*A bridge to Europe and a bridgehead in the Middle East
* Economic miracle and upturn in Turkey
* Semitrailer tractors, cargo and construction vehicles from Aksaray in high demand
* Stable market share and great confidence

Aksaray is increasingly proving to be a real jewel in the worldwide production network of DaimlerChrysler AG. The assembly plant in central is a bridge to and a bridgehead in the . Its customers hail from western and eastern Europe, White Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, North Africa or Saudi Arabia. The plant produces light and heavy trucks in the Mercedes-Benz Atego and Axor series, semitrailer tractors, construction vehicles and the Unimog U 4000, as well as commercial vehicle components.

Aksaray, which lies roughly 250 km to the south of , is the gateway to Cappadokia. With a present-day population of just under 200,000 inhabitants, the city was once one of the most important trading centres on the historic . Its history as a melting pot of different cultures and civilisations goes back to 8000 BC. Today manufacturing industry is the most important economic factor in Aksaray, with vehicle production the most prominent.

The Aksaray plant was planned by Mercedes-Benz in 1984, for the production of trucks and Unimog as well as engine and axle assembly. Series production of trucks commenced in 1986. To loud cheers from the workforce, the 10,000th truck left the production line on May 1, 1995 - a three-axle MB 2521 with a driven rear axle, a 155 kW (210 hp) engine and a gross vehicle weight of 25 tonnes. On the 75,000 mark was reached with an Axor 3240 C, and it was not long after this that the 100,000th truck left the plant. Originally designed for an annual capacity of 7000 units, the plant currently produces 12,300 trucks and Unimog, and is constantly expanding.

Aksaray is a very modern plant covering a total area of 558,117 sq. m., of which 80,000 are built on. In 1999 and 2003 DaimlerChrysler invested more than 75 million Euro in the plant, including the installation of cathodic dip painting systems which use state-of-the-art processes. The production facilities are to the same high standard as the German plants. In 2005 and 2006 a new customer centre was constructed, the warehouses were expanded and a new finishing shop was built.

Social facilities and vocational training

Social facilities were also constructed. The modern works canteen, health centre, fitness centre, swimming pool and football pitch, plus table-tennis and billiard rooms, are just a few of the facilities that provide the workforce with attractive working and recreational conditions. Wherever possible, employees are also provided with company housing.

The Aksaray plant takes training very seriously, as training is seen as an invest­ment in the future. All employees are offered seminars and training courses as part of annual development plans, 60 trainees attend an intensive vocational training course and 80 students and trainees each year are given an opportunity to do an internship. To this end the training centre in Aksaray was expanded in 2006.

Economic miracle in Asia Minor

With its high volume of exports to many other countries, the plant is not only important for Aksaray, but also for the Turkish economy. has experienced an astonishing economic upturn in the last seven years. Having been close to national bankruptcy around the turn of the millennium, the country’s annual growth according to the IMF (International Monetary Fund) was around 10 per­cent in 2004. As was recently announced at the Hanover Fair, the current figure is a robust 6 percent. The booming economy is attracting foreign investors. The powerhouses of this burgeoning business scene are Istanbul and Ankara. Germany is Turkey’s largest trading partner. Roads need to be built, buildings erected, irrigation systems and dams constructed, and pipelines for oil and natural gas need to be routed. Just the job for the Axor and Unimog.

Semitrailer tractors, cargo and construction vehicles in high demand
As the "smaller brother" of the Actros, the Axor is in many respects unrivalled as a construction vehicle. With its high payload, great economy and robust construc­tion, it only has to admit to second place after the Actros itself when really heavy loads need to be shifted. And with the Mercedes-Benz Powershift, the new, auto­mated 12-speed constant-mesh transmission, which is now also installed in Aksaray, it drives like a car with an automatic transmission. The heavy Unimog U 4000, which is produced in Aksaray, goes through thick and thin on any terrain. Its off-road capabilities are legendary.

Aksaray does not assemble the full range of DaimlerChrysler products - the portfolio comprises two Atego models, the 12 and 15-tonner, six Axor models from the semitrailer tractor to the heavy all-wheel drive tipper, concrete mixers and the U 4000. The highly manoeuvrable Atego for inner-city distribution operations, with a wide range of different bodies including provision for refrigeration units, has been assembled in Aksaray since 2000. The Axor has been produced there since 2002, mainly as a semitrailer tractor, cargo and construction vehicle.

Stable market share and great confidence

Trucks and Unimog from Aksaray enjoy a very high reputation amongst customers. Last year, Mercedes-Benz trucks were once again able to confirm their number one position in with a stable market share of 24.3 %. The busi­ness unit also expects 2007 to show a positive development in this respect.

Purely in terms of area, Aksaray is roughly one quarter the size of the Wörth plant. Nonetheless the facilities in Aksaray are certainly impressive, including the social provisions. With respect to architectural style and interior design, this modern plant hardly differs from the plant facilities in Wörth, and works with the same quality and precision. Incidentally, Aksaray was the first automotive plant in to be certificated according to ISO 9000 f in 1994 - by the German technical inspection authority TÜV South West, which has a branch office in Turkey.

Moreover, this equal standard of product and production quality between the Aksaray and Wörth plants also makes it possible for suppliers of Mercedes-Benz Türk to supply parts and components to the German truck plants.

Source: DaimlerChrysler