Alabama Mercedes worker: ‘This job has changed me as a person.’
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Tanya Cabiness was 22 when she stepped into the Mercedes-Benz plant back on July 7, 1997, not long after the first M-Class sport utility vehicle made in Alabama rolled off the factory’s assembly line. Cabiness had been to college and previously worked in a mobile home manufacturing facility. For her, this place…
Mercedes accelerating Alabama operation with two new models, workforce expansion
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – For Mercedes-Benz in Alabama, it all began with the M-Class, a groundbreaking automobile that’s credited with creating the premium SUV segment. Then the automaker added the GL-Class sport utility and the R-Class crossover to an Alabama line-up now being produced in record numbers. So it’s no surprise that Mercedes is accelerating its…
Mercedes decision lifted Alabama international business profile
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – When automaker Mercedes-Benz announced in 1993 that it had picked a 966-acre tract of land near Vance, Ala. – population 300 – to house its first assembly facility outside of Germany, the news instantly raised Alabama’s profile in the international business community, according to economic developers. “It was clearly Day One for…
Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield: Mercedes-Benz launched new era for Alabama
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Twenty years ago, on Sept. 30, 1993, Mercedes-Benz announced plans to build its first U.S. factory in Vance, Ala. In just two decades, Alabama has transformed from a state with virtually no experience in auto production into the country’s fourth largest auto producer, churning out nearly 900,000 vehicles a year. Mercedes has done…
Mercedes-Benz set foundation for Alabama auto industry growth
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – The three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz is still casting a glow over Alabama 20 years after the global automotive giant picked the state for its first U.S. passenger car factory. Mercedes’ decision, announced in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 30, 1993, represents the moment the foundation was laid for an auto industry that continues to…
Alabama used teamwork, training and trust to win landmark Mercedes-Benz plant
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Alabama’s pursuit of Mercedes-Benz’s first U.S. auto plant featured code names, clandestine meetings and plenty of behind-the-scenes drama, but it was teamwork, training and trust that landed the groundbreaking project, according to leaders who were involved in the recruitment. Next week, Mercedes and Alabama will celebrate 20 years since the company announced…
Auto supplier Bolta Werke will create more than 350 jobs at new Tuscaloosa plant
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Governor Robert Bentley said today that Bolta Werke GmbH, a member of the Purico Group, will build its first U.S. production facility in Tuscaloosa, expanding the state’s vast network of auto suppliers serving major assembly plants in the region. During a news conference in Tuscaloosa today, Bolta and Purico said they will…
Alabama scores high in Business Facilities ranking as ‘rising automotive powerhouse’
MONTGOMERY, Alabama – Expanding production in Alabama’s auto industry means the state is “coming on strong as a rising automotive powerhouse,” according to a new Business Facilities ranking. The publication, which targets site consultants and economic developers, ranked Alabama No. 2 in its annual state Automotive Manufacturing Strength ranking, up from No. 7 in the…
Airbus Americas Chairman: Why Airbus chose Alabama for A320 assembly line
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — In a column for CNBC’s web site, Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas, explains why Airbus chose Alabama as the home for its most advanced A320 assembly line – a project he calls the “most significant, game-changing event in U.S. aerospace in decades.” While McArtor points to several factors that made Alabama…
Supplier Donghee America to open $48 million Auburn manufacturing plant
AUBURN, Alabama – Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said today that auto supplier Donghee America Inc. plans to invest $48 million to open an Auburn manufacturing plant, creating 80 jobs. “Alabama has a strong workforce and a positive business climate, and that helps us recruit well-paying jobs for the people of this state,” Governor Bentley said.…
