In early 2010, Daimler-Benz moved its production of the Mercedes C-class vehicles to a plant near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The US dollar was very weak at the time, compared to the Euro and there aren’t many unionized work forces in the South. These factors make for Alabama being a low-cost production location compared to that of Germany. Saving a dollar here and there really makes a big difference, especially in this economy.
It does seem a bit odd to think of Mercedes and Alabama having any correlation with each other, but this is now the case. Tuscaloosa is known for the likes of Bear Bryant and Role Tide fans, not luxury automobiles. The new opportunity for Alabama workers is something that is a plus for the southern state and this new luxury car business is placed there because of how poor the area is. The company will save money with low taxation and the workers won’t demand high pay rates. It’s a win-win for Daimler-Benz.
Tuscaloosa, Alabama is nestled right off Interstate 20 and is very close to Atlanta’s auto shipping connection. The location is oddly convenient for car transporter and is centrally located for easy access to the Interstate 65 corridor up to the Chicago area nearby in Birmingham, Alabama.
With the excess of vehicles being produced in the US, more cars will be transported throughout the nation and give the country better stability within the trade sectors among the rest of the world. Car shipping companies serving the East Coast ports where the previous German car imports would be brought in might have been a bit disgruntled, but the auto transport companies within the states sure seem to be singing a different tune.
