The BMW Group is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its main plant in Munich. The company has been manufacturing its products as "Bayerische Motoren Werke" on the site in the Milbertshofen district since 1922.
At the anniversary event, CEO Oliver Zipse emphasized: "Our main plant - right in the heart of the Munich metropolis - has weathered the storms of time. Because there have always been people who have kept this location moving with the right instinct for the current times and, above all, with a clear view of the future." During the ceremony, Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter spoke of a "strong commitment to Munich as a business location".
First aircraft engines and motorcycles, then cars
What began with aircraft engines and motorcycles led from 1952 to the production of cars that are still world-famous today, including icons such as the BMW Isetta, racing legends such as the M3 and, since 1975, the most successful of all BMW model series: the BMW 3 Series.
"Our roots are in Munich. This work is our origin. And at the same time the future," said Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG: "It is a high-tech production site. Around 900 top-quality BMWs leave this plant every day. Five different models with all drive types. This demonstrates the high level of flexibility, but also the enormous experience and expertise of the people who work here. They are the driving force behind everything that happens here."
Switch from combustion engine to electric drive
In the year of its 100th anniversary, the Munich plant is impressively demonstrating that it is taking a leading role in the age of electromobility: the all-electric BMW i4 already accounts for a quarter of the production volume - and the trend is rising: "The demand from our customers for the new BMW i4 is huge - so we are speeding up the ramp-up of production. Next year, every second vehicle from the Munich plant will be fully electric. According to current plans, that means more than 100,000 BMW i4s from the heart of Munich for customers all over the world," announced Oliver Zipse. Milan Nedeljković added: "By 2023, the main plant will have already achieved the BMW Group's global target for 2030, namely a BEV share of at least 50 percent."
Competence center
In conjunction with the BMW Group Research and Innovation Center (FIZ), the Munich plant has always also served as an internal competence center: from here, the knowledge of processes and technologies and the experience gained from 100 years of engine and vehicle construction are also passed on to other production sites worldwide. Examples of this innovative strength include the production of the first series of the all-electric MINI E, the iconic Z8 and the special electric edition of the BMW 1602 for the 1972 Summer Olympics. And Project i, from which the revolutionary BMW i3 emerged, also had its origins at the Munich plant.
The transformation towards the iFactory - the strategic master plan for BMW Group production with a focus on 'lean', 'green' and 'digital' - shows that the Munich plant will continue to be a role model in the BMW Group's production network in the future.
The Munich plant is also undergoing a structural transformation. A new body shop is being built on the site of the former paint shop, and from 2024, the company will be constructing a completely new assembly line for the production of the all-electric 'New Class' on the site of the former engine shop.
Important employer
Mayor Dieter Reiter emphasized that the plant has continued to develop alongside the urban residential area in the immediate vicinity and has thus remained a valuable employer: "The main BMW plant in Munich in particular has played a very significant role in BMW's more than 100-year success story. For example, with the New Class in the 1960s and the 3 Series, it produced pioneering vehicle models that were decisive for the successful development of the company," said Reiter at the anniversary event. "I am all the more pleased that BMW wants to further develop its main plant innovatively and sustainably under the motto "Urban Production", thus taking into account the transformation processes of the industry towards electromobility and digitalization. This is a strong commitment to Munich as a business location and to securing and creating jobs in our city in the long term. I would like to thank the company for this and offer my warmest congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the BMW main plant," said Reiter.
