Daimler Trucks North America, a subsidiary of German automaker Daimler AG, has opened its new $300 million manufacturing plant in Saltillo, Coahuila, in northern Mexico. The facility is expected to create 1,400 direct jobs and 200 indirect ones.
 
After breaking ground in January 2007, the facility was completed on time and within the planned budget. The plant in Saltillo, which covers 1.3 million square feet of space, will generate 1,100 jobs within the local supplier industry, according to Daimler.  
 
The facility includes a production facility, a logistics center, administration building, and a training center. The plant was located in Saltillo on account of the good experiences Daimler Trucks has had in Mexico, the automaker said.
 
The decision in favor of northern Mexico was reportedly influenced by the site's significant logistical advantages, including proximity to raw material sources, suppliers, and customers, as well as good connections with the road and rail network.
 
Andreas Renschler, member of the Daimler AG Board of Management and Head of Daimler Trucks, said: "With the new Daimler Trucks North America production plant in Saltillo, Mexico, Daimler Trucks is improving its competitive position on the North American continent over the long term.”
 
The plant, which is the second Daimler Trucks North America manufacturing facility to be located in Mexico, will produce Freightliner's new flagship, the Cascadia heavy-duty Class 8 truck. The plant in Saltillo can produce up to 30,000 Cascadia trucks annually for sale in the US, Canadian, and Mexican markets. The Cascadia will be introduced on the domestic market in Mexico in late 2009.