Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler Automotive Co Ltd (BBDC), jointly invested by Beijing Automotive Industry holding Co Ltd (BAIC) and DaimlerChrysler AG (DCAG) last August, has set up a new plant in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) in Southeast Beijing.

The new facilities of the company mainly target the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Chrysler 300C and Mitsubishi Outlander sedans.

As a growing number of top auto brands are being made locally, Chinese automakers are becoming increasingly competitive. BBDC is a typical example.

Covering an area of 210,000 square metres of the Phase I construction, BBDC is engaged in making sedans and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with world famous brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep and Mitsubishi.

The company's current annual production capacity of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and Chrysler and Mitsubishi vehicles is posted at 25,000 and 80,000 respectively, yet still with room to expand.

The next-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class is also slated for production, according to a company source.

As one of the most advanced auto manufacturing facilities in the world, BBDC bases its manufacturing philosophy on the following criteria: excellent management, strict quality control, strong emphasis on sustainable and environmentally friendly processes, and highly-trained technical workers.

To ensure a high quality of products, the company has equipped its workshops with state-of-the-art facilities and four major technologies.

The stamping workshop of the company has a new engineering layout, and its production lines are specially designed for stamping large steel and aluminium parts.

BBDC has imported automatic stamping lines from Muller Weingarten, a leading German manufacturer, to finish the stamping of major exterior parts.

And the newly adapted 2000-ton high-speed oil-stamping machine is seen as a guarantee for specific precision of large dies.

BBDC's painting shop, designed by well-known Haden, adopts water-based painting expertise. Thus its water paint usage rate takes the lead in the country.

With robots working for wield precision, the body shops, which are designed and constructed by ABB, have realized higher automation and reduced human errors.

The final assembly workshops use real-time, lean and flexible production systems, designed to ensure production quality and efficiency, while accommodating future models.

With leading-edge technologies, BBDC's main production processes such as stamping, painting, welding and final assembly set a new benchmark for the Chinese automotive industry.

The production system is designed to ensure that any abnormality in the manufacturing process is properly identified and will be fixed in time.

BBDC has placed a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, seeking to ensure that every vehicle that comes off the production line meets quality standards.

The company's staff are provided with training lessons and encouraged to make improvements.

Both BBDC and DaimlerChrysler engineers have been training workers to help them meet the high standards.

The BBDC Automotive Technical Training Centre, jointly built with Beijing Automotive Industrial School, trains employees on the Daimler Chrysler production system.

The training centre provides lessons given by German engineers, and meanwhile offers its students training opportunities in Germany.

BBDC has invested 30 million yuan (US$3.75 million) in construction of an insulation barrier below the plant and office building, in order to protect the environment and let the earth "breathe" normally. This is the first time this has been done in the Chinese automotive industry.

"With the new plant, new products, new strategy, new structure, and new employees, BBDC will have a new bright future," said Tong Zhiyuan, senior executive vice president of the company.

(China Daily 11/18/2006 page19)

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