An official from Mercedes-Benz announced that the Luxury car manufacturer Mercedez- Benz India would commencing manufacturing at its second plant shortly. The initiative which would help the company double its production capacity in India.

Additionally, Boris Fitz, VP (Sales and network development) of Mercedes-Benz India said that the second plant is in the final stage and is in the process of getting all the approvals. The plant will be ready for use very soon. The company's first own plant started production in the country in 2009 which has an installed capacity of 10,000 units per annum located at Chakan near Pune. Subsequent to completion of the second plant, the production capacity would be doubled to 20,000 units per annum.

Fitz told reporters at the launch of special editions of A-Class and B-Class compact cars in Kolkata on Thursday that during preceding year Mercedez-Benz registered sales of beyond 9,000 units. This calendar year, they are anticipating to grow in double digit. He said that the new plant will make the company future-ready as the luxury car market is going to expand at a higher growth as compared to the normal passenger car market. Presently, the volume of the luxury segment was 1.5 per cent of the total car market in the country.

Fitz said that by 2022, this will go up to four per cent of the total market approximated as 5.5 lakh units. He said with the commissioning of the second production line, total investment made in India would touch Rs 850 crore. Mercedez-Benz plans to launch three more models in the current calender year. - PTI

(AW:SB)