Mercedes-Benz U.S. International facts for kids
Front entrance to the Mercedes-Benz visitor and training center in 2010
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| Operated | 1997–present |
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| Location | Vance, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 33°10′52″N 87°15′24″W / 33.181111°N 87.256667°W |
| Products | Automobiles, SUVs |
| Employees | 6,000 (2021) |
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (often called MBUSI) is a large factory where Mercedes-Benz cars are built. It is located near Vance, Alabama, in the United States. This factory is about 34 miles west of Birmingham and 19 miles east of Tuscaloosa.
The idea for the factory was announced in 1993. The first car, an ML320, was made there in February 1997. Since then, MBUSI has been an important part of Mercedes-Benz's global production.
The state of Alabama gave 1,000 acres of land for the factory. This was part of Alabama's effort to get Mercedes-Benz to build their plant there. The factory area includes special tracks for testing cars, both on regular roads and off-road.
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Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center
Right at the factory, there is a special place called the Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center. It has a museum that shows many cool cars from Mercedes-Benz history. The cars in the museum are changed often, so there's always something new to see.
In November 2014, a Formula One race car that was once driven by the famous racer Michael Schumacher was on display. Visitors can also book tours to see inside the actual car factory. It's free to visit the museum, and factory tours cost $5.
Cars Made Here Now
The MBUSI factory makes several popular Mercedes-Benz models today. These include different types of SUVs.
- Mercedes-Benz GLE (since 2016)
- Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe (since 2016)
- Mercedes-Benz GLS (since 2016)
- Mercedes-Maybach GLS (since 2020)
- Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV (since 2022)
- Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV (since 2022)
- Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV (since 2023)
Cars Made Here Before
Over the years, the MBUSI factory has also produced other Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015–2020)
- Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2007–2015)
- Mercedes-Benz M-Class (1998–2015)
- Mercedes-Benz R-Class (2006–2015)
Cars Planned for the Future
The factory is always looking ahead to new models.
- Mercedes-Benz GLC (planned for 2027)
Workers and the Union
Sometimes, workers at a factory want to form a labor union to represent them. In March 2024, some workers at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance felt they were treated unfairly for trying to organize with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union. They filed complaints about this.
In May 2024, the workers voted on whether to join the UAW union, but the union did not win the vote. After the vote, the UAW asked for a new election. They said that Mercedes-Benz had held meetings to discourage workers from joining the union. They also claimed that some workers who supported the union were unfairly targeted for drug tests or lost their jobs.
See also
