The North American financial services headquarters of DaimlerChrysler moved its offices in late September to a renovated 300,000-square-foot building in Farmington Hills, Mich., only two miles from its old location atop the former American Motors skyscraper in Southfield, Michigan – both Detroit suburbs.

Approximately 1,200 employees of DC Services participated in the relocation to the old headquarters of the Michigan Bank along Interstate 696.

Jurgen H. Walker, president and CEO of DC Services North America, said putting all the headquarters staff of the financial provider into one building would enhance the goal of gaining additional market share. Walker forecast increased leasing of Chrysler Group vehicles when zero percent financing winds down, as he said it would “eventually.”

“We had no choice but to follow suit when GMAC and Ford Credit revived their zero percent loan offers in September,” Walker told an audience of government officials and employees at a dedication ceremony Sept. 19. “But zero percent loans will come to a reasonable end eventually. The cost is substantial and leasing customers have a much higher loyalty rate.”

Walker was joined for the dedication by Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche and Dr. Klaus Mangold, a member of the DC board of management and chairman of DC Management Services AG. Dr. Mangold said the company has increased its cash reserves in the past 18 months to gird for economic uncertainties.

In the first half of 2002, DC Services reported a 62 percent jump in operating profit to $400 million, compared to the same period of 2001, according to Dr. Mangold. He predicted further profit increases for the second half.

The North American operation services more than $80 billion of the company’s global portfolio of $112 billion. Total worldwide employment of more than 10,000 includes 5,400 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Operating in 38 countries, DC Services has more than 6,000,000 contracts and generates about 2,000,000 new agreements annually.