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Dr. Haller to end his career with Daimler at the end of December after nearly 30 years with the company
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Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard: “In the name of the entire Board of Management, I would like to thank Eberhard Haller for his commitment and for what he has achieved for the Sindelfingen plant, to whose development he has made a vital contribution.”
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Dr. Willi Reiss to be appointed as successor
Stuttgart – Dr. Eberhard Haller, head of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, is retiring at the end of December after more than seven years as the head of Daimler AG’s largest passenger car site in the world and nearly 30 years with the company. Dr. Willi Reiss will be appointed as Dr. Haller’s successor as head of the plant with effect from January 1, 2011.
Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Manufacturing and Procurement Mercedes-Benz Cars: “In the name of the entire Board of Management, I would like to thank Eberhard Haller for his commitment and for what he has achieved for our company and the Sindelfingen plant, to whose development he has made a vital contribution. Under his management, the plant reinforced and expanded its position as a center of excellence for luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicles.”
Successful integration of new products at the Sindelfingen plant
Haller took over the management of the largest global production site of Mercedes-Benz Cars (MBC) in July 2003. Under his management, the Sindelfingen plant was further strengthened as a center of competence for MBC vehicles in the luxury segment, due among other things to the successful integration of new products such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS (2004) or, more recently, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (2010). The core model series for the C-, E- and S-Class that are currently manufactured in Sindelfingen were launched on the market with great success during Haller’s time in the role.
From the start, these new runs were characterized by the very highest quality, with a number of external awards in recent years confirming the Sindelfingen plant’s position as the best in its class. With the J.D. Power Platinum Plant Quality Award in 2008, the site was recognized as the best automotive production plant in the world. In 2009, Quality Management for the C-Class in Sindelfingen won the title of “Factory of the Year”, and the plant was again voted among the top three in its industry in Europe in 2010 with the J.D. Power Bronze Plant Quality Award.
Haller’s management also saw the systematic development and implementation of continuous improvements to workflows and further quality optimization at the Sindelfingen plant, particularly in the press shop, body shop and paint shop.
Nearly 30 years with Daimler AG
After studying mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart, gaining his first professional experience at Robert Bosch GmbH and the University of Stuttgart/Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and graduating as a Doctor of Engineering (Dr. Ing.), Eberhard Haller (born in 1951) started his career with the then Daimler-Benz AG in 1983. After working in Planning and Central Work Design, he took over the management of the former Mercedes-Benz plant in Bad Homburg in 1992. Haller was then responsible for establishing the plant in Rastatt and the start-up of the new A-Class (until 1999). He followed this by being the manager responsible for establishing Production Planning at Mercedes-Benz before taking up his position at the Sindelfingen plant.
Dr. Willi Reiss to be appointed as successor
The successor of Eberhard Haller, Dr Willi Reiss, is in charge of the body shop operations at the Sindelfingen plant since 2006. Reiss (born in 1956) started his professional career in the cost planning department of the Sindelfingen plant in 1987 and stayed closely connected to this location for more than two decades by now. Due to an extensive experience and multiple assignments in the planning department as well as various areas of production, he has a broad knowledge along the whole value chain of automotive manufacturing.
