(January 28, 2015) SOUTH BEND, Ind. — AM General and Mercedes-Benz U.S. have announced that Mercedes-Benz has selected AM General to manufacture the Mercedes-Benz R-Class utility vehicle at AM General’s world-class 675,000 square-foot Commercial Assembly Plant.

Because of increasing demand for its Sport Utility Vehicles and the need for greater production capacity in the U.S, Mercedes-Benz is moving production of the R-Class — which is sold only in the Chinese market — from its Tuscaloosa, Ala., plant to AM General’s Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, Ind. 


Under the multi-year agreement, AM General becomes Mercedes-Benz’s first and only contract manufacturing operator in the U.S. AM General anticipates R-Class vehicles will start rolling off its production lines this summer and will hire and train hundreds of new workers in order to prepare for R-class production.


“AM General is pleased to have been selected by Mercedes-Benz to build this vehicle at our world-class commercial vehicle facility in Mishawaka. We look forward to a long term relationship with Mercedes and expanding our services to the U.S. and global auto industry,” said Charlie Hall, president and CEO of AM General.


AM General’s Commercial Assembly Plant is a full service manufacturing and support facility that utilizes state-of-the-art robotic welding, painting and assembly techniques coupled with a lean manufacturing culture and highly skilled workforce to meet the requirements of its customers.


In this rapidly growing segment of its business, AM General has extensive experience as an automotive contract assembler and original equipment manufacturer. Commercial vehicle contract assembly initiatives include work for General Motors beginning in December 1999 when AM General and General Motors agreed to cooperate on marketing and distribution opportunities for a civilian Hummer after GM acquired the Hummer brand.

As an original equipment manufacturer, AM General, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mobility Ventures LLC, designs, produces and supports the new MV-1 — the world’s first purpose-built, universally accessible vehicle which is expanding choice in transportation for families, livery and para-transit fleets.