The $34 million facility consolidates the carmaker’s US research, development and technical operations, and follows last year’s decision to relocate its North American R&D headquarters from Long Beach, California.
Mercedes-Benz has officially opened its new technology centre in Atlanta, a $34 million development that company leaders say will create hundreds of jobs and bring together several research and development functions under a single roof.
The opening fulfils a plan Mercedes-Benz announced last year to relocate its North American research and development headquarters from Long Beach, California, to Atlanta, a move the company said would allow its various teams to work more closely together.
Mercedes-Benz North America chief executive Jason Hoff, speaking at Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, said the aim was to bring engineering, research and development, and technical services together in one place so staff could collaborate on a daily basis. He said he was “a big believer of onsite working together.” Hoff also pointed to the scale of Mercedes-Benz’s wider American operations, noting the company employs more than 10,000 people across the country and supports over 160,000 jobs through its operations and dealer network. He described the United States as one of only a handful of markets — alongside China and Germany — where the company’s entire value chain, from research and development to production, sales and financing, is represented.
US Representative Nikema Williams, whose district covers the new site, said the investment reinforced Atlanta’s growing status as a technology and innovation hub, describing it as a powerful signal that the city was helping shape the future. She added that she hoped the centre would also lead to new career opportunities through partnerships with local schools and colleges.
According to Mercedes-Benz, employees began moving into the building earlier this week. Project lead John Leeper said that although some finishing touches remained, the centre was already functioning as intended, with staff there developing ideas and working through the engineering challenges that will shape future vehicles.
