Mercedes-Benz plans to significantly increase its production capacity in China. In two of the factories, capacity is to be increased by 45 percent, including by increasing the number of shifts and the working days themselves.
Daimler has a joint venture in China with the Chinese manufacturer BAIC Motor. That partnership, in which Daimler holds 49 percent of the shares, sold about 611,000 new cars in China last year. That eight percent increase over the 567,000 new cars that BBAC sold in the country a year earlier, leaves you wanting more. According to Chinese media, Daimler plans to increase capacity in two of its Chinese factories by 45 percent.
The extra production capacity must be achieved, among other things, by increasing the number of working days to 312 days. Currently, there are 250 and 290 per year for the two factories. A new 7.5-hour shift per working day will be added in one of the factories. The increase in production capacity in China seems to be independent of the announced new Smart models that will be built in China. These Smart models are the result of a partnership between Daimler and the Chinese Geely.