A new milestone for the star brand and its plant in Argentina is already rolling through North American streets and reflects one of the most important objectives of the firm, export. Less than two years after beginning to operate as an independent company - the unit was separated from the German automaker in December 2021 - the OH 1621/55 Low Entry bus chassis, which are produced at its Virrey del Pino plant, in La Matanza, already operate in Mexico.
In Argentina, two out of every three buses are Mercedes-Benz. In fact, it covers 65% of the local bus and truck market. In turn, according to the company, three out of every 10 bus chassis that the firm produces in Argentina are destined for foreign markets.
What are the new buses like?
The OH vehicles have a length of 10.5 meters, which, due to their smaller dimensions, allows them to maneuver in tighter curves, for complex cities. They were built in Colombia by Busscar with the Urbanuss Pluss model and also have bicycle racks and payment by smart card; They are universally accessible, with a low floor and tactile texture, a manual ramp for wheelchairs, signage in Braille and both seats and preferential spaces for people with disabilities, older adults and short stature.
The head of the Yucatán Transportation Agency (ATY), Rafael Hernández Kotasek, mentioned that these units travel more than 50,000 km every day. “This means a long-term vision with many projects that will allow us to satisfy not only local demands, but also international ones, offering our products and services of excellence to other countries in the region,” commented Sebastián Gysin, director of Sales and Marketing of Buses in Argentina.
In July of this year, Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Buses announced an investment of US$30 million, in addition to the US$20 used in the purchase of a property in Zárate, to build a new auto parts and spare parts logistics center there, which It will be ready and operating from the middle of next year.
The company belonging to the Daimler Truck AG group thus completed, in just seven months, a cycle of investments in Argentina for US$ 50 million destined for the construction of this totally new and independent logistics center on the property acquired at kilometer 90 of national route No. 9, in Zárate, province of Buenos Aires.
Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Buses operates in the Juan Manuel Fangio Industrial Center located in Virrey del Pino, province of Buenos Aires, from where it produces different versions of the Accelo and Atego trucks and the OH and OF bus chassis.
Likewise, it directly employs more than 500 people and indirectly employs more than 2,000 others, distributed across its 24 dealerships and more than 45 sales and after-sales points throughout the country.