Publications
Partners
The economic activity that keeps East London's lights bright, Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class plant alongside the Buffalo River, has reached another landmark.
On September 21, 2011, a total of 3168 left-hand drive C-Class units were loaded on to the Liberty Ace car-carrier destined for the American East Coast ports of Baltimore and Brunswick before navigating around to California’s Long Beach cargo terminal on the Pacific coast.
These 3168 cars are the most SA-produced Mercedes-Benz vehicles yet sent to sea in one shipment for export.
QUALITY CARS
Rainer Ruess, vice-president responsible for manufacturing at the East London plant, said this shipment reaffirmed that USA customers remained extremely satisfied with the consistent manufacturing quality from the South African plant. As recently as July JD Power and Associates presented a second Gold Award for Initial Quality to the MBSA plant.
In 2010 this SA-based plant won the world’s most coveted Platinum Award for the best plant anywhere on the globe supplying cars to the USA market. These JD Power Awards result from USA surveys conducted among more than 80 000 new owners annually.
Eugene Theron, East London's acting port manager, was delighted with the smooth and quick loading of the consignment through the car terminal extension commissioned to accommodate such large consignments – growth in the auto industry is essentially East London’s only economic lifeline.
Later this week East London will see the arrival of the largest car carrier yet to call at the port. The 231m Tijuca will dock to disgorge a consignment of Mercedes vehicles for distribution into the South African market.
On September 21, 2011, a total of 3168 left-hand drive C-Class units were loaded on to the Liberty Ace car-carrier destined for the American East Coast ports of Baltimore and Brunswick before navigating around to California’s Long Beach cargo terminal on the Pacific coast.
These 3168 cars are the most SA-produced Mercedes-Benz vehicles yet sent to sea in one shipment for export.
QUALITY CARS
Rainer Ruess, vice-president responsible for manufacturing at the East London plant, said this shipment reaffirmed that USA customers remained extremely satisfied with the consistent manufacturing quality from the South African plant. As recently as July JD Power and Associates presented a second Gold Award for Initial Quality to the MBSA plant.
In 2010 this SA-based plant won the world’s most coveted Platinum Award for the best plant anywhere on the globe supplying cars to the USA market. These JD Power Awards result from USA surveys conducted among more than 80 000 new owners annually.
Eugene Theron, East London's acting port manager, was delighted with the smooth and quick loading of the consignment through the car terminal extension commissioned to accommodate such large consignments – growth in the auto industry is essentially East London’s only economic lifeline.
Later this week East London will see the arrival of the largest car carrier yet to call at the port. The 231m Tijuca will dock to disgorge a consignment of Mercedes vehicles for distribution into the South African market.