Daimler adds third shift to Mercedes A-Class plant

FRANKFURT Oct 23 (Reuters) - German automotive group Daimler will add a third shift to its Rastatt plant in Germany starting next week to meet demand for its new Mercedes-Benz A-Class compact hatchback, after receiving orders for 70,000 cars since June.

"We have expanded our full-time workforce by 500 permanent staff and are now well positioned to deliver the cars to our customers as soon as possible," said Rastatt plant director Peter West in a statement on Tuesday.

The completely redesigned A-Class compact is a key element of Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche's plan to regain leadership from larger premium rivals BMW and Audi. (Reporting By Christiaan Hetzner)