Fujian Benz

Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd., formerly Fujian Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd., is a light commercial vehicle manufacturing company based in Fuzhou, and a joint venture between Daimler Vans Hong Kong Limited (a joint venture of the Mercedes-Benz Group and China Motor Corporation of Taiwan), BAIC Motor Corporation Limited (35%), and Fujian Motor Industry Group Co., Ltd (15%).

Fujian Benz Automotive Co., Ltd.
Native name
福建奔驰汽车有限公司[1]
TypeJoint venture
IndustryAutomotive
FoundedJune 2007 (2007-06)
Headquarters
Fuzhou
,
China
Area served
China
Key people
Kong Xiao (President and CEO)
ProductsMinivans, Multi Purpose Vehicles and Special Purpose Vehicles
OwnersMercedes-Benz Group
Fujian Motors Group
China Motor Corporation
Number of employees
1,600 (2016)
Websitefujianbenz.com

History

The company was founded in June 2007 as Fujian Daimler Automotive Co. by Fujian Motor Industry Group (50%), Daimler (34%) and China Motor Corp. (16%).[2] It began construction of an assembly plant in the Qingkou Investment Zone, Fúzhōu in October 2007.[3] The 660,000 square meter plant would cost over €200 million (US$284 million).[2] With 2,800 employees, the plant has a capacity of 40,000 vehicles a year.[4] For establishing of the joint venture and building the plant facilities, Fujian Motor Industry Group Company and the Hong Kong Daimler Vans Limited invested a total of €434,600,000.

Series production of Fujian Daimler's first product range, the Viano transporter, began in April 2010.[5]

In November, 2011, Sprinter was launched. Fujian Daimler changed its name to Fujian Benz in March 2012 for better brand recognition among Chinese consumers as Daimler is not as well known as Benz.[6][7]

In March 2013 Fujian Benz opened a new product development center in Fuzhou, constructed at a cost of around RMB 500 million (approximately €60 million).[8][9]

In Mar. 2016, Fujian Benz launched three V-Class models, including V260, V260 Exclusive and V260L Exclusive.[10]

Operations

Fujian Benz covers 660,000 square meters, including 330,000 square meters for Phase I and a construction area of 162,000 square meters. The company currently employs 1,600 workers.

The annual production capacity of Phase I is 40,000 units.[10] At one time, China was the largest market of the Viano.[7]

At its production plant in Qinkou, Fujian Benz operates a product development center which covers approximately 11,000 square meters of built-up area, as well as a 53,000 square meter proving ground including a 1,400 meter circuit.[9] In an industrial park adjacent to the Qinkou production plant, Fujian Benz operates an EMC lab, an exhaust gas test lab, and a chassis dynamometers facility, which cover a combined built-up area of around 8,000 square meters.[9] The product development center, with a total investment of 500 million rmb, was put into operation in 2013.[10]

Current production

Fujian Benz currently produces the following vehicles:[11]

  • Mercedes-Benz Vito
    Mercedes-Benz Vito
  • Mercedes Benz V-Klasse
    Mercedes Benz V-Klasse
  • Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
    Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Former production

References
  1. "国家企业信用信息公示系统".
  2. "Daimler starts building China van plant_Auto—China Economic Net". en.ce.cn. 23 Oct 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  3. "Daimler Starts Building $284 Million China Van Plant". Bloomberg. 23 October 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  4. "Daimler launches US$300m joint venture in Fujian". www.chinadaily.com.cn. 23 Oct 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. "Fujian Daimler produces first Mercedes-Benz Viano". Gasgoo. 17 April 2010. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  6. "Chinese JV Fujian Daimler to change name to Fujian Benz". Gasgoo. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  7. "Daimler's van making JV changes its name to Fujian Benz". flanders-china chamber of commerce. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  8. "Daimler JV Opens Van Product Development Center in China". Fox Business. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  9. "Daimler van joint venture Fujian Benz Automotive Corporation opens new product development center in China". Daimler. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  10. "Fujianbenz official website". Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  11. "Foreign Brands". China Auto Web. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
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