Daimler: Overcapacity? We Want Some Of That Overcapacity!

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Whenever the good folks at Daimler hear about European overcapacity, they ask: “Why can’t we have some of it?” Daimler’s compact cars are so popular that the plants in Rastatt, Germany, and Kecskemét , Hungary, are already bursting at the seams, and will even more so once the new A-Class starts shipping in fall.. Therefore, Daimler outsourced A-Class production to Valmet, the Finnish contract manufacturer.

Valmet will produce more than 100,000 units for Daimler from 2013 through 2016, the company said in a statement. This in addition to going to three shift production in Rastatt late in the year. Daimler says it has received more than 40,000 A-Class orders already.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Polar Bear Polar Bear on Jul 24, 2012

    The moose had the sandwich concept for lunch.

  • Oelmotor Oelmotor on Jul 24, 2012

    The new A-Class is basically a Renault. I wonder if Daimler solved the rust problems plagueing the 1st and 2nd generation models.

    • See 2 previous
    • Oelmotor Oelmotor on Jul 24, 2012

      @svenmeier The 1,5 diesel for the A-class speaks French...

  • Tstag Tstag on Jul 24, 2012

    JLR and BMW are both running into similar problems

  • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Jul 24, 2012

    Can Valmet build 100,000 Mercedes and still crank out those "in-demand" Fiskers?

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