Jan 30 2025
New paint finish at Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth improves CO2 balance of production
Wörth am Rhein - The Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth is gradually switching to an innovative and more environmentally friendly process for painting its truck cabs: The new cab painting process marks the launch of a production technology that makes it possible to significantly improve the CO2 footprint of Mercedes-Benz truck production. Painting is the largest single energy consumer within production. In the future, up to 40 percent of this energy can be saved thanks to the new cab paintwork.
Andreas Bachhofer, Head of the Wörth site and Mercedes-Benz Trucks Production: "We have succeeded in developing and implementing one of the most innovative painting processes in the world at the Wörth site. In addition to the conversion of our assembly lines for the production of vehicles with alternative drive systems, the new cab painting process is one of the biggest changes for our production. We are investing substantially in the site in the next few years and are setting an important component for the future production of the largest Mercedes-Benz truck plant."
New painting process requires less equipment and material
So-called ultra-high-solid paint materials are the key to the new painting process, which is significantly leaner, more energy-efficient and therefore more sustainable. Thanks to the new materials, wet-on-wet application of the paints is possible and drying between the application of the various layers is no longer necessary. After priming, subsequent coats of paint can be applied completely in just one single paint box. At the same time, the new systems are extremely efficient when applying the paint and require significantly less paint material. The number of painting stations required and the associated energy consumption are also significantly reduced: Five space- and energy-saving boxes and two dryers will replace 15 painting stations and four dryers in the future. In the new system, the driver's cabs can be dried without fossil fuels.
Conversion during ongoing production until 2026
The completely newly developed painting process will be introduced in stages. In the first stage, one of the new paint booths has been installed before the successive conversion of the existing lines. The conversion of the paint shop is expected to be completed by 2026 and will take place during ongoing truck production at the Wörth plant. Over 400 truck cabs can be manufactured per day in accordance with the highest quality standards of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, even during the conversion phase. After they have been painted, the cabs are sent to the interior fitting and are afterwards assembled on the chassis, which is the so-called marriage in production. Read more
Source: DAIMLER TRUCK