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MONTVALE, N.J. — Mercedes-Benz USA on Monday highlighted the four purposes of its new customer- and dealer-support facility in Jacksonville, Fla.

Executives explained they plan to take occupancy in July with four business units operating from the location, including Sales Operations Southern Regional Office, Parts Distribution Center, Quality Evaluation Center, and Learning & Performance Center.

The automaker mentioned the newly constructed building totals 415,000 square feet. It's a leased facility located off of Interstate 95 at 13470 International Parkway.

MBUSA noted about 160 employees will staff the facility that the company insisted it incorporates innovative environmental systems and design.

"The new state-of-the-art facility incorporates Mercedes-Benz Autohaus design that many dealers have adopted throughout the U.S. Now we have one common look and feel for our corporate operations in the region across all our key business units," explained Ernst Lieb, chief executive officer of MBUSA.

"By linking our core operations in one building, we can also create better efficiencies that will benefit our dealer network and our customers," Lieb added.

Company officials went on to elaborate further about the functions of the four entities that will operate at this new Florida location.

Sales Operations Southern Regional Office

Management pointed out the Southern Region MBUSA office is geared to support 102 franchise dealerships with sales and fixed operations throughout 12 states, including Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas, as well as Puerto Rico.

The company mentioned it has three other regional offices in the United States — Parsippany, N.J.; Rosemont, Ill.; and Costa Mesa, Calif.

Parts Distribution Center

Executives explained that parts for about 70 dealers in the Southeast will be allocated through this facility sector. They noted this specific location will house about 15 percent of MBUSA's overall parts inventory, shipping more than 1.3 million lines annually

The automaker has four other domestic Parts Distribution Centers in Carol Stream, Ill., Fontana, Calif., Fort Worth, Texas, and Robbinsville, N.J.

Quality Evaluation Center

The company insisted with more than 70 personnel from various engineering and logistics disciplines, representing a diverse collection of work experience and backgrounds, the Quality Evaluation Center in Jacksonville is one of only two operational units of its kind outside of Germany.  

Officials stated the team includes Daimler Quality personnel, which is meant to place engineers closer to the market and to the dealers served by MBUSA.

"This market proximity brings greater knowledge of market-specific issues directly into the quality management process through increased speed of parts evaluation and feedback to Daimler development," the automaker explained.

"Local parts analysis also helps to improve diagnostic tools and technical information while the resulting rapid feedback to dealers improves the diagnostic skills necessary for improved ‘Fixed First Visit' performance — a key customer satisfaction component," the company added.

Learning & Performance Center

Executives highlighted that more than 120 classes per year are scheduled for this new training facility meant to benefit dealership and MBUSA personnel.

The OEM highlighted the facility includes classrooms, workshops, a computer lab, a virtual classroom webcast area, student lounge, offices and a cafeteria.

"The Learning & Performance Center is designed in an intelligent and integrated fashion all for the learners' benefit while at the same time providing increased operational effectiveness and efficiencies," executives emphasized.

The automaker's other training centers are in Houston, Itasca, Ill., Montvale, N.J., and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

"We have planned and built this new facility with cutting-edge systems and design for our associates to deliver the best products and services throughout the region," stated Alan McLaren, vice president of customer services.

"It's unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz facility that showcases our dedication to quality and innovation in a significant way," McLaren concluded.