Mercedes-Benz Trucks to reorganize truck production in Europe: the manufacturer’s plans

Mercedes-Benz Trucks plans to expand and optimize its European production network. More into details, the German plant in Wörth am Rhein will remain “the lead and largest volume plant within the network”, as stated by the truck maker. Now, the company plans to add a vehicle assembly and manufacturing site in Cheb, Czech Republic, with painted cab bodies still supplied from Wörth. Construction is planned to start next year, and Cheb is planned to assemble vehicles with both conventional and alternative drivetrains, helping to manage rising complexity in the network. Plans call for an annual production capacity of around 25,000 units.

Indeed, the Wörth plant will continue to be responsible for complex production programs and new product ramp‑ups, as stated by Mercedes-Benz Trucks. At the same time, “the already high level of production complexity in Wörth will be reduced to secure the site’s long‑term competitiveness and future viability. For this reason, the company will adjust assembly processes at Mercedes‑Benz Trucks’ largest truck plant. The plant remains a high-volume facility with annual production in the mid- to high-five-digit range, depending on market conditions”.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ production in Europe in the future

As announced last year, Daimler Truck will invest more than two billion euros in its German production sites by 2030, around half of which will go to Wörth. Investments include an innovative and more environmentally friendly paint shop and the modification and expansion of the body in white (BIW) area for future cab generations. Wörth will also play a major role in Daimler Truck’s growth strategy in the defense sector.

To sum up, as the Wörth plant remains to be the hub of truck production and the competence center for Mercedes-Benz trucks, the Aksaray plant (Türkiye) is a major production site for Actros and Arocs models, serving the local market and select European markets. The Molsheim plant (France) hosts Custom Tailored Trucks, specializing in bespoke, customer specific truck conversions, and plays an important role in growing defense business together with the Wörth plant. The Cheb site will supplement the network as a truck vehicle assembly and manufacturing location.

“With our new assembly plant in Cheb, we are strengthening the competitiveness of our production network with a clear focus on cost optimization and complexity management. This enables us to secure value creation and employment at the Wörth site and to continue investing there in the future”, commented Achim Puchert, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks.