Mercedes-Benz Achieves Production Milestone in Vitoria, Spain

VITORIA, Spain – December 5, 2008: A production milestone in Daimler AG's Vitoria plant has just been set: the 500,000th model from the current Mercedes-Benz Vito/Viano series has rolled off the assembly line.

The black Viano 3.0 CDI will shortly be presented to its proud new owner in Utrecht in The Netherlands. Production of the second generation of the Vito and the Viano MPV got underway here in the North of Spain in the first quarter of 2003. During a small ceremony held at the factory, plant manager Emilio Titos Leyva expressed his thanks and appreciation to the employees.

Vast experience bred by a long tradition
With a history that dates back 54 years, the Vitoria plant in Spain's Basque region ranks as one of Europe's most experienced van factories. At the same time, however, it is the most sophisticated of its kind too, having been completely refurbished for the start-up of series production of the current Mercedes-Benz Vito and Viano in 2003.

The plant is now a prime example of state-of-the-art van and MPV manufacture. On top of this, the plant with its workforce of over 3000 employees is of fundamental economic importance to the region.

Around 80 percent of the parts required arrive just in time or even just in sequence. That is, in the exact order in which the vehicles are assembled. The Industry Park (I-Park) of six supplier firms that is located on the plant's premises each have a key role to play in this. Here, substantial modules are first assembled before being transported a short distance directly to the corresponding production station.

Precision begins in the automated Bodyshop
The Bodyshop for the Vito and Viano is 93 percent automated and employs state-of-the-art methods such as laser technology for cutting and welding.

The bodyshell of a Vito or Viano is composed of over 400 individual parts. This calls for utmost precision: the production robots operate with an impressive repeat accuracy of only 0.2 mm maximum deviation.

Endless diversity of parts in Final Assembly
Multiplying the variants of the Vito and Viano by all the items of equipment, you soon realise there are literally millions of possible combinations.

Final Assembly is able to handle such variety thanks to a supply system that works like clockwork.

Here, a body is transformed into a vehicle, with first the equipment features then the drive technology being installed in many different steps.

Manual work is indispensable, yet sometimes robots can do it better, swinging the pre-assembled dashboard into the vehicle with millimetre precision, for example, and bonding the windscreen into place.

Exemplary safety specification
The Vito and Viano are available with a choice of up to four engine variants, three cargo lengths, and two roof heights.

The standard safety specification offered by the Vito and Viano is exemplary: ESP® with built-in additional functions such as Brake Assist and electronic trailer stabilisation (in conjunction with a trailer coupling or the pre-installation for one), a safety body with a high-strength occupant cell, plus airbags combine to give peace of mind out on the road and protect the passengers.