Historic Mercedes-Benz plant in Werth

On July 14, 1965, a double announcement took place on the banks of the Rhine: the first Mercedes-Benz truck, completely assembled at the new plant, rolled off the assembly lines. Cost.

The truck was the oneLP608 which marked the emergence of trucks with a star in the light medium market. A big step for a brand that can now count on manufacturing that includes all ranges... LP 608 gained 45% of the market in two years and the Werth plant became the largest European plant for the production of trucks.

It all started gradually, almost modestly, with less than 100 employees (today there are 10.300 1963 people). They have been building in Werth since the year XNUMX. cab frames which were then sent to factories Gaggenau and Mannheimto produce heavy and medium respectively.

In the first year in Werth, they happened 22 miles cabin... In December 1964, the interior was assembled and the finished products were painted (model 314). A historic decision soon followed combine all production and final assembly of trucks в Wörth.

Fully commissioned after four years

Initially, the production capacity of the plant was 48 thousand cars a year, the limit that was reached before 1969. Then were added: offices, workshops, a dining room and all the structures that revolved around the heart of production.

With a length of 750 meters (now a thousand) and a width of 50 Assembly line it was the largest in Europe in the automotive sector.

Strategic position

The fate of Woerth to become a world landmark was decided, including from a geographical point of view. In fact, the complex was located between Gaggenau and Mannheim in the bend of the Rhine, without no difficulties with logistics.

Since 1969, the parent company has decided to gradually increase the plant's production to 100 trucks per year. The target was reached in 1975 with 105.200 units.

In 1973, when the Wörth plant was producing a new generation of heavy trucks, ten years after its birth, it produced trucks with numbers 500.000.

In the XNUMXs, there were two main changes: NG 80, in 1984 the records were replaced by LK and four years later, Wörth gave birth to the legendary SK.

History of yesterday

From that moment on, new models very quickly replaced each other: in 1996 was bornActros and a year later, the LK and MK series were replaced by the "heavy" Atego and Atego, up to the last born. Axor.

In August 2002, Unimog also moved to Wörth, and in 2003 productionActros, New generation.

And this is the story of a few days ago: the number 1 flagship of the latest generation rolled off the assembly line of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Werth: the sapphire blue Actros 1851 LS 4 × 2.