Mercedes’ successful GLA crossover has found a new home. Daimler has announced starting the assembly of the model in its Indian plant from Pune, which was opened in 2009.
With six different model series manufactured in India and an installed capacity of 20,000 units annually, Mercedes-Benz is in fact the largest luxury car maker in the country. Daimler also assembles here sedans like S-, E- and C-Class as well as SUVs like the GL and the M-Class.
Synchronized conveyor systems, new assembly lines, and a new roller tester were installed amongst other devices, in preparation for the new GLA assembly start. Until today, total investment at the Pune plant amounts to about 150 million euros.
“Rolling out our first ever locally manufactured GLA and commencing production from India’s largest installed luxury car production facility are two very significant accomplishments for Mercedes-Benz in India. These accomplishments are a result of our long-term vision for the Indian market and our relentless efforts towards creating a strong foundation for our business in India.” The local assembly of the GLA in India is due to its big success in the country: Sales of the compact SUV in India tripled in the first quarter of 2015. Piyush Arora, Executive Director, Operations, Mercedes-Benz India: “Our production facility has been a significant pillar of our growth in India. The high level of refinement and implementation of advanced technology and flexible processes ensures our production quality conforms to the most stringent global standards, and creates new benchmark in manufacturing for the luxury car industry in India.”
The market specific assembly network operated by Daimler and its Mercedes-Benz passenger-car division comprises further locations in Thailand, Vietnam, Malayasia, Indonesia, and will be joined by Brazil in 2016 where a new assembly plant is currently under construction. At these sites, Mercedes-Benz produces cars for local markets with different production levels – for example from vehicle kits (Completely Knocked Down/CKD and Semi Knocked Down/SKD).
