Partner portrait (Sponsored) — When the Mercedes‑Benz branch in Ulm/Neu‑Ulm changed hands, it did more than move keys: it extended a family‑run dealer network that now presents a stronger, regionally rooted offer for commercial customers in Bavaria and Baden‑Württemberg. For fleet managers, delivery services, local contractors and transport planners, the Sterne Gruppe’s enlarged footprint promises simpler access to vans, trucks, buses and Fuso models, plus local workshop capacity and fleet support.
The Sterne Gruppe GmbH was formed by the two long‑established Mercedes dealer families KreuterMedeleSchäfer and Abel+Ruf and is headquartered in Augsburg. The group announced in mid‑2025 that it would take over the Mercedes‑Benz Niederlassung Ulm/Neu‑Ulm, with the operational transfer scheduled for 1 December 2025 — the first of Mercedes‑Benz’s own retail branches to be sold in this wave of network reorganisation. That transaction brought the Neu‑Ulm site and its roughly 200 employees into the newly formed Sterne Gruppe.
A stronger footprint for commercial vehicles
For commercial buyers the practical effect is immediate: the Sterne Gruppe now operates multiple Mercedes‑Benz locations across a roughly 10,000 km2 market area — from Donauwörth and Augsburg to the Allgäu and Ulm/Neu‑Ulm — and handles the full brand portfolio that matters for business customers (Mercedes‑Benz cars, vans, trucks and buses) alongside smart, Ford, Tremonia and Fuso services. The group lists locations including Riedlingen, Memmingen, Biberach, Dornstadt, Günzburg and Neu‑Ulm on its site.
Management remains owner‑managed: the Sterne Gruppe is led by Peter Schäfer and Lukas Ruf (both named in the company impressum and contact pages) alongside Joachim Fellner, who is also listed as a managing director on the group’s dealership contact pages. The team running the Neu‑Ulm operation combines local leadership with the commercial experience the partners bring from long histories as Mercedes dealers. The contact pages also list Hans‑Joachim Daigler as part of the Neu‑Ulm team; according to the group’s published materials he brings many years of Mercedes‑Benz experience and expertise to the sales organisation.
Behind those names are tangible scale figures: the combined group — KreuterMedeleSchäfer, Abel+Ruf and the Neu‑Ulm branch — reports turnover approaching the high hundreds of millions and a workforce in the mid‑four‑digit range. Industry reporting cites a combined revenue figure close to €800 million, roughly 1,300–1,400 employees and annual vehicle throughputs that underline the group’s position as a major regional Mercedes partner. Those numbers reflect the integration of the Ulm site into a larger retail and service network and signal a step‑change in capacity for fleet deliveries and workshop throughput.
What this means for the market
Consolidation under an owner‑managed umbrella creates a different proposition for commercial customers: larger in‑region stock pools, coordinated servicing and a single partner for cross‑site fleet management become realistic. For businesses operating mixed fleets — small vans for last‑mile, mid‑size trucks for regional distribution and buses for staff transport — the Sterne Gruppe can now present bundled offers, scheduled maintenance plans and local advice on electrification, emobility total cost of ownership and vehicle uptime based on larger service capacity. Dealers also benefit from shared spare‑parts logistics and training pipelines for technicians.
At the same time, the takeover is a clear example of how Mercedes‑Benz’s move to sell remaining own‑retail operations is reshaping the dealer map: independent, well‑capitalised family groups are stepping in, and they are bringing regional knowledge and continuity — a key reassurance for fleet customers who depend on predictable service and fast spare‑parts availability. For employees at the former Niederlassung Ulm/Neu‑Ulm it also means continued local employment inside a larger regional organisation that emphasises apprenticeship and staff development.
If you run a fleet, manage logistics operations or plan transport services in southern Germany, the Sterne Gruppe’s expanded commercial‑vehicle offering is worth a look: from van handovers and truck demonstrators to bus servicing and Fuso options for specific vocational tasks, the group now provides a broader local entry point to Mercedes commercial products with the continuity of an owner‑managed partner. Visit the Sterne Gruppe locations or contact the Neu‑Ulm team to arrange a fleet consultation or workshop scheduling.
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Sources: AUTOHAUS, kfz‑betrieb, Sterne Gruppe (impressum and contact pages), Augsburger Allgemeine
