Mercedes-Benz USA announced Friday it will import 50,000 vehicles per year through the port of Brunswick and open a new vehicle preparation center for vehicles at the port.

The company's current vehicle preparation center is located in Jacksonville.

The vehicle imports at the port will be consolidated with more than 75,000 Mercedes-Benz vehicles already exported through Brunswick each year. This consolidation follows a similar move in recent years by Hyundai/Kia to combine its import operations in Brunswick.

"The move to Brunswick represents a tremendous opportunity for Mercedes-Benz in terms of further improving efficiencies for our southeast vehicle preparation center -- one of the critical steps in the process of bringing new vehicles to market," said Ernst Lieb, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. "The proximity to the port, combined with better railroad and highway access and room for expansion, make Brunswick an excellent location for this facility."

The announcement will add 41 Mercedes-Benz USA jobs in Brunswick, in addition to other jobs that are projected to be generated in the shipping, rail and trucking industries.

"We have made wise investments in replacing the Sidney Lanier Bridge, deepening the Brunswick Harbor, completing the overpass on Highway 17 and constructing the North/South connector road on Colonel's Island," said Gov. Sonny Perdue. "Mercedes-Benz USA is the first of what I hope will be many of our state's customers to benefit from our increased accessibility for automobile manufacturers."

Mercedes-Benz USA expects construction to be complete by the first quarter of 2009. After going through customs, the vehicle preparation center is the first stop for new vehicles destined for Mercedes-Benz dealerships throughout the United States.