Mercedes-Benz Cars invests one billion euros in its first full-flex plant in Hungary

Mercedes-Benz Cars is starting construction of its first 'Full-Flex Plant' in Kecskemét, Hungary. It is investing one billion euros (Rs 7,867 crore) in the new car plant and creating over 2,500 jobs. The company claims that it is based on the 'Factory 56' principles introduced in February, and is thus digitised consistently, designed for sustainable production and puts the human right at the centre of all activities.

Markus Schäfer, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, manufacturing and supply chain, said, “In a ‘Full-Flex Plant’, several vehicle architectures from compact models to rear-wheel-drive sedans and various drive forms, including electric vehicles, can be flexibly produced on one line. Thereby we lift the production concept of ‘Factory 56’ to the next level.”

The new car plant in Kecskemét consists of a press shop, a body-in-white shop, a paint shop and an assembly. Mercedes-Benz Cars states that the plant is highly efficient and has a CO₂-neutral energy supply. When the plant begins operation, it will include passenger cars with a wide variety of body and drive variants. Core elements of the 'Factory 56' concept are the digital interconnection of the infrastructure including the digital control of the material flow and the quality control. Tablets, handhelds, smartphones and smartwatches support employees in their daily work. The plant is not only digitised consistently according to 'Industry 4.0', but it is also connected to other productions in the global production network. Mercedes-Benz Cars is transferring the blueprint of 'Factory 56' to a complete factory. Since all parts of the plant - from the press shop to assembly - are new, the entire production flow can be optimally coordinated. In addition to the fully flexible production of vehicles with front- or rear-wheel drives, other types, such as electric drives, can also be produced on the same line. Production will start from the beginning of the next decade.

The cornerstone laying event was attended by Markus Schäfer, Péter Szijjjártó, Minister of foreign affairs and trade of Hungary, Klaudia Szemereyné Pataki, Mayoress of Kecskemét and Christian Wolff, CEO of Mercedes-Benz manufacturing Hungary Kft. and site manager for the Mercedes-Benz Kecskemét plant,

Péter Szijjjártó, Minister of foreign affairs and trade of Hungary, said,“The task of the Hungarian economy is to remain successful in this era - and the results to date show that the country is not only able to hold its own but is also one of the most successful countries in Europe."

Supporting the Hungarian automotive industry.

In Factory 56, the human is at the centre of all activities and it is consistently “Digital, flexible, green”. The area under construction is 382,033 square metre. More than 17,000 tons of steel will be used in the construction of the second plant at the Kecskemét site. 

Christian Wolff, CEO Mercedes-Benz, manufacturing Hungary Kft. and site manager of Mercedes-Benz Kecskemét plant said,“Our existing Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemét has been a real success story since production started in 2012. Here, we produce compact vehicles with front-wheel drive architecture for the world market. the second plant in Kecskemét not only contributes to the growth of the Hungarian automotive industry but also provides future generations with direct access to international expertise and creates attractive long-term jobs.”

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