The Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant has been given the go-ahead for an additional model series: the Mercedes-Benz GLC will roll off the production line as of 2022. The company and works council have agreed on this following constructive negotiations.
“With production of the GLC at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant we are putting our global production network on an even more flexible and efficient footing. Alongside premium and luxury class vehicles the plant is now receiving a further volume model in the much-sought-after SUV segment. This sees us sustainably reinforcing the future viability of the site on the one hand. On the other hand this enables us to react optimally to the high demand from our customers”, explains Markus Schäfer, Executive Board member Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain.
The production of the GLC is a step to further increase flexibility of the Sindelfingen plant. Therefore the global Mercedes-Benz production network is able to react even more flexible to market demand.
“It is excellent news for the Sindelfingen plant that we will also produce the Mercedes-Benz GLC in future. Our sustainable strategy to safeguard jobs, employment, and quantities, is proven to be successful. We as works council are very pleased – also for the Sindelfingen site as well as for the region”, commented Ergun Lümali, Chairman of the Works Council at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant.
The GLC has been rolling off the production line at the high-capacity Mercedes-Benz Bremen plant, which is the competence centre for the C-Class and the GLC, since June 2015, at the Chinese production site at Beijing Benz Automotive Corporation (BBAC) in Beijing for the local market since October 2015, and at the production partner Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki, Finland, since the beginning of 2017.
“We are delighted that another model of success is originating from Sindelfingen in the guise of the GLC. This also thanks not least to the work by our highly motivated and experienced employees. With production of the Mercedes-Benz GLA compact SUV, which has been rolling off the “Innovation Factory” production here since the start of 2018, we have already been able to demonstrate that flexibility belongs to our core competencies. The integration of the GLC into the production at the Sindelfingen plant is another step towards the consequent direction of the site’s future competitiveness”, said Michael Bauer, Head of Production of the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant and Site Manager.
In 2014 the Plant Management and works council set the points for the extensive modernisation of the Sindelfingen plant with the future vision. Back then both parties agreed investments totalling 1.5 billion euros. This money is being used to set up a new body-in-white shop, for example, as well as the new “Factory 56” assembly shop which will be of the most modern car production facilities in the world according to the key terms “digital, flexible, green”. An additional 600 million euros will be invested in research and development. In total Daimler is investing 2.1 billion euros at the Sindelfingen site, where in future electric premium and luxury class vehicles of the new product and technology brand EQ will be produced. Moreover, battery production is planned at the Sindelfingen site.
SOURCE: Daimler
