In February, I had the uncommon alternative to witness firsthand one of the formidable transformations in BMW’s historical past. Hidden behind the model’s iconic headquarters and museum, the Munich plant is present process an enormous modernization effort that can utterly reshape how BMW builds automobiles within the coronary heart of its hometown. This manufacturing facility—one in every of BMW’s longest-running manufacturing websites—has been in operation since 1922, and by 2027, it would produce solely totally electrical autos, making it one of many firm’s first vegetation devoted solely to Neue Klasse manufacturing.
In contrast to BMW’s brand-new manufacturing facility in Debrecen, Hungary, which was designed from the bottom up for the Neue Klasse EV platform, the Munich facility should be rebuilt from inside, whereas sustaining full-scale manufacturing. The problem is big: BMW is tearing down and rebuilding one-third of all the plant with out stopping manufacturing. On daily basis, 1,000 automobiles roll off the road whereas cranes, vans, and employees function round them. The manufacturing facility will not be increasing outward attributable to area limitations—it’s rising vertically, with three-story manufacturing buildings changing older buildings.
“We aren’t reworking this plant simply because we’re transitioning to electrical autos. The plant can already produce electrical automobiles, just like the i4, which makes up 40% of its present manufacturing. The reconfiguration is occurring as a result of the plant is 100 years previous. Infrequently, it’s a must to rethink manufacturing and develop a brand new construction,” defined Dr. Mohan Noronha, Venture Lead for the Structural Transformation of BMW Manufacturing unit Munich.
Constructing a New Manufacturing unit Whereas Preserving the Outdated One Working
The transformation of the Munich plant isn’t just about introducing new expertise—it’s about doing so whereas retaining the manufacturing facility operational. In contrast to many automotive vegetation that shut down for in depth retooling, BMW has no such luxurious right here. The town’s dense city surroundings makes large-scale growth not possible, so the automaker is demolishing and rebuilding sections of the manufacturing facility in phases whereas manufacturing continues.
This course of requires cautious planning and exact logistics. BMW has initiated 13 main relocation initiatives to clear area for the brand new buildings. Total departments, together with engine manufacturing, wastewater therapy, and axle pre-assembly, have been moved to different places to make approach for the brand new meeting traces. The engine manufacturing division has been relocated to Austria and the UK, marking the tip of combustion engine manufacturing in Munich.
With these huge shifts, 600,000 tons of fabric should be dismantled, examined, and both disposed of or repurposed. Laws require BMW to investigate and course of this materials earlier than transferring it off-site, that means giant parts of the manufacturing facility grounds should be used for short-term storage. In the meantime, 400 vans transfer out and in of the plant each single day, delivering elements for manufacturing and hauling away dismantled buildings.
New, Extra Power Environment friendly Buildings
When accomplished, the transformation will introduce 70,000 sq. meters of latest manufacturing ground area, making the plant extra environment friendly and higher fitted to EV manufacturing. Three new manufacturing buildings are being constructed for meeting and physique store operations, every with three full tales to optimize ground area. These new buildings shall be 40% extra vitality environment friendly than those they change, aligning with BMW’s broader sustainability objectives.
“We needed to rethink all the pieces. There’s no room to increase outward, so we’re constructing vertically. The brand new Ultimate Meeting Corridor has three flooring, every 9 meters excessive—the footprint alone is the scale of six soccer fields. And if you step inside, you understand simply how briskly issues are altering. When you depart for 2 weeks and are available again, new partitions have already gone up,” Dr. Noronha informed us throughout our go to.
Expertise, AI, and Workforce Transformation
Past its structural modifications, the Munich plant can be adopting new expertise to streamline manufacturing. The brand new physique store will combine 900+ robots, considerably lowering the necessity for guide labor in welding and meeting processes. AI-powered high quality management programs will examine autos in real-time, minimizing defects and bettering effectivity. Moreover, automated logistics programs will change conventional forklifts, lowering human labor in elements transportation.
Regardless of this shift towards automation, BMW will not be lowering its workforce. The plant presently employs 6,500 individuals from over 60 nationalities, and as a substitute of layoffs, BMW is retraining and repositioning workers for brand spanking new roles in EV manufacturing. A brand new Expertise Campus is being constructed to offer steady coaching, making certain that workers stay on the forefront of recent automotive manufacturing.
“We aren’t lowering jobs; we’re coaching our individuals for the long run,” mentioned Dr. Noronha.
Sustainability and the Way forward for City Manufacturing
The transformation can be pushed by sustainability and group integration. Given the manufacturing facility’s location within the coronary heart of Munich, BMW has dedicated to lowering emissions, noise, and site visitors congestion whereas bettering the plant’s visible and environmental footprint. The brand new design incorporates inexperienced areas, and BMW is exploring methods to make elements of the manufacturing facility extra accessible to the general public.
Moreover, logistics are being optimized to attenuate pointless transportation, with elements being delivered on to manufacturing traces as a substitute of passing by a number of places. These efforts will scale back site visitors across the plant and decrease emissions, making the ability extra appropriate with the encompassing city surroundings.
An Spectacular Achievement in Only a 12 months
Strolling by the plant, it was clear—this isn’t only a easy manufacturing facility improve. This can be a historic transformation. For over a century, BMW’s Munich plant has been the beating coronary heart of the model’s manufacturing. Now, it’s evolving right into a state-of-the-art EV manufacturing hub, setting the stage for the Neue Klasse fashions that can outline BMW’s future.
Essentially the most outstanding half? BMW is doing all of this with out stopping.
