Mercedes-Benz U.S. International on Thursday announced a $1.3 billion expansion that will add another 300 jobs at the automaker’s Tuscaloosa County operations.
The expansion will add a new body shop to support the new generation of SUVs from the automaker, according to the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama.
The expansion will be one of the company’s largest to date. Details on possible incentives for the project were not immediately available.
The Vance-based U.S. manufacturing hub for the German automaker has been expanding at a rapid pace in recent years, adding new models to its lineup and boosting production. That has also resulted in several expansions, job announcements and capital expenditures for its suppliers, many of which are located in metro Birmingham.
Samvardhana Motherson Group – a Mercedes-Benz supplier – in August announced plans to invest $150 million in a new manufacturing facility in Tuscaloosa that will create 650 jobs by the fourth year of operation
In St. Clair County, Eissmann North America is planning another $2.3 million expansion to its production capabilities that will create 80 jobs before the end of 2016.
Kamtek Inc. – a Birmingham-based supplier to Mercedes and other vehicle companies – in August announced a $530 million, 354-job expansion in Pinson Valley.
The company will build a new $80 million, 148,000-square-foot manufacturing facility across from its current operations that will bring the new technology of high-pressure aluminum die casting to the state.
Kamtek will also invest another $450 million into expanding its existing operations at the Valley East Industrial park.