Mercedes-Benz U.S. International

Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) operates in Vance, in Tuscaloosa County, and was the first automobile manufacturing facility in Alabama and Mercedes’s first in the United States [1]. Mercedes announced in April 1993 that it would build its first passenger-vehicle plant outside Germany and named Vance as the site in September 1993.

Site selection

The company reviewed 100 sites in 35 states and narrowed them to three finalists: Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina. Alabama and local officials offered about $250 million to $300 million, mainly in tax deferrals. The $300 million plant was completed in July 1996, production began in January 1997, and the first M-Class SUVs came off the line about eight months later [1]. See Tuscaloosa County.

Expansion

MBUSI planned 65,000 M-Class vehicles a year but invested an extra $80 million in 1998 and 1999 to reach 80,000. In 2004 it invested $600 million and doubled capacity to 160,000 vehicles a year, adding the R-Class and the GL-Class and raising the workforce to 4,000. In December 2009 the company announced that C-Class production would move from Sindelfingen, Germany, to Vance in 2014, adding about 1,000 jobs with a $100 million incentives package [1].

Impact

The plant covers 3.2 million square feet and runs nearly a mile end to end. About 4,000 direct jobs and more than 18,000 indirect jobs are tied to it, and it adds more than $1.5 billion a year to the state economy. About 30 automotive suppliers for MBUSI vehicles are in Alabama, and MBUSI is the state’s leading exporter. See Economy of Alabama [1].

Plant and location

Mercedes-Benz announced the plant in 1993 and built its first vehicle, an ML320, in February 1997. It sits on 1,000 acres donated by the state near Vance, about 34 miles west of Birmingham and 19 miles east of downtown Tuscaloosa, and had about 6,000 employees in 2021.[2]

Models

Production has included the M-Class (1998-2015), GL-Class (2007-2015), R-Class (2006-2015) and C-Class (2015-2020), and now the GLE, GLE Coupe and GLS (from 2016) and Mercedes-Maybach GLS (from 2020). Daimler announced in December 2009 that C-Class production would move to Vance.[2]

Electric vehicles

The EQE SUV and EQS SUV began production in 2022 and the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV in 2023; the GLC is planned for 2027.[2]

FAQs

Where is the plant? Vance, Alabama.

When did production begin? January 1997.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. (MBUSI)
2. Wikipedia: Mercedes-Benz U.S. International

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue