US – The expansion has been driven by demand for the C-Class model, which first rolled off the plant’s production lines in June this year. The OEM is “consistently seeing record sales” in the country, according to Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management at Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. In 2013, the US was the biggest market for the brand, with sales of 312,534 units.
“We are the first German manufacturer in the luxury segment to produce a sedan in the USA,” said Markus Schäfer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain Management. “With the C-Class we are expanding our capacities in the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa.” Another increase in production volume is due next year with the addition of an SUV model.
“The local production will enable us to supply the US market more quickly and flexibly. We will lower logistics costs and safeguard ourselves better against exchange rate fluctuations through ‘natural hedging’,” explained Schäfer.
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