Daimler AG has made a huge investment in its U.S. produciton plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in preparation for production of current and future model lines and capacity expansions.

Mercedes announced the expansion plans just as the first new Mercedes-Benz M-Class customer vehicle at the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant rolled off the line. A total amount of more than 2 billion US dollars is invested for the production of the new M-Class, the successor generations of the GL-Class and the C-Class, and the expansion of production capacities.

MBUSI celebrated teh event with a special new M-Class “Job 1” Celebration on July 20th, Markus Schaefer, President and CEO of MBUSI, 2,800 MBUSI team members, and Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox, as well as Dr. Dieter Zetsche, the CEO.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Daimler Board of Management and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “We’re continuing to write new chapters of the plant’s success story with significant investments into the future. Tuscaloosa was the first production location of Mercedes-Benz Cars ever outside Germany, and today it is among our best. As our ‘pioneering plant’, it is also the blueprint for our new operations in emerging markets.” In a special address to the entire MBUSI team, Zetsche highlighted their contributions: “A big thank you to the team that helped us get that far – all of you.”