Star – The Daimler Group company Mercedes-Benz acquired EUR 1 billion worth of supplies from Turkish auto parts industry in 2014, according to the CEO of its Turkish subsidiary, Britta Seeger.
Speaking to motoring journalists, Mercedes-Benz Türk CEO Seeger said that Turkish-made parts and components were primarily used in their manufacturing operations in Germany. Last year, EUR 700 million worth of supplies acquired from the Turkish automotive supply industry found their way into the prestigious brand’s German-made vehicles. The rest were used in Mercedes-Benz Türk’s production operations in Türkiye.
“Our presence and production in Türkiye is expanding,” Seeger said, signaling an increase in procurements from Türkiye.
Speaking of the company’s investment plans in Türkiye, Seeger said that Mercedes was looking into an R&D investment in Türkiye. “Mercedes-Benz carries out endurance tests in Türkiye, we are evaluating the country for other R&D-related operations,” she said.
The company’s Turkish subsidiary currently manufactures heavy trucks and buses in two plants in Istanbul and Aksaray, exporting to more than 70 countries. The company has invested EUR 885 million in Türkiye since it began operations here 47 years ago.
Home to production plants of global brands including Ford, Toyota, Honda, Renault and Fiat, the Turkish automotive industry meets growing domestic demand but also has become a leading supplier of vehicles for regional and global markets.
With years of experience supplying globally well-known automotive brands, Türkiye’s spare parts industry is also an important contributor to the country’s automotive exports, accounting for USD 9.5 billion out of the industry’s export total of USD 22.7 billion in 2014.