Mercedes-Benz's Alabama factory will shut down an additional two days this month and another two weeks next month to align production with falling sales.

In meetings with employees last night and today, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International said it will offer "limited, nonproduction work" for employees who sign up to work the idle days.

The factory in Vance, Ala., employs almost 4,000 and is the exclusive producer of Mercedes' lineup of SUVs and crossovers for the worldwide market.

"These are very challenging times for the automotive industry and for the economy as a whole," Mercedes spokeswoman Felyicia Jerald said in a statement. "But, these steps are necessary to ensure the success of our operation as we work to align our plant's production volume with customer demand and the current state of the economy."

Sales of Mercedes' Alabama-made vehicles were down a combined 34 percent in November from the same month in 2007. The R-class crossover had the steepest decline, with monthly sales down 71 percent.

While down slightly in November, year-to-date sales of the factory's anchor vehicle, the M-class crossover, are up almost 6 percent over 2007.

Last month, Mercedes said it would eliminate one shift on the assembly line that produces the M class and GL-class SUV beginning in January. A second line that produces the M- and R-class models will continue as a two-shift operation.

The Alabama factory has been operating on a four-day workweek since the beginning of October.

Source:- http://www.autonews.com/article/20081204/ANA02/812049972/1176

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