German Federal Minister for Economic and Energy Affairs Peter Altmaier visits Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Plant

TUSCALOOSA, Ala., July 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa receives high-ranking visitors: Jörg Burzer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain, as well as the new site manager Michael Göbel, Head of Production SUVs and President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI), welcome German Federal Minister for Economic and Energy Affairs Peter Altmaier. Altmaier tours the passenger-car production site together with Kay Ivey, the Governor of Alabama, and a delegation from Alabama located entrepreneurs. The Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant exclusively produces the SUV model series GLE, GLE Coupé and GLS for the world market, as well as the C-Class sedan for the North American market.

"Mercedes-Benz Cars has laid the foundation for the automotive industry in Alabama and in doing so had a significant impact in its industrial transformation. We created thousands of highly qualified jobs by building our Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa more than 20 years ago. With our additional investment of one billion US dollars announced in 2017, we are putting the Tuscaloosa plant on a viable and sustainable foundation – beginning with building a battery factory and extending to the future production of electric SUVs of the EQ product and technology brand. The visit by the German Federal Minister for Economic and Energy Affairs, Peter Altmaier, underscores the significance of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa for the German-American economic relations," says Jörg Burzer, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain.

When the plant was founded in 1995, the location was the first major Mercedes-Benz plant outside Germany. The location has been continually expanded over time. By building the plant there, Mercedes-Benz Cars has played a key role in the development of Alabama into a location of the automotive and supplier industry. Establishing the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa resulted in automotive suppliers, further OEMS and other supporting companies settling in Alabama as well. Today, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) is the second-largest exporter of automobiles in the USA. Since the start of production, more than 3.2 million vehicles have been produced at the Tuscaloosa plant.

"The Mercedes-Benz factory in Tuscaloosa is an impressive example of how German companies are generating growth, jobs and innovation in the U.S. I'm particularly impressed by the latest investments of $1 billion to promote electric mobility and construct a battery factory," says Federal Minister for Economic and Energy Affairs Peter Altmaier.

Since 1995, Mercedes-Benz Cars has invested more than six billion US dollars in the Tuscaloosa plant. The announcement of the investment of another billion US dollars in 2017 marked the start of the company's expansion of its industrial involvement in the region and is a clear commitment to the Tuscaloosa location. The investment amount is allocated to the production of electric SUVs of the EQ product and technology brand and to the construction of a battery factory. This includes a Global Logistics Centre as well as an after-sales hub for the export of spare parts.

"Tuscaloosa has been producing Mercedes-Benz SUVs with great success since 1997. The plant delivers the current GLE, GLS and GLE Coupé SUV model series to customers around the world. Together with our highly motivated team, we are ready for the electric mobility of Mercedes-Benz Cars. We are already working on the preparations for the production of future electric Mercedes-Benz SUVs in Tuscaloosa now," says Michael Göbel, Head of Production SUVs and President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI).

Tuscaloosa is being further expanded with a view to the future and electric mobility. In the future, the location will produce vehicles with powertrains that will fulfil the requests of our customers worldwide, from vehicles with traditional combustion engine and hybrids to electric vehicles.

About the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Plant
The Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Plant (Mercedes-Benz U.S. International – MBUSI) in Alabama is the production site for the current SUV model series GLE, GLS and GLE Coupé. Furthermore, the C-Class sedan for the North American market is produced here. At present, MBUSI employs a workforce of more than 3,800 people and provides more than 10,000 jobs at suppliers and service providers in the region. Investments in the plant during its history spanning more than 20 years have totalled more than six billion US dollars and another one billion US dollars will mainly be used on implementing the electric mobility at the location.

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SOURCE Daimler North America - Corporate Communications

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