Sprinter van plant adds shuttle line to operations in North Charleston

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van plant in Ladson has started assembling a shuttle version of the signature van, a company official announced today in North Charleston.

Mercedes-Benz officials and national automotive journalists are zooming around the Charleston region today for a push to mark the rebranding of the company’s Sprinter line, which had been sold in the U.S. under a Dodge brand until late last year.

The vans are manufactured in Dusseldorf, Germany, transported unassembled to the plant at Palmetto Commerce Park in the Ladson community and then assembled for delivery. The van has always been a Mercedes Benz product and will now be sold only under the Mercedes Benz and Freightliner brands, the company said.

The shuttle version of the van can be configured for several different types of customers, including hotels, commuters, airports and paratransits. The shuttle is assembled as a cargo van in North Charleston, shipped to Greensboro, N.C., for configuration and then back for final outfitting.

“It’s a very special market, but for a certain segment, it will do a lot for their bottom line,” said Claus Tritt, general manager, commercial vans for Mercedes Benz USA.