In February, I had the uncommon alternative to witness firsthand one of the vital formidable transformations in BMW’s historical past. Hidden behind the model’s iconic headquarters and museum, the Munich plant is present process a large modernization effort that can utterly reshape how BMW builds automobiles within the coronary heart of its hometown. This manufacturing facility—one in all BMW’s longest-running manufacturing websites—has been in operation since 1922, and by 2027, it’s going to produce solely totally electrical autos, making it one of many firm’s first crops 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 have to be rebuilt from inside, whereas sustaining full-scale manufacturing. The problem is big: BMW is tearing down and rebuilding one-third of the complete plant with out stopping manufacturing. Every single day, 1,000 automobiles roll off the road whereas cranes, vehicles, and staff function round them. The manufacturing facility isn’t increasing outward because of area limitations—it’s rising vertically, with three-story manufacturing buildings changing older constructions.
“We’re not remodeling 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. Now and again, you must rethink manufacturing and develop a brand new construction,” defined Dr. Mohan Noronha, Undertaking Lead for the Structural Transformation of BMW Manufacturing unit Munich.
Constructing a New Manufacturing unit Whereas Holding the Outdated One Operating
The transformation of the Munich plant is not only about introducing new expertise—it’s about doing so whereas retaining the manufacturing facility operational. In contrast to many automotive crops that shut down for intensive retooling, BMW has no such luxurious right here. Town’s dense city atmosphere 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 tasks to clear area for the brand new constructions. Total departments, together with engine manufacturing, wastewater therapy, and axle pre-assembly, have been moved to different areas to make means for the brand new meeting strains. The engine manufacturing division has been relocated to Austria and the UK, marking the top of combustion engine manufacturing in Munich.
With these huge shifts, 600,000 tons of fabric have to be dismantled, examined, and both disposed of or repurposed. Rules require BMW to investigate and course of this materials earlier than shifting it off-site, which means massive parts of the manufacturing facility grounds have to be used for momentary storage. In the meantime, 400 vehicles transfer out and in of the plant each single day, delivering elements for manufacturing and hauling away dismantled constructions.
New, Extra Power Environment friendly Buildings
When accomplished, the transformation will introduce 70,000 sq. meters of recent manufacturing ground area, making the plant extra environment friendly and higher suited 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 constructions might be 40% extra power environment friendly than those they substitute, aligning with BMW’s broader sustainability objectives.
“We needed to rethink all the things. There’s no room to develop 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 once you step inside, you understand simply how briskly issues are altering. When you go away for 2 weeks and are available again, new partitions have already gone up,” Dr. Noronha advised us throughout our go to.
Know-how, AI, and Workforce Transformation
Past its structural adjustments, the Munich plant can also be adopting new expertise to streamline manufacturing. The brand new physique store will combine 900+ robots, considerably decreasing the necessity for guide labor in welding and meeting processes. AI-powered high quality management techniques will examine autos in real-time, minimizing defects and enhancing effectivity. Moreover, automated logistics techniques will substitute conventional forklifts, decreasing human labor in elements transportation.
Regardless of this shift towards automation, BMW isn’t decreasing its workforce. The plant presently employs 6,500 individuals from over 60 nationalities, and as an alternative of layoffs, BMW is retraining and repositioning workers for brand new roles in EV manufacturing. A brand new Expertise Campus is being constructed to offer steady coaching, guaranteeing that workers stay on the forefront of contemporary automotive manufacturing.
“We’re not decreasing jobs; we’re coaching our individuals for the long run,” stated Dr. Noronha.
Sustainability and the Way forward for City Manufacturing
The transformation can also be pushed by sustainability and group integration. Given the manufacturing facility’s location within the coronary heart of Munich, BMW has dedicated to decreasing emissions, noise, and visitors congestion whereas enhancing 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 reduce pointless transportation, with elements being delivered on to manufacturing strains as an alternative of passing by way of a number of areas. These efforts will cut back visitors across the plant and decrease emissions, making the ability extra suitable with the encompassing city atmosphere.
An Spectacular Achievement in Only a 12 months
Strolling by way of 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 exceptional half? BMW is doing all of this with out stopping.
