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Tailor-made trucks.

Mercedes-Benz Custom Tailored Trucks and truck manufacture in Molsheim.

There is nothing run-of-the-mill about Mercedes-Benz Custom Tailored Trucks (CTT). Part of the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division, the Molsheim plant, is located in Alsace. Highly specialised vehicles are created in this plant not far from Strasbourg.

Special requests that cannot be met on the mass production line are brought to life here. Whether one-of-a-kind or a limited edition – CTT and Molsheim produce the customised trucks with the star from start to finish. Inspected, approved and covered by all guarantees, not to mention a worldwide service provided by the Mercedes-Benz brand.

From the heavy duty tractor unit to the oil field truck.

Efficient series production for highly specific transport tasks doesn't always include the right vehicle. This is where Mercedes-Benz CTT comes in, meeting special customer requirements with specifically tailored solutions.

In Molsheim, the trucks are manufactured entirely according to customer specifications. Four-axle vehicles with a wheelbase of up to 7.2 m are built based on the series-produced trucks from the plant in Wörth. They are used, for example, on the oil fields in China, for transporting sheep in New Zealand, as driving school trucks with additional seats and dual pedal operation, as semitrailer trucks for operations below ground (Econic), as well as plenty of other individual vehicle solutions.

Customised developments in proven Mercedes-Benz quality.

There is no such thing as impossible: Molsheim is a location for versatile commercial vehicle solutions. CTT has its own development department at the plant in Alsace. Around 70 engineers work here in close collaboration with the Daimler Trucks central development team in Stuttgart. They can also take on truck development projects for series production in Wörth.

The great advantage is that just like a volume-production vehicle, all conversions are fully documented – customers are welcome at any Mercedes-Benz workshop around the world, while replacement parts and components can be acquired using the item numbers familiar from the series. Furthermore, all the conversions meet the high quality standards of Mercedes-Benz.

The focus is not always on turning standard models into unusual vehicles. The experts at CTT are also brought on board when a fuel system needs to be replaced or a frame modified at the request of a customer in order to ensure special bodies sit perfectly.

Expert solutions tailored to requirements.

Every fifth truck from Mercedes-Benz goes through CTT, a steady stream of vehicles for many years. However, not every truck needs to travel the direct, albeit short, route from Wörth to Molsheim. At the truck plant, CTT employees have separate work platforms at their disposal for smaller modifications. And should a conversion turn out to have the potential for more widespread success, orders of a certain size are even integrated into line production to guarantee maximum efficiency and flexibility.

In terms of organisation, Custom Tailored Trucks has ties with the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division in Wörth, where around 1,000 employees annually produce 3,500 Econic, Unimog and Zetros vehicles.

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Track record for special production.

Around 600 employees are involved in Development, Sales and Production at the Molsheim plant. They are working directly with approximately 8,500 vehicles each year. The plant is situated on an extensive compound that stretches across almost 500,000 m². Production is divided into the modification and assembly of trucks, component manufacture with priority given to the cab for the Unimog implement carrier, as well as the manufacture of parts.

The best-selling truck conversions, in addition to the many special editions, really stand out with their chassis and frame production. Established in the year 2000, CTT has since mounted altogether almost 20,000 axles and carried out 5,000 km of wheelbase shortenings and 18,000 km of wheelbase extensions.

Internationally on-trend.

The main CTT customers are located within the EU, yet the trucks can be found on roads all over the world. Brazil, China and Russia received the majority of these special vehicles in recent years. Australia and Indonesia were also important markets.

Thanks to CTT, individual customer requirements and developments are largely accessible to an international clientèle. Take the “triple chassis”, for example, developed for heavy transport in Finland and now also used for refuse collection in Munich, Germany.

Technology is an art form.

Used for the workshop in Molsheim, the French word “Atelier” defines a room or building in which an artist works. This characterises the production at Molsheim where special emphasis is placed on employee craftsmanship. Comprising several ateliers for conversions, 65 work platforms and two painting booths, Molsheim provides around 20,000 m² of roofed space for its 220 employees, the majority of whom are kept busy with truck conversions.

In the newest Atelier 11, for example, there are ten work platforms to the left and right for conversion work. A small production line could also be set up, if necessary. The most varied collection of trucks currently park there.

Where creativity and order meet.

Four-axle oil field vehicles for export to China are given frame extensions here. This involves removing all detachable parts from the frame and disassembling the rear axles. The frame is then cut in half and the extension welded in. Because the wheelbase has changed, cables and lines need to be replaced in addition to the propeller shaft before reassembly. As plenty of room is required by the frame for specially modified trucks, the fuel tank is also relocated to the rear of the cab.

Workshop employees are highly qualified and equipped to deal with longer cycle times, a comprehensive work schedule and a variety of tasks. Despite providing customised solutions, CTT complies with the production system from Daimler Trucks, which is identical the world over. All conversions are subject to the same quality checks as the series models. Furthermore, all tasks carried out are logged by employees to ensure the transparent documentation of the manufacturing process every step of the way for each vehicle.

High-tech cabs for the Unimog implement carrier.

Almost two years ago, CTT expanded and restructured production of the high-tech cabs for the Unimog implement carrier. The individual body parts are first glued and screwed to the basic steel frame of the cab. The next step involves priming and painting the cabs. Each cab is then thoroughly inspected in a light tunnel under the glare of spotlights.

30 employees, working on an area of approx. 2,000 m², produce almost 1,000 cabs annually. These cabs are sent from Molsheim to the truck plant in Wörth for assembly of the Unimog.

Manufacturing parts for large-scale production.

The emphasis is on skilled labour at the Molsheim production plant. Nevertheless, a welding robot is also used for the small series. Parts are manufactured and supplied internally at the Molsheim plant, with the employees also working for the truck plant in Wörth. Parts are laser-cut, bent, welded, stamped and pressed into form, as well as powder-coated and wet-painted. The department lists around 5,000 item numbers, with equipment including approx. 500 compression moulds and 700 welding devices. The 90 employees involved in the manufacture of parts process around 1,500 tonnes of steel annually.

Bespoke tailor for the trucks with the star.

The figures speak for themselves: since it was established in 2000, CTT has modified more than 120,000 trucks and implemented over 5,000 special codes for parts and components. The trucks from CTT are utilised in over 140 countries around the world. Thus making Mercedes-Benz CTT the largest truck converter in the world for the trucks with the star.

Topics

unimog econic zetros special trucks

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