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Mercedes-Benz USA Opens New Facility in Jacksonville, Fla.

June 28, 2010

Facility will include quality evaluation and parts distribution.

Mercedes-Benz USA in July will open a new multi-purpose facility in Jacksonville, Fla., consolidating several business units into one building for efficient customer and dealer support, the company said.

Mercedes-Benz USA said it will lease the newly constructed 415,000-square-foot building, located off I-95 at 13470 International Parkway.

When the company takes official occupancy in July, four business units will operate from the site: the sales operations southern regional office; parts distribution; quality evaluation; and training.

Approximately 160 people work in the new facility, which incorporates innovative environmental systems and design, according to Mercedes-Benz USA.

The new state-of-the-art facility incorporates Mercedes-Benz Autohaus design that many dealers have adopted throughout the U.S. Now we have one common look and feel for our corporate operations in the region across all our key business units, said Ernst Lieb, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. By linking our core operations in one building, we can also create better efficiencies that will benefit our dealer network and our customers.

Supporting approximately 70 Mercedes-Benz dealers in the Southeast, the parts distribution center will house about 15% of the companys overall parts inventory and will ship more than 1.3 million lines annually, according Mercedes-Benz USA. It is one of five Mercedes-Benz parts distribution centers in the United States.

The quality evaluation center is one of two Mercedes-Benz operational units of its kind outside of Germany, according to the company.

Mercedes-Benz notes that its training center in Jacksonville facilitates more than 120 classes per year. The new facility features classrooms, workshops, a computer lab, a virtual classroom webcast area, a student lounge, offices and a cafeteria.

We have planned and built this new facility with cutting-edge systems and design for our associates to deliver the best products and services throughout the region, said Alan McLaren, vice president of customer services. Its unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz facility that showcases our dedication to quality and innovation in a significant way.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.