Mercedes-Benz to raise Thai production capacity

E300 Hybrid

Mercedes-Benz Thailand will spend a big sum of money to grow its business in the Kingdom, Bangkok Post reports. The premium brand has allocated 200 million baht this year to raise production capacity in Thailand and 1 billion baht to add five more dealerships.

The 20m baht sum will raise production capacity at Merc’s Thonburi Assembly Co plant in Samut Prakan by another 2,000 to 3,000 units, from the current 16,000, president and chief executive Alexander Paufler revealed. “We have to prepare our capacity for on-shelf products, adopt new technology to meet every segment’s demands and strengthen our networks,” he added.

Mercedes-Benz sales increased 34% in Thailand to a record of 6,274 vehicles last year, and the rising interest in Mercedes-Benz Leasing is a sign that more customers are buying Mercs from authorised dealers, as opposed to from the grey market.

The company targets 10% sales growth this year, with at least six new models scheduled to be introduced, including a diesel hybrid one. Also, all 2013 models sold in Thailand will be Euro 5 compliant, up from the current Euro 3 standard, something we can only dream of in Malaysia for now.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • black on Feb 06, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    i can afford this, but not my dream car..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 16
    • Sam Loo (official) on Feb 07, 2013 at 9:31 am

      Toyota is the best. Better RV. Mercedes got bad RV. Buy Mercedes but you are not getting a real German car. Half or more than 50% of the car are Made In Malaysia parts to comply with the CKD regulations.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • BrianXYZ on Feb 07, 2013 at 10:31 am

        By the way, are you well-versed with the CKD regulations?? Or you just hear from other people? Even if you buy CBU Germany, you will not get 100% Germany content. That’s for sure.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Actually, a German made car is less than 50% “made in Germany”. Some UK made Japanese cars have more German parts inside than some German made cars.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Bro Merc resale value is comparable to toyota or maybe better so try not to create your own theory bro so far in Malaysia Merc resale value is high

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • tokmoh on Feb 07, 2013 at 9:39 am

      Cerita sejuk bang

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • BrianXYZ on Feb 07, 2013 at 10:14 am

      Yeah, I believe you. No need to dream, just buy…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • PauKaya on Feb 06, 2013 at 7:16 pm

    thailand, where everything seems to be happening.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 1
  • Holaho on Feb 06, 2013 at 7:42 pm

    How much it sells in thailand. Any change we can get it here with similar or a lil bit higher price?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • unforgiven on Feb 06, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    Euro 5, how far are we behind Thailand in automotive industry?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • KillBox1Alpha on Feb 06, 2013 at 9:40 pm

    Our northern neighbour already Euro 5…and we’re still languishing in Euro 3

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Heng Lee on Feb 06, 2013 at 10:48 pm

      Be happy! Two EURO more is RM8.38 more

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • BrianXYZ on Feb 07, 2013 at 10:38 am

        You all Malaysians har… Euro 5 want but don’t want to pay Euro 5 price… Long live Euro 2!!!! Let’s be real guys….

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • unforgiven on Feb 06, 2013 at 11:39 pm

    So most developing countries are moving away from grey market. When are we going to achieve that? Let’s be clean, remove grey importers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Rakyat on Feb 07, 2013 at 5:37 am

    No AP, no grey imports

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • ha-ha!! well, this is the first symptom of Malaysia is getting backward while other poorer country is moving forward rapidly. 5 more years Malaysia will be the most backward country in S.E.A. this is due to incompetent of administration by our useless leader.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 5
    • taboogen on Feb 07, 2013 at 9:56 am

      wow a TRUELY Malaysian attitude…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8
      • owh u r very satisfied with the current leadership? see what is goin on wit our country? everything is getting expensive, crime rate increase, corruption rate is the worst in SEA. so whats ur point? u love to live in this kind of place? i love Malaysia thats y i wanna change.. bangang.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
  • taboogen on Feb 07, 2013 at 9:49 am

    “…Euro 5 compliant, up from the current Euro 3 standard, something we can only dream of in Malaysia for now.”
    embarrassed reading this quote when malaysian still do open burning.. using polystyrene to tapau their food… worst all those smokers smoking at public spaces… cutting tress… PLEASE GET OUR ACT CORRECT then asked for EURO5

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • skypirate on Feb 07, 2013 at 10:48 am

      euro 5 fuel for better cars! i don’t give a damn to smokers smoking at public places.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
      • taboogen on Feb 07, 2013 at 12:32 pm

        answer from an arrogant person… wait till your family suffer cancer from smoking… then give them euro5 car to enjoy their last day on earth

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
    • taboogen on Feb 07, 2013 at 12:30 pm

      wow even asking to do good things get thumb down.. malaysian nowadays

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • luxuries4millionaire on Feb 08, 2013 at 4:16 am

    When will the CLA be available in Thailand ? Benz should care more about its Thai customers !

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Fred Johnson on Oct 04, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    16,000 vehicles produced last year? Where did you get this figure from?

    Thonburi automotive produced 6,274 Mercedes-Benz in 2012 and expect to produce about 8,000 odd this year.

    Thai Family Pioneered Thailand Automotive Industry with Mercedes-Benz ( http://www.establishmentpost.com/thai-family-pioneered-thailand-automotive-industry-with-mercedes-benz/ )

    “With about 700 employees producing the 6,000 Mercedes-Benz’s built in Thailand last year, TAAP is well above the industry average at 8.57 vehicles per employee…”

    16,000 vehicles / 700 = 22.85 vehicles per employee or 307 cars a week. A ridiculous figure when the rest of the Thai automobile industry achieved an average of 8.57 vehicles per employee.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
 

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