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June 11, 2003
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This Week:

• First 2004 Ford F-150 Rolls Off Assembly Line Into History

• THE HIRE Inducted Into MOMA Permanent Collection

• DaimlerChrysler builds new technology centre for vans at the Untertürkheim plant

• Volkswagen added two new V6 TDI engines to the Passat.

• Changes in Chrysler Group Management

• Toyota Announces Best-Ever Sales Month

• Saab Further Strengthens Global Competitiveness With Two Significant Executive Advancements

• Jaguar To Premiere New V6 Diesel Engine

• Buick Slam? Tiger Woods Aims To Win Third Of Three Buick Golf Titles In New York

• Mercedes Car Group: More Than 500,000 Passenger Cars Sold Worldwide through May 2003

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DaimlerChrysler builds new technology centre for vans at the Untertürkheim plant

VTC computer simulation

Photo: DC
 

The Van Technology Center (VTC) brings together numerous functions of the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit Investment in the VTC totals 75 million euros Laying of the foundation-stone takes place today Stuttgart - DaimlerChrysler is constructing a new technology centre for vans at the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant. From the end of 2004, various different functions of the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit will be brought together within the Van Technology Center (VTC). The company is investing some 75 million euros in the new building, where a total of 1000 people will be employed.

"The Van Technology Center will allow us to further enhance the quality and efficiency of our processes. The VTC represents a key element in the drive to strengthen our market leadership in western Europe and open up new markets," said Dr. Eckhard Cordes, Member of the DaimlerChrysler Board of Management responsible for the Commercial Vehicle Division, speaking at today's laying of the foundation-stone ceremony.

In the years to come a wide range of functions within the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit, which are currently spread over several different locations, will be brought together in the VTC. These include the areas of management, strategy and controlling, as well as the sales and development departments, which will be centred in the direct proximity of the testing department and workshop areas.

"Faster and more closely interconnected processes will enable us to generate significant synergies, which in turn will lead to shorter development times. In this way we can create the basis to build on our history of success," explains Dr. Rolf Bartke, Head of the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit. "In addition, the VTC will give us that extra edge in terms of inspiring and recruiting highly qualified engineers and experts for the van department in Stuttgart," he adds.

The production plants serving the Mercedes-Benz Vans business unit are located in Düsseldorf (Sprinter) and Ludwigsfelde (Vaneo) in Germany, as well as Vitoria in Spain (Viano,Vito), Buenos Aires in Argentina (Sprinter) and Gaffney in the USA (final assembly for the Dodge Sprinter). In the past twelve months, the business unit has turned in worldwide sales figures totalling some 236,000 vehicles. Early this year, the Sprinter was introduced with great success into the American market as part of the global strategy for growth. This was followed just a few weeks ago by the presentation of the new Mercedes-Benz Viano and Mercedes-Benz Vito model ranges.

(June 05, 2003)