Sponsored partner portrait: In a region where Mercedes‑Benz is more than a brand but part of family life, the newly formed Sterne Gruppe (headquartered in Augsburg) is positioning itself as the trusted local steward of Stuttgart’s marque. For drivers, buyers, dealers and workshop employees across Bavarian‑Swabia the group’s expansion — including the takeover of the Mercedes‑Benz branch in Ulm/Neu‑Ulm — means continuity of service, local investment and an owner‑managed culture that many customers still value.

A family story with deep Mercedes roots

The Sterne Gruppe is the result of a strategic union between two family dealer groups, KreuterMedeleSchäfer and Abel+Ruf, pooling their regional strength under one owner‑managed roof. The Kreuter family’s ties to Mercedes‑Benz go back almost 90 years — a heritage the new group presents as part of its identity. The company lists multiple sites across southern Germany, including Riedlingen, Memmingen, Biberach, Dornstadt, Günzburg and Neu‑Ulm, and names Peter Schäfer, Lukas Ruf and Joachim Fellner among its managing directors. These details are published on the group’s own pages and in sector reporting that tracked the merger and subsequent expansion.

Beyond lineage, the Sterne Gruppe has moved rapidly: it now operates 15 locations in a market area of about 10,000 km² from Donauwörth via Augsburg to the Allgäu, employs more than 1,400 people (including roughly 280 apprentices) and—according to recent reporting—generated revenues in excess of €800 million for 2024. The group’s portfolio covers Mercedes‑Benz cars, vans, trucks and buses as well as Smart, Ford, Tremonia and Fuso.

Ulm/Neu‑Ulm: a symbolic and practical step

On 1 December 2025 the Sterne Gruppe took over the Mercedes‑Benz branch in Ulm/Neu‑Ulm, a site of about 200 employees. That transaction was notable because it was the first of Mercedes‑Benz’s own retail branches in Germany to be sold under the manufacturer’s network restructuring — a development covered by industry press and the national dpa wire. For customers and local staff, the transfer meant the branch would continue under local private ownership, with continuity of service and a pipeline for apprenticeships and regional jobs preserved.

At the new Neu‑Ulm operation the Sterne Gruppe lists experienced staff among its contacts. Hans‑Joachim Daigler is named on the dealer pages connected with the group; the company and publisher materials describe him as bringing many years of Mercedes‑Benz experience and strong sector knowledge — a signal to customers that sales and aftersales are in seasoned hands. We present that description appreciatively and attribute it to the company’s published information and staff listings.

What this means for the market

The Sterne Gruppe’s emergence matters to three groups in particular. First, customers: the consolidation keeps Mercedes‑branded sales and genuine aftersales locally available while benefiting from the operational scale that a 15‑site group can deliver (longer service hours, broader parts availability, more demo vehicles). Second, employees and apprentices: the group emphasises being owner‑managed and regional — language the company uses to underline investment in training and staff retention, and reflected in its headline apprenticeship numbers. Third, competitors and the manufacturer: Mercedes‑Benz’s move to sell its own branches is accelerating the reshaping of dealer networks; buyers now value partners that can pair local roots with financial and organisational muscle. Industry observers have already labelled the Sterne Gruppe a new “Mercedes‑Handelsriese” in trade coverage.

For suppliers and logistics partners the group’s footprint — stretching from Donauwörth to the Allgäu and now including Ulm/Neu‑Ulm — offers a larger, more unified buyer. For finance and fleet customers, a consolidated regional partner can mean simpler fleet management and clearer service-level agreements delivered through centralised processes while retaining local contact points.

As a partner portrait, this is an introduction rather than a sales pitch: Sterne Gruppe presents itself as a family‑led, regionally rooted group with deep Mercedes links and a plan to combine tradition and investment. Prospective customers and local businesses will find a broad dealer network, factory‑approved service and an active apprenticeship pipeline—reasons to consider a visit when shopping or servicing Mercedes‑brand vehicles.

If you’d like to experience the Sterne Gruppe in person, the group’s locations from Riedlingen to Neu‑Ulm welcome enquiries and test drives — and the team says it is ready to advise private and commercial customers on model choice, service packages and fleet solutions.

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Sources: AUTOHAUS, Sterne Gruppe (official site), Mercedes‑Benz dealer pages, Süddeutsche Zeitung (dpa)