By Paul Scott Abbott, AJOTMercedes-Benz USA is poised to be one of the first entities to benefit from roadway improvements that enhance connectivity and efficiency at the Georgia Ports Authority’s Port of Brunswick.
MBUSA, the US sales, marketing and service arm of the German automaker, announced plans last month to build a 50,000-square-foot vehicle processing facility on a 50-acre dockside tract to be acquired by MBUSA.
Once the facility is built, targeted for the first quarter of 2009, MBUSA plans to move its processing operation to Brunswick from its current location in Jacksonville, some 65 miles to the South, across the Florida border. MBUSA plans call for maintaining an existing regional office in Jacksonville, according to MBUSA spokesperson Tracy Darchini.
“The move to Brunswick represents a tremendous opportunity for Mercedes-Benz in terms of further improving efficiencies for our Southeast vehicle preparation center – one of the critical steps in the process of bringing new vehicles to market,” said Ernst Lieb, president and chief executive officer of Montvale, NJ-based MBUSA.
“The proximity to the port, combined with better railroad and highway access and room for expansion, make Brunswick an excellent location for this facility,” Lieb continued. “With quality being our top priority, the new VPC is an important step toward consistently delivering the best vehicles to our dealerships, and ultimately, our customers.”
MBUSA officials said the facility will process 50,000 imported Mercedes-Benz vehicles annually, offering capabilities for computerized inspections, accessory installation, body shop work, detailing and distribution.
The MBUSA announcement came within three days of a Georgia Ports Authority statement that more than $8 million in road projects have been completed to serve the Port of Brunswick. The projects include a $6.97 million US Rte. 17 overpass constructed by the Georgia Department of Transportation and a $1.06 million North-South connector built by the GPA. They allow the GPA to expand facilities and provide automakers unencumbered access from three berths and an existing 450 acres to 900 additional acres on Colonel’s Island while eliminating an at-grade crossing of the Golden Isles Railroad.
“These projects will increase capacity and improve efficiency on Colonel’s Island, which means more business for Georgia’s ports and more jobs for Georgia’s people,” said former US Sen. Mack Mattingly, GPA board chairman.
MBUSA plans call for 41 employees at the new facility, with those working at the Jacksonville center being given opportunities to transfer. The facility is anticipated to generate additional local jobs in shipping, rail and trucking industries.
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue commented, “Mercedes-Benz USA is the first of what I hope will be many of our state’s customers to benefit from our increased accessibility for automobile manufacturers.”
The MBUSA announcement comes two years after Hyundai/Kia consolidated import operations in Brunswick.
