Following the production start of the C-Class at the Mercedes-Benz Iracemápolis plant, the GLA compact SUV will also be rolling off the production line beginning this summer. In the first stage, the plant is designed for an annual capacity of 20,000 vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz achieved record unit sales in Brazil in 2015. "We believe in the long-term perspective of the passenger-car market in Brazil," declares Schäfer. "The plant in Iracemápolis points the way ahead for our medium-sized plants in terms of layout and technology. The plant's level of automation is significantly lower than in traditional Mercedes-Benz plants. Thereby, we achieve a highly flexible and top-quality production to satisfy local demand."

As part of the global production network, Iracemápolis is connected to all Mercedes-Benz Cars locations around the world, allowing a location-independent access to production data and process management. Every single installation and every robot, for example, can be centrally managed and updated to new software programmes.

Regarding Brazil's special role in the production network of the company, Philipp Schiemer, President Mercedes-Benz do Brasil, states: "Mercedes-Benz do Brasil has been firmly established here since 1956. The opening of a new assembly plant 60 years later is a strong commitment to this location and rounds off the product spectrum: this move will see Mercedes-Benz locally producing passenger cars in addition to trucks and buses."
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