Mercedes-Benz plant wins international quality award

[caption id="attachment_37481" align="alignright" width="405"] TOP PLANT: Consistent performance in the JD Power Initial Quality Study over the past six years at Mercedes-Benz in East London is ascribed to sustained performance excellence on the part of dedicated plant employees[/caption]

MERCEDES-Benz South Africa in East London is the only African plant to win a much-prized international benchmark quality award.

The JD Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) has placed the MBSA plant in East London among the top motor manufacturers this year. The poll is done among American consumers after 90 days of ownership of new models in this market.

The MBSA plant has received a silver commendation in the Europe-Africa manufacturing region from this organisation, whose IQS quality rating is upheld by many in the international automotive industry as a benchmark for quality and reliability. This is the sixth consecutive award for the Eastern Cape plant, the only African plant on the list.

MBSA chief executive and vice president of manufacturing Arno van der Merwe attributed the consistency of the plant's performance to a focus on efficiency improvement and stringent quality systems within the production process.

"While technology and process excellence is of vital importance, equally essential is the mindset and passion of our employees. We prioritise problem-solving at all levels within the plant by harnessing the unique skills of our employees. This award is a tribute to their tenacity and expertise," Van der Merwe said.

The East London plant produced the W204 C-Class for both the South African and US markets, and registered only 27 problems per 100 vehicles (27PP100) surveyed by JD Power this year.

The gold award recipient in the Europe- Africa category performed only one point better, at 26PP100 vehicles. "This clearly shows the necessity of running a tight ship at our plant in terms of reliability, efficiency and quality," he said.

The W204 C-Class model has been replaced by the latest model variant from Daimler AG, and started production at the East London plant last month. "The fact that we have maintained the quality of our production in a run-out year, while simultaneously preparing both facility and employees for a new and more advanced model, proves the level of focus of our employees," Van der Merwe said. - Business Reporter