Mercedes-Benz USA LLC broke ground on a vehicle preparation center in Brunswick near the Georgia Ports Authority’s Colonel’s Island terminal Aug. 28.

The center is to include a full body shop, vehicle registration, detailing and distribution capabilities. The 70,000-square-foot facility is to process about 50,000 cars annually.

When it opens in 2009, the facility will be the first stop for Mercedes-Benz vehicles entering the Georgia port after U.S. Customs.  Vehicles processed there will be shipped to dealers throughout the Southeast, as well as Texas and Oklahoma.

The facility will replace an existing center in Jacksonville, Fla., creating 122 new jobs and generating $1.5 million in state and local taxes.

The company is building on 50 acres close to port facilities, to cut down on processing time.  Company officials at the groundbreaking said locating near the Georgia port will help Mercedes-Benz USA’s sales grow in the Southeast.

"Our top priority is optimizing our capability to meet the demand of our customers while ensuring that we continue to affect higher and higher levels of customer satisfaction," said Norbert Litzkow, the company’s vice president for finance.  "Our new preparation facility in Brunswick will play an important role in maintaining a competitive advantage."

Gov. Sonny Perdue said Mercedes-Benz USA locating in Georgia highlights the state’s logistical advantages.

Brunswick’s Colonel Island includes a roll-on, roll-off facility specializing in automobiles and industrial and agricultural equipment.

Mercedes-Benz joins a number of major automotive manufacturers at thee facility including BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Saab, Volkswagen and Volvo.

About 397,000 vehicles were processed through Colonel’s Island in 2006, the last year figures were available.

Montvale, N.J.-based Mercedes-Benz USA is subsidiary of Daimler AG in Stuttgart, Germany, and operates preparation centers in Baltimore, Belcamp, Md., and Carson, Calif.