VANCE, Ala. — An expansion of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama is expected to create 2,000 more jobs between 2004 and 2005, doubling the current work force, the company said.
The plant's expansion from its current 1,942 employees to 4,000 will once again use the Alabama Industrial Development and Training authority to pick and train those who come to the plant.
Mercedes personnel director Emmett Meyer said the company got nearly 65,000 job applications after it began recruiting for the Vance plant in 1993. Meyer told the audience that the same selection system used six years ago will be used for the second wave
"We're going to essentially follow the same plan," Meyer said. "We've been more than pleased with the quality of people. They've been the cause and reason for our success."
The plant produced just over 80,000 M-Class vehicles in 2000, a number which will drop to 78,000 this year, said Taylor. He said the 2,000-car reduction is only to prepare for major model changes coming in 2002.
"That will still be a minimum of 78,000," Taylor said, despite the current slowdown in the auto industry. "We do a lot of market studies, but the market is hard to read. And being a small operation, that part of our advantage. Plus there's the distribution to 135 countries. We sell to many places and that helps us add complexity to the product."
Other concerns at Saturday's meeting included how commercial development of Vance would occur in the wake of even more Mercedes growth. While traffic resolutions are being planned for Highway 11, growth elsewhere in the town is happening slowly.
"It's spread out over a large area," Taylor said. "When we came here, our job was to offer quality jobs and positions. Where they live and reside, that's their job. In my perspective, I think it's changed and I think this expansion will take it to another level."