Mercedes-Benz restructures its global production system platform by halving the number of models

Gesar Motor Co., Ltd. March 29, 2012, Daimler's Mercedes-Benz said that it is embarking on the reconfiguration of its global production network system, optimizing the number of platforms and models, and increasing production efficiency.

Reconstruction of the production system

On the same day, Mercedes-Benz started production at the Kecskemet plant in Hungary. As part of the opening ceremony, Mercedes Benz held an investor conference. During the Mercedes-Benz production director Wolfgang Bernhard (Wolfgang Bernhard) said that the company is reconstructing the production system, the average production time of the models will be significantly reduced from 43 hours in 2008 to 30 hours in 2015 (Note: this Production time includes multiple process times such as cutting coils rather than minute-level assembly. "In recent years, we have increased our production efficiency by 2% annually and will accelerate our productivity."

The core of the restructuring is that by 2015 Mercedes-Benz plans to halve the number of platforms to two, while the number of models will double to 30. The first platform is the Mercedes Front Wheel Architecture (MFA), which is used to derive A- and B-class (European standards, basically equivalent to China's Class A compact car) models, mainly in Germany's Las Rastatt, Beijing, China, and the Kecskémet plant in Hungary are in production. The second platform is the Mercedes Rear Wheel Architecture (MRA), which is based on the development of other larger vehicles. The main production plants include the Bremen and Sindelfingen plants in the United States, and the United States. Vance, Alabama, and East London, South Africa.

The current Mercedes-Benz has a total of four platform architecture: rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and sports car platform. The 33-year-old G-class SUV/Wagon station wagon has not yet been included here, which is currently used only by the agreement manufacturer Magna Steyr and made in Graz, Austria. If it goes back to 1995, then Daimler had a total of 15 car platforms.

Increase the globalization of production

Bernhard said: "By 2020, more than 50% of Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be assembled outside Europe." In contrast, only 10% of vehicles produced in 2010 came from outside Mercedes-Benz Europe. In addition, by the year 2020 Mercedes-Benz will have 40% of its powertrain production capacity outside of Germany. At present, almost all Mercedes-Benz engine plants are located in Germany. Bernhard commented: "We will have greater flexibility by then."