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Mercedes-Benz Plant Berlin to Become High-Tech Location for Components to Reduce CO2


mercedes berlin plant (select to view enlarged photo)
Mercedes-Benz Berlin Plant, Germany: Assembly of the Mercedes-Benz V6 diesel engine OM642

  • 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.”
  • 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.