(Bloomberg)—Daimler AG is emerging as a beneficiary of Amazon.com Inc.’s booming package-delivery needs, with the e-commerce giant ordering 20,000 of the German automaker’s Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans.
Mercedes, which just opened a new plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, started producing Amazon-branded vans for the online retailer’s Delivery Service Partner program, which enables small businesses to lease vans for deliveries through third-party fleet management companies.
Amazon is assisting small businesses across the U.S. by providing discounted vehicles, fuel, insurance, uniforms and access to delivery technology, the Seattle-based company said in June. The bulk purchase of Sprinter vans makes Amazon the largest buyer of the model, Mercedes said in a statement Wednesday.
Amazon is No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2018 Top 500.