Mercedes-Benz, looking to consolidate its research endeavors in Atlanta, said this month it plans to close its Long Beach research and design facility by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
Company officials said the closure will begin July 6 and wrap up by the end of December, resulting in the local loss of at least 72 high-paying jobs at the 32,100 square-foot facility at 4035 Via Oro Avenue on the western edge of Long Beach.<\/p>\n
Positions include engineers, technicians, lawyers and project managers, according to a May 7 filing<\/a> with the state\u2019s employment department.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear how many people will be fired or transferred. Some will choose between accepting a severance package or transferring to another facility in Atlanta, Ann Arbor, Mich., or San Jose. Others, according to the filing, were offered severance without an option to relocate \u201cbased on business and operational needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Workers who spoke to the Long Beach Post on the condition of anonymity said most would relocate to Atlanta, where the company plans to build a $34 million facility<\/a> near its new North American headquarters in Sandy Springs, a suburb about 16 miles north of the major city.<\/p>\n The facility is set to be completed in August, the Georgia governor\u2019s office said in a news release<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Long Beach facility, which opened in 1997, is responsible for nearly 100 technology patents, according to Mercedes-Benz<\/a>, ranging from \u201cpowertrain development\u201d to autonomous driving and in-car features. It has about 186 employees.<\/p>\n