AM General revs up Mercedes production in Mishawaka - South Bend Tribune
“It’s really a tremendous achievement for the company and our employees,” Howard Glaser, president of the company’s commercial business, said in an interview with The Tribune. AM General announced in January that the German-based luxury vehicle producer would be moving its R-Class manufacturing from Tuscaloosa, Ala. It was Mercedes that approached AM General about the multiyear partnership, an indication of the local workforce’s reputation, Glaser said. “We have always known what our workforce is capable of, and what our commercial side can do,” he said, adding that this launch is just validation of what the company can achieve. The company needed to make capital investments to upgrade the plant, install new equipment, train workers on the new vehicle as well as hire new employees. Now thanks to the Mercedes deal, as well as the MV-1 — the handicapped-accessible vehicle that was relaunched last year with AM General as the owner — the commercial plant’s workforce has grown considerably. Although the Mercedes-Benz R-Class being in full production is a milestone of its own, Glaser said it’s just part of a much bigger endeavor — the diversification of AM General’s business. The military side of AM General has increased foreign military sales, and now the commercial business — in the heart of the Midwest — is producing a German luxury car for Chinese consumers, he said. Source: www.southbendtribune.com
