TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Mercedes-Benz is planning to build an automotive parts staging facility in Vance that will employ about 500 people.
The Tuscaloosa News reports that site preparation for the 900,000-square-foot facility has begun at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, the German automaker's plant near Tuscaloosa.
Mercedes officials said Thursday that they expect to have the $70-million facility in operation by February 2014.
The 500 new jobs there will be in addition to about 1,000 jobs that Mercedes will add soon for production of its C-Class sedans in Vance. Mercedes now has nearly 3,000 employees at the Vance auto production facility.