Mercedes-Benz said work would start again at its SUV production facility in Alabama after the Daimler AG-owned German automaker halted vehicle assembly due to a parts shortage, Reuters reported May 17.
The parts issue resulted from a May 2 fire at the Michigan plant of key supplier Meridian Magnesium Products. This also led to Ford Motor Co. temporarily suspending production of its F-Series trucks, but the U.S. automaker plans to resume work May 18 at one plant and May 21 at two others.
Reuters previously reported that Mercedes-Benz stopped its assembly line May 10 and had planned to reopen it the following week on a "modified production schedule." It now intends to gradually ramp up production the week of May 21 as parts start arriving, according to a statement obtained by the news agency.
