In the presence of Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, and other high-ranking guests from the worlds of politics and business, the company laid the symbolic cornerstone for a forward-looking and sustainable paint shop at its Sindelfingen facility. With the new facility, Mercedes-Benz is setting the course for the continued transformation of its historic site, which is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year. The “Next Generation Paintshop” will operate without fossil fuels and meet its energy needs with green electricity. The sustainable paint shop is scheduled to go into operation in the spring of 2028.

“Sindelfingen is the pioneer for more sustainable and smarter paint shops at Mercedes-Benz in Germany. We are investing a high three-digit million amount in the ‘Next Generation Paintshop’ at our plant. This investment in the strategic modernization of production is a clear commitment by Mercedes-Benz to Germany as an industrial location.”

Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Production, Quality, and Supply Chain Management

“Our innovative precast prestressed concrete components offer significant added value for this outstanding project. Reducing the cross-sections of the components saves a great deal of material, which also leads to economic benefits. In addition, this significantly reduces CO2 emissions.”

Stefan Bögl, CEO of the Max Bögl Group

Innovative Precast Elements from Max Bögl

The execution of work for the new building will involve constructing it as a two-story reinforced concrete structure with a high proportion of precast elements. An 11-meter-high steel structure will be erected over the top reinforced concrete slab, covering approximately 30,000 m². The office spaces, break rooms, staff rooms, and parts of the building services are housed in two multi-story wing buildings.

The use of 7,200 precast prestressed concrete elements for precast columns, main girders, and trough slabs represents a first in the construction of modern production facilities. This cost-effective construction method not only offers technical advantages but also allows for a reduction in cross-sections and material usage, which in turn leads to a reduction in CO₂ emissions.

Former Assembly Hall Becomes the “Next Generation Paintshop”

The sustainable paint shop is being built in the middle of the plant grounds on the site of a former assembly hall. Once completed, the “Next Generation Paintshop” will be located in the immediate vicinity of Factory 56, where the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, and the all-electric EQS are produced, as well as to Hall 46, where the E-Class models and the GLC are built.

The new paint shop will be built on a footprint of approximately 60,000 m² in the middle of the plant (a so-called “brownfield” project) and is designed in accordance with Mercedes-Benz’s holistic approach to sustainability. Recycled concrete and base course material—derived from approximately 100,000 m³ of demolition debris from the old assembly hall that previously stood on the site—will be used for the foundation. This not only conserves resources but also allows waste products to be directly recycled.

Ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Next Generation Paint Shop—those in attendance included Stefan Bögl (5th from the right), CEO of the Max Bögl Group, Sara Gielen (2nd from left), Head of Production and Site Manager at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen Plant, and Jörg Burzer (5th from left), Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and responsible for Production, Quality, and Supply Chain Management.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz Group / Dirk Weyhenmeyer