Triple series launch at the plant in Sindelfingen.

The successful launch of series production for three models within three months demonstrates the high level of skill and performance of the Sindelfingen workforce. Thanks to maximum flexibility, all three top-of-the-range models are produced on a single line at Factory 56, regardless of whether they are fully electric or feature a modern high-tech hybrid drive. Production volumes can be adapted quickly and flexibly to market demand.

With this three-fold ramp-up, the company is once again underlining its clear commitment to Germany and to the region as an industrial location. Factory 56 at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen continues to serve as a prime example of highly flexible, digitalised and innovative production. Through continuous investment in innovative manufacturing technologies and efficient processes, the company is sustainably strengthening the site’s competitiveness and making a significant contribution to securing and developing jobs in the region for the long term.

Factory 56 embodies the future of production at Mercedes-Benz and has been setting new standards for the automotive industry since its opening in 2020. In the two TecLines, the traditional assembly line has been replaced by automated guided vehicles (AGVs) – a total of more than 400 AGVs are in use at Factory 56. In addition to these innovative production technologies, artificial intelligence and the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) are utilised in the hall. All assembly stations are integrated into MO360, the digital ecosystem of Mercedes-Benz production. This means that all production data is accessible to every employee in real time via the MO360 data platform.

As a global company with more than 30 plants worldwide, Mercedes-Benz fundamentally pursues a ‘local-for-local’ strategy. In particular, the local production of powertrain components such as traction batteries is a crucial element of meeting global demand for electrified vehicles flexibly and efficiently. For instance, the high-performance battery of the new electric EQS is produced at the battery factory in the Hedelfingen section of the plant. The Untertürkheim plant supplies Sindelfingen with the electric drive unit as well as the axles. A logistical advantage arises from short transport distances: the electric drive components manufactured at the Untertürkheim plant are transported to Factory 56, some 20 kilometres away, and delivered there directly to the assembly lines as required and flexibly using automated guided vehicles.

As with any new model, part of the preparatory phase for the model update was devoted to training staff for their new roles. This includes training in the use of AI-driven applications which will support production processes in future. Modern, ergonomically optimised workstations and the innovative “blue-sky architecture,” which allows staff to work in natural daylight, simplify daily routines while saving energy. Support from digital applications and automated processes complements the workflows and contributes to an efficient and attractive production environment.

In line with Ambition 2039, Factory 56 is designed to be carbon-neutral in terms of its carbon footprint and boasts significantly reduced energy consumption. This is made possible, among other things, by its innovative energy concept featuring a photovoltaic system, a direct-current network and energy storage based on reused vehicle batteries.