Just before May concluded, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services celebrated the grand opening of its new 200,000-square-foot Fort Worth Business Center at AllianceTexas, a 26,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use development in Fort Worth, Texas.

The captive finance company’s leadership team, employees, project partners, community partners and local dignitaries joined together to commemorate the milestone with a tree-dedication ceremony, signifying Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ deep roots in the community and longstanding commitment to the region.

“At Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, we strive to set standards for corporate culture and believe our workplace must be reflective of our high brand standards and the cultural modernization of our company,” Mercedes-Benz Financial Services president and chief executive officer Peter Zieringer said.

“The opening of our Fort Worth Business Center is an investment in our talented workforce, in the transformation of our company and in the purpose of who we are and how we deliver world-class service to our customers and dealers,” Zieringer continued.

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services has maintained a presence in Texas since 1991 and has called AllianceTexas home since 2007, when the company centralized operations from several locations throughout the U.S.

As a result of the company’s decision to update its facilities while remaining within AllianceTexas, approximately 900 direct and indirect jobs have been retained in Fort Worth. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ new Business Center is located less than a mile from its previous business center, making it a convenient transition for the company’s team.

“We are proud Mercedes-Benz Financial Services has called our development ‘home’ since 2007. It is because of long-term partnerships like the one we share with them, one of the nation’s top corporations and automotive financial services providers, that AllianceTexas has become one of the most successful corridors in the nation to do business,” said Hillwood president Mike Berry, whose firm oversees development of this business area.

“This year, we celebrate the 13th anniversary of the opening of AllianceTexas, Hillwood’s signature project, as well as Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ decision to continue to grow their deep roots in the Fort Worth community and the North Texas region for many years to come.”

Details about the facility

The company’s all-new, four-story, contemporary business center is designed to support employees with unique amenities and technology solutions that create an engaging, productive and collaborative workplace environment.

“A cross-functional committee of employees drove this project from day one,” Zieringer said. “Additionally, a team of employee delegates were engaged to be the voice of the workforce, influencing decisions, such the open-office plan, the building’s materials that make up the look and feel of the space, food options in the cafe, workout spaces, among many others.”

One of the facility’s main features is the integration of advanced technology to enhance operations. Upon entering the building, employees and guests are greeted by facial recognition software, creating a safer and seamless control experience. Features, such as room controllers and occupancy sensors, are also present in meeting rooms, collecting real-time usage metrics and providing data on how to efficiently manage and make use of the spaces.

In addition to the advanced technology, the amenity-rich facility also inspires employees to lead healthier, more active lifestyles by integrating wellness options throughout the building. The Body Shop, an onsite fitness center, provides treadmills, free weights, group exercise classes and access to two full-time personal trainers. A restaurant-quality, on-site cafe offers a variety of healthy food and beverage options, while the gourmet coffee bar offers fresh coffee, espresso, other types of beverages and grab-and-go fare. For a boost in productivity, employees can also take advantage of the nap pods for a rejuvenating space to rest throughout the day.

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services’ Fort Worth Business Center also offers outdoor amenities that promote collaboration, team building and healthy choices beyond its walls. Employees have direct access to a basketball court suitable for half-court games, a jogging or walking trail surrounding a nearby lake, dining areas circling a grill and covered seating for group activities. The third-floor terrace is another open-air amenity designed to connect employees to each other and the outdoors.

The captive explained the design of the business center is built with flexibility and ease-of-use in mind, while simultaneously blending in with the site’s natural beauty. The naturally lit, open atrium located in the heart of the building offers ample gathering space for employees to converse with unobstructed views of the lake and campus grounds.

Reducing the company’s carbon footprint, the facility incorporates the use of native materials and elements throughout its design. By selecting native plants that are drought-resistant, the Business Center utilizes a drip irrigation system to assist with water conservation. The Fort Worth Business Center is a LEED- (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified facility, performing better than conventional buildings in various aspects of sustainability.