Mercedes-Benz Trucks prepares its European production network for the future

 The plant in Wörth am Rhein, Germany, (state of Rhineland-Palatinate) is—and will remain—the lead and largest volume plant within the network. The company plans to expand the existing network in the future by adding a vehicle assembly and manufacturing site in Cheb (Karlovarský/Karlsbad region), Czech Republic. Painted cab bodies will be supplied from Wörth. Subject to all pending approvals—among others by the Cheb city council—the company plans to begin construction next year, with ramp up of the new European network concept targeted for the end of the decade. The goal is to further enhance the efficiency, resilience, and flexibility of all sites within the network in light of increasing complexity caused by a growing variety of product variants.

Achim Puchert, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “With our new assembly plant in Cheb, we are strengthening the competitiveness of our production network with a clear focus on cost optimization and complexity management. This enables us to secure value creation and employment at the Wörth site and to continue investing there in the future.”

Jürgen Distl, Head of Operations Mercedes-Benz Trucks: “In reshaping our European production network, we are placing a clear focus on long term perspectives. Wörth remains the heart and brain of our truck production. We are developing the site further so it can remain economically viable even under changing market conditions. The planned addition of a new site in Cheb gives us urgently needed breathing space in Wörth to continue flexibly producing trucks with diesel and zero-emission drivetrains there in the future. We will also adjust the program at the Aksaray plant. We are increasing efficiency across the network—and thereby safeguarding value creation and employment in Germany as a whole.”

Michael Brecht, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the General Works Council: “We, as employee representatives, have consistently emphasized—both on the Supervisory Board and during the negotiations on Cost Down Europe—that the focus cannot be solely on efficiency and cost savings. Mercedes‑Benz Trucks also needs a growth strategy. Among other things, we are calling for the recovery of market share in Germany and Europe.

However, our Wörth plant is limited in its development due to its high level of complexity. For this reason, the plant in the Czech Republic forms an integral part of the required growth strategy. This, in turn, also benefits Daimler Truck’s German locations and their employees.”

As Daimler Truck announced in summer 2025, the target pictures for the German sites has been updated and further developed. Within the European network, the Wörth plant will continue to be responsible for complex production programs and new product ramp‑ups.

At the same time, the already high level of production complexity in Wörth will be reduced to secure the site’s long‑term competitiveness and future viability. For this reason, the company will adjust assembly processes at Mercedes‑Benz Trucks’ largest truck plant. The plant remains a high-volume facility with annual production in the mid- to high-five-digit range, depending on market conditions.

Thomas Zwick, Chairman of the Works Council at the Wörth Plant: “Through the Contract for the Future concluded in 2021, we secured that trucks with all drive systems are produced in Wörth and that we serve as the lead plant within the production network. With the continuation of the Contract for the Future as part of Cost Down Europe, we were able to firmly establish Wörth as a volume plant, safeguard all business units — including CKD production and Mercedes‑Benz Special Trucks — and ensure job security for the core workforce in production through the end of 2034.”

Wörth remains one of the largest employers in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and is shaping the transformation toward producing trucks with new drive technologies. As announced last year, Daimler Truck will invest more than two billion euros in its German production sites by 2030—around half of which will go to Wörth. Investments include an innovative and more environmentally friendly paint shop and the modification and expansion of the body in white (BIW) area for future cab generations. The plant in the Czech Republic is planned as a vehicle assembly and manufacturing site; painted cab bodies will be supplied from Wörth. Alongside its strong focus on the significant Turkish truck market, the Aksaray plant remains an integral part of the flexible European production network and will continue to receive investment to further enhance competitiveness.

Wörth will also play a major role in Daimler Truck’s growth strategy in the defense sector, creating demand for qualified specialists. The site’s participation in the WärmeWerk Wörth joint venture, which aims to develop a climate‑neutral geothermal energy supply for the local production facilities, also contributes to long‑term site security. The CKD (Completely Knocked Down) area remains an integral part of the plant: Wörth has 60 years of experience in CKD production and will continue supplying vehicle kits for final assembly in numerous overseas markets. The site will also continue its long tradition of vocational training, now increasingly aligned with new drive technologies—ensuring a pipeline of new talent and upskilling internal specialists for battery and hydrogen‑related work.

The new site in Cheb is planned to handle part of today’s production program from Wörth and Aksaray. Daimler Truck will therefore invest a low to mid three‑digit million‑euro amount in the new site over the coming years. Both logistics and cost structures at the Czech location offer strong conditions to complement the existing network.

Cheb is planned to assemble vehicles with both conventional and alternative drivetrains, helping to manage rising complexity in the network. Plans call for an annual production capacity of around 25,000 units. Over 1,000 jobs are expected to be created in production, as well as in areas such as IT, quality control, and maintenance.

Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic: “This is exactly the type of investment the Czech Republic needs because it brings new opportunities for Czech companies, supports technical education, and strengthens our economic sovereignty. And it has an additional, fundamental dimension for the Karlovy Vary Region: It brings qualified labour, diversifies the region’s economy, and helps jump-start its long-term transformation. This clearly goes along with the Economic Strategy ‘Czech Republic: Country for the Future 2.0’, which is based on innovation, modern technologies, and cooperation with schools. The goal is clear: To make Czechia a place that develops, produces, and makes decisions.”

The Wörth plant remains to be the hub of truck production and the competence center for Mercedes-Benz trucks—with body in white, paint shop, assembly, and central responsibility for new product ramp ups and production system development. The Aksaray plant (Türkiye) is a major production site for Actros and Arocs models, serving the local market and select European markets. The Molsheim plant (France) hosts Custom Tailored Trucks, specializing in bespoke, customer specific truck conversions, and plays an important role in growing defense business together with the Wörth plant. The Cheb site will supplement the network as a truck vehicle assembly and manufacturing location.