Shaping the future of automobile production: Factory 56

The future is now - this applies to automobile production exactly where automobiles have more than 100 years traditon: at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen. As a former member of the Mercedes-Benz Board of Management responsible for production, I have a close personal connection to this location. And that's why I'm particularly pleased that, in early September, we opened Factory 56, - the most modern and most digital plant we’ve ever had in our global production network. Factory 56 is digital, flexible, efficient and sustainable. As one of the world's most innovative automotive production facilities, it will occupy a leading position internationally and will gradually be transferred as a blueprint to all Mercedes-Benz car plants worldwide.

As an engineer, one thing seems to me to be particularly important: It’s not the technologies themselves that are a vision for the future. They are a means to master current and future challenges. The human being is still the centre of attention for us - this applies to our customers as well as to our employees.  

25 percent more efficient - and the focus is on the human

In Factory 56, we have achieved 25 percent greater efficiency in S-class assembly than for previous S-Class models. To achieve this, we optimised the entire value chain and, at the same time, consistently and comprehensively introduced innovative technologies and processes throughout the assembly hall to provide employees with the best possible support in their daily work. In general, the entire digital concept of Factory 56 focuses on the human. Following a successful start, a total of more than 1,500 employees work here in two shifts. Work on the assembly line is designed to support employees in their desire for a healthy life balance.

Incidentally, the employees at Factory 56 were involved from the very beginning. We conducted an online survey to find out their personal preferences and they were able to state in which shift, area and with which colleagues they would like to work. The response rate was very high, and we were able to grant more than 85 percent of the wishes expressed.

Sustainability - more than a question of propulsion

We pursue a holistic approach to sustainability because, for an automobile manufacturer, too, sustainability is much more than “just” a question of the propulsion system. Of course, we inevitably consume valuable resources. As a company that uses raw materials, however, we attach great importance to a high degree of transparency in the supply chain. In cooperation with our suppliers, we pursue the goal of closing material cycles and reducing CO2 emissions in production in the best way possible. Our long-term vision is to completely decouple our resource consumption from our growth. The increased use of secondary materials in our vehicles plays a central role in this process. By 2030 we aim to increase the proportion of them in the Mercedes-Benz car fleet to an average of 40 percent.

We are particularly proud of the fact that Factory 56 is systematically designed as a zero-carbon factory and operating on a CO2-neutral basis right from the start. This is an important milestone in our sustainability offensive. Overall, the energy required is 25 percent less compared to other assembly halls. A photovoltaic system on the roof supplies the facility with enough self-generated green electricity to cover around 30 percent of Factory 56's annual electricity requirements. Some of it is fed into an innovative DC grid, which will improve the operational energy efficiency of the assembly shop.

Planting and recycling

But our sustainability approach has aspects other than just CO2 reduction and energy balancing. For ecological reasons, there are plants on approximately 40 percent of the roof surface. This compensates for the sealed ground area and - by retaining rainwater - improves the climate inside the building.

I personally regard the main building of Factory 56 as an architectural and sustainable highlight. Its fa?ade marks the first use of recycled concrete. This allowed us not only to conserve resources during construction, but also to sustainably recycle waste products. It is clear to us where the journey is headed. Sustainability is the key criterion for the future potential of Factory 56 and all other Mercedes-Benz automotive plants. But flexibility and efficiency are also of crucial importance.  

More flexible than ever before 

Factory 56 gives us unprecedented flexibility. In a matter of days, we can incorporate different models - from compact vehicles to SUVs, from conventional to plug-in hybrid and all-electric drives - into ongoing production on just one level. This also applies to the fully electric Mercedes-Benz EQS, which will enter production in Factory 56 in 2021. 

The assembly system of the future is key to the high flexibility. Two so-called TecLines replace the traditional production line and use more than 400 automated guided vehicles (AGV). Changing their routes is all it takes to bring a new product online. 

The so-called “Fullflex Marriage” sets a new standard for the process that connects the vehicle body to the drive system. At Factory 56, this “marriage“ involves several modular stations, which facilitate major conversions and avoid lengthy interruptions to production.

Digital and paperless

Even small things can make a big difference. Thanks to consistent digitalization, we save around 10 tons of paper each year. Paperless production is enabled by innovative technologies such as 5G and high-performance WLAN. We also use state-of-the-art industry 4.0 applications - from smart devices to big data algorithms. Thanks to the digital tracking of each vehicle on the line via a positioning system, employees no longer receive the associated data in document form, but in real time on digital devices and displays.

 Vision becomes reality

 What began with a vision - to rethink tomorrow's production - has now been brought to life: The Factory 56 as one of the most modern, digital, flexible, efficient and sustainable automobile production facilities in the world. The new generation of the S-Class has been rolling off the production line since September. This all is the achievement of a great team that has driven this project forward with enormous commitment and passion. 

This benefits the people who work here, the plant as a whole, the company and, of course, our customers. Since the founding of the plant more than 100 years ago, Daimler has been more than just an employer, but also part of the region’s cultural and social life. The Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen is not just a greenfield site, but a neighbour, partner and part of the town’s life.

Facts and figures on Factory 56

• Construction time: 2? years
• Overall ground area: 220,000 square metres (around 30 football pitches)
• Excavated earth: approx. 700,000 cubic metres
• Steel used during construction: approx. 6,400 tonnes (almost as much as the Eiffel Tower in Paris)
• Volume of concrete: approx. 66,300 cubic metres (about 150 family homes)
• Recycled concrete used for the main building
• More than 12,000 photovoltaic modules with an output of more than 5,000 kWp (kilowatts peak)
• An energy bank from Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH with 1,400 kWh capacity
• Length of rain retention channel: almost 1 kilometre, maximum depth 17 metres, diameter 3 metres
• High-performance WLAN and 5G mobile network as the basis for full digitalization of Factory 56