OVER 3000 SA-BUILT C-CLASS UNITS HEAD FOR US SOIL

On 21 September East London witnessed the loading of the largest consignment of 3 168 locally built new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars, destined for the United States of America on the Liberty Ace vessel.  The consignment of vehicles will be off-loaded in Baltimore, Brunswick and Long Beach in the USA.

Rainer Ruess, vice-president responsible for manufacturing at the East London plant of Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) said that this shipment reaffirms that USA customers remain extremely satisfied with the consistent manufacturing quality from the South African plant. As recently as July J. D. Power and Associates presented a second Gold Award for Initial Quality to the MBSA plant (following a similar award in 2009). In 2010 this SA-based plant won the world’s most coveted Platinum Award for the best quality plant anywhere on the globe supplying cars to the USA market.  These J.D. Power Awards result from USA surveys conducted among over 80 000 new car owners annually. 

Eugene Theron, East London Acting Port Manager of Transnet National Ports Authority was delighted with the smooth and quick loading of this consignment, making full use of the car terminal expansion project which was commissioned specially to accommodate these large consignments. Later this week, East London will see the arrival of the largest car carrier to ever call at the port. The 231-metre-long Tijuca will dock to handle a consignment of vehicles for the South African market.

STORY BY MERCEDES-BENZ