Mercedes-Benz Plant Berlin to Become High-Tech Location for Components to Reduce CO2
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- Company and works council agree on a transformation for the Berlin plant in Marienfelde, safeguarding jobs for the long term
- Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management: “At Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations, we have achieved another important milestone for making ourselves even more flexible and efficient: With the agreed transformation plan, we are developing the Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin into a high-tech location for producing components with technologies to reduce CO2 emissions. In doing so, we are creating a very good outlook for the future of the Daimler Group's oldest production facility in operation.”
- Dr. Hansgeorg Niefer, Site Manager Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant: “We are continuing to invest in the future of our Berlin location, with investment totaling around 500 million euros, including around 150 million euros this year.”
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Ute Hass, Chairwoman of the Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant Works Council: “The agreement sends a clear, positive signal to the workforce: the plant is participating in the industry's current growth and prospects for the future. This secures employment for the long term.”
BERLIN -- May 22, 2015; Daimler continues to back Berlin as
a location. The company is investing a total of around 500 million euros in
the Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin, which is being developed into a
high-tech facility for component production. This is part of the
transformation plan agreed between the company and the Works Council, which
will secure employment at the location for the long term. The Group's
oldest production facility in operation is already an important part of the
powertrain production network at Mercedes-Benz Cars. In the future, Berlin
will be a global center of competence for the production of the innovative
CAMTRONIC engine management system, giving it a unique position within the
production network.
Markus Schäfer, Member of
the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain
Management: “At Mercedes-Benz Cars Operations, we have achieved
another important milestone for making ourselves even more flexible and
efficient: With the agreed transformation plan, we are developing the
Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin into a high-tech location for producing
components with technologies to reduce CO2 emissions. In doing
so, we are creating a very good outlook for the future of the Daimler
Group's oldest production facility in operation.”
The Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin, which was established in
1902, and its more than 2,500 employees develop and produce
state-of-the-art components and parts made using environmentally-friendly
manufacturing technologies. These play an important part in reducing
vehicle CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the V6-cylinder diesel
engine is produced in Berlin. With the agreement of this transformation
plan, the plant is continuing to push forward its development into a
high-tech component manufacturing facility, focusing on the expansion of
capacity for state-of-the-art products that set the company apart from the
competition. In addition to high-precision transmission parts, camshaft
adjusters and fuel systems, these include the CAMTRONIC valve timing system
that will be the subject of the majority of the agreed investment.
“We are continuing to invest in the future of
our Berlin location, with investment totaling around 500 million euros,
including around 150 million euros this year,” said Dr. Hansgeorg
Niefer, Site Manager Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant.
Ute Hass, Chairwoman of the Mercedes-Benz Berlin plant
Works Council: “The agreement sends a clear, positive signal to the
workforce: the plant is participating in the industry's current growth and
prospects for the future. This secures employment for the long term.
Increasing the number of training positions and hiring another 15 people
are a sign that the company will continue to back the Berlin location and
its highly qualified employees in the future.”
Another element of the transformation plan for the
Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin is the agreement on safeguarding the supply
of junior talent for the next three years. Starting in 2016, the number of
vocational training positions at the location will be increased to 24 a
year. This represents an increase of 20 percent in the technical vocational
training offered. The training offered at Berlin includes the vocations of
mechatronic technician and cutting machine operator.
“The agreements now reached in connection with the
transformation plan put the entire production of the Mercedes-Benz plant in
Berlin on a modern and competitive footing – and represent a clear
commitment to our location in the capital,” said Peter Schabert, Head
of Powertrain Production and Site Manager Mercedes-Benz Untertürkheim
plant.
About the CAMTRONIC valve lift
adjustment from Mercedes-Benz
CAMTRONIC
is an innovative engine management system that reduces an engine's
CO2 emissions. It optimizes fuel consumption in the engine's
frequently used lower partial load range by reducing losses relating to
load change behavior. Mercedes-Benz equips its 1.6-liter variant of the
M270 four-cylinder gasoline engine with the intake valve lift adjustment
amongst others. The system operates mechanically, but is served by an
electronically controlled actuator. The intake camshaft is made up of
several components: two hollowed-drilled sub- shafts of equal size are
mounted on the carrier shaft. The first sub shaft controls the intake
valves of cylinders 1 and 2, and the second those of cylinders 3 and 4. The
cams themselves take the form of a double-cam with two curved surfaces. The
surface operating the valves via roller-type rocker arms is only half as
wide as on a conventional cam, therefore the space requirement is the same.
When the steeper half of the cam is active, the valve lift is increased and
the valves remain open for longer. Switching to the flatter half of the cam
shortens the valve lift and the valves close sooner.
Further information about the CAMTRONIC from Mercedes-Benz
is available online: http://daimler.cms-gomex.com/camtronic_of_mercedes-benz
class=c2cClassNewWindow>
About
the Powertrain Production Network of Mercedes-Benz Cars
The powertrain production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars
comprises several locations in Germany and other countries. The
Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin, the Group's oldest production facility in
operation, is an important part of the network. The facility focuses on
developing and producing state-of-the-art components and parts that are
manufactured using environmentally friendly production technologies.
Furthermore, the V6-cylinder diesel engine is produced here. There are more
than 2,500 employees working at the location.
In
its total of six sub-plants, the Mercedes-Benz plant in Untertürkheim,
Germany, produces the heart of the automobile: engines, transmissions,
axles and related components. The plant is the center of competence in the
global powertrain production network of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The
Mercedes-Benz plant in Hamburg, Germany, develops and produces axles and
axle components, steering columns and components for exhaust technology and
lightweight structural components. The MDC Power engine factory in Kölleda,
Germany, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG and produces
four-cylinder engines for Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG vehicles.
Further powertrain production capacities are located
in other countries. This includes Daimler's Romanian subsidiary Star
Transmission for the assembly of transmissions and the production of
components and parts, as well as engine plants in Beijing, China, as part
of a joint venture, and the Infiniti plant in Decherd, Tennessee, USA, as
part of the strategic partnership between Daimler and the Renault/Nissan
Alliance.
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, 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.