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German carmaker Mercedes-Benz (MBGAF-2.77%) announced plans Thursday to consolidate its U.S. operations by moving 500 jobs to Sandy Springs, Georgia — just north of Atlanta; 400 of the jobs will come from Michigan, where the company is closing its financial services division in Farmington Hills, a suburban city northwest of Detroit. The moves will take place over the next 18 months.
The American division of Mercedes-Benz, which incorporated in 1965, has been headquartered in Atlanta since 2018 and employs about 800 people. It plans to build a new R&D facility in the area. The U.S. is the second-largest market for Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans worldwide.
Governor Brian Kemp said, “We’re excited that a job creator that already has close ties to Georgia is doubling down on that choice and growing their presence here.”
Georgia is on its way to becoming a key automotive hub in the U.S. Porsche (VWAGY-2.90%) opened its North American headquarters there in 1998. Kia (HYMTF-1.90%) opened its first North American plant in West Point in 2010. More recently, Hyundai opened an EV factory there in March 2025, touting it as “the largest economic development project in the state’s history [...].”
Back in Michigan, a Mercedes-Benz Financial Services spokesperson told the Detroit Free Press that the company is maintaining 180 R&D jobs in the state. “That number will grow to up to 200 total technical roles in Michigan for Mercedes-Benz,” said communications director Melinda Mernovage. “The roles leaving Michigan are not layoffs, and all employees will have the opportunity to transfer to the Atlanta headquarters.”