The News Wheel
1 Comment

Production Begins at Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant

Decrease Font Size Increase Font Size Text Size Print This Page

Infiniti Decherd Powertrain PlantProduction is officially underway at the Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant in Decherd, Tennessee. The plant is the latest fruit borne from a collaboration between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler AG.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam; Infiniti Motor Company President Johan de Nysschen; Infiniti Americas Vice President Michael Bartsch; Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Operations and Battery Plant Vice President Gary Edwards; and Erhard Schletterer, Director Engine Production Mercedes-Benz, were all present for the opening ceremonies.

“The opening of this new facility is the beginning of our manufacturing expansion. Infiniti needs additional capacity to fuel the expected growth which will be driven by our expanding portfolio,” said de Nysschen. “At the same time, this plant is an excellent demonstration of the strong collaboration we have with Daimler AG. It will leverage the technologies, expertise and highest level of manufacturing standards from both companies, which, in turn, benefit from the synergy and economies of scale of this joint effort.”Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant As of yet, 200 jobs have been added at the plant, and that number is expected to double when the plant reaches its annual production capacity of 250,000. The 310,000-square foot Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant itself is the result of a $319 million investment from Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler AG, who also recently announced plans to build a production plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

The first engine to be built at the Infiniti Decherd Powertrain Plant is the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that will be used in the Tuscaloosa-built Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the European version of the Infiniti Q50.

The facility itself is unique for its ecological features that should serve to reduce energy usage and costs, including a white roof that better reflects heat and a skylight grid that makes better use of natural light.