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Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc.

Vance, AL

The project is a 1,588,454 SF addition to an existing automotive plant bringing the overall size of the plant to approximately 7,000,000 million SF. The project consisted of renovation and equipment additions of two new, approximately 2,500-ton duplex centrifugal chillers in a series arrangement in the Energy Center along with corresponding pumping and cooling tower addition. An older smaller boiler was replaced with a new larger approximately 28 MW boiler for hot water generation. The project consisted of a Wiring Harness addition, as well as an addition to the logistics space on the north side of the facility. In close proximity to the Wiring Harness and North Logistics Expansion is the East Assembly expansion, which involves the marriage process of the drive train to the chassis. The bulk of the project consists of the approximately 1,300,000 SF body shop expansion on the west side of the plant. This portion of the project involves relocation of the free trade zone (FTZ) fencing as well as relocation of underground utilities. Design involved coordination with corporate office facility design/plant engineering as well as vendor (conveyor and robotic) coordination.

This expansion included the design and build of a new body shop, additions to the existing assembly shop, and relocation of the campus’s energy center, which enables flexible production options for the facility The addition supports the plant’s production of its next generation luxury SUVs, including hybrid versions. At the new facility, batteries are assembled on a production line almost 1,000 feet long, with 70 workstations.

Project Highlights:

  • As part of Ambition 2039, Mercedes-Benz is pursuing the goal of decarbonizing the steel supply chain, deliberately focusing on the avoidance and reduction of CO₂ emissions rather than compensation for CO₂ emissions.
  • Mercedes now produces the EQS SUV and EQE SUV in Alabama, as part of a global push to produce eight all-electric vehicles at seven locations on three continents.

Size

1,700,000 SF

Owner

Daimler

Client

B. L. Harbert International LLC
Gray Construction

Awards

Completion

Category

Manufacturing