Kecskemét gets the first Mercedes high-tech Painting Factory

After Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg’s ’noisy’ media event on Thursday, there was a smaller, more moderate roundtable discussion (containing more tangible things) in Fót with participation of Frank Klein (executive director of Benz Manufacturing Hungary Ltd, the first man responsible for the construction and operation of the Kecskemét factory), and Hans Georg Pechhacker (executive of Mercedes-Benz Hungária Ltd). It was the first time that these two men sat together at the same table and were available for the press staff.

Frank Klein, Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg

Georg Pechhack said that 22 Mercedes distribution points operate in Hungary now, and three of these dealers are located in Budapest. He emphasized that the relationship between the factory and the distributors is good. He consciously didn’t speak about the ‘dumpy’ home new car market rather he spoke about the future of the brand, in which the models made in Kecskemét will have a very serious role.

The factory in Kecskemét is being built.

- I have seen the cars and believe me, they are beautiful, competitive, and they match the Hungarian supply, and looking at their design, they are definitely heart-warming. You will enjoy them and everybody will be proud of that they rolled off a Hungarian production line. At the beginning of 2012 we can meet the new ‘A Class’ and ‘B Class’ Mercedes in home car showrooms. 100 thousand from these cars will be made per year from the beginning.

So far only the narrowest professionals could see the new models, Germans can keep secret, as not a ’conclusive photo’ about the cars from Kecskemét has leaked out. The date of the premiere still hasn’t been decided, however according to our information the cars are being tested not only on the factory test tracks, but they run on the roads disguised strongly and effectively.

Frank Klein, director of the factory talked about that the buildings in Kecskemét will be completed by the end of the year, what is more, the installation of the production lines will start on 1st September. The buildings and the installation of the machines must be done in record time; so everything must be in place by May of 2010. Answering a question he said that ten primary suppliers will get into the industrial park of Mercedes, that is to say ‘inside the fence’, because the models have a lot of options, so it is necessary that some suppliers be physically close.

Transformer station

Like on the earlier inspection of the building operations of the factory, the director didn’t say any names of companies this time, but he told us they were looking for ones who can produce a variety of components, and they are flexible in that the cars would be designed thoroughly to the demands of the clients. Cable bunch makers and car seat manufacturers will surely get a place in the industrial park. There are negotiations with 17 suppliers, these firms (of course without names) will deliver both to Kecskemét and Rabbat.

Our news portal, autopro.hu asked the director about the labour conscription. He said that ‘our goals in workers recruitment have been achieved.’ - We will talk about the quality when the core of the group (those who will work in the production) will be admitted. We are satisfied so far – was the answer. Part of the training is that the workers will be taken to Germany. In another approach, Frank Klein said they have close connection with the Kecskemét College, where they deal with such a specific vocational training, or going to launch soon, which suits to the profile of Mercedes. He emphasized they intend to broaden cooperation with other technical institutions of higher education as well.

At present 400 workers are employed by Mercedes in Kecskemét, 288 of the staff are Hungarian. – By the end of the year we will reach number 700, and on the first weekday of August, on Monday, 72 new colleagues are going to take up the work. The factory will start with 2500 workers, 300 of them are German. They will help to take the first steps in order to accelerate the production as soon as possible. If it happens, majority of them will go home, so Mercedes in Kecskemét will become a totally Hungarian factory.

A group is needed. Frank Klein, the director of Kecskemét factory is among his colleagues.

From an answer which was given to a question in connection with commuting, we knew that many of those 280 Hungarian workers are commuters, but this ratio will change, if the recruitment of the workers in production starts in 2011. The majority of the workers here are from Kecskemét, or they will be commuters from relatively close areas.

- What is your relationship like with the local centred clusters? –autopro.hu asked the director of the factory. Frank Klein said it was important to establish them because their role was very significant, especially so that the suppliers know about them and know the project. And he emphasized Mercedes had a standard procedure, which was used in Kecskemét, too. With its help they can select and qualify, and it gives the suppliers opportunity to make their offers. Of course, Mercedes won’t change this procedure; clusters don’t have any influence on

The central office building is getting covered. képgaléria

So far, there were a number of challenges during the factory construction, but the largest is in front of us, when the high-tech of the painting factory will be installed. It has been used by only two competitors in the world. At Mercedes the factory in Kecskemet will be the first applying this technology. As the progress is perpetual, the factory, which will be more modern, and will provide more than the others on the first two sites, can produce top quality and reduce the cost of production as well.