In February, I had the uncommon alternative to witness firsthand one of the vital bold 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 fully reshape how BMW builds vehicles within the coronary heart of its hometown. This manufacturing unit—one in every of BMW’s longest-running manufacturing websites—has been in operation since 1922, and by 2027, it’ll produce solely absolutely electrical autos, making it one of many firm’s first crops devoted solely to Neue Klasse manufacturing.
Not like BMW’s brand-new manufacturing unit 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 gigantic: BMW is tearing down and rebuilding one-third of your complete plant with out stopping manufacturing. Each day, 1,000 vehicles roll off the road whereas cranes, vehicles, and staff function round them. The manufacturing unit just isn’t increasing outward resulting from area limitations—it’s rising vertically, with three-story manufacturing buildings changing older constructions.
“We aren’t reworking this plant simply because we’re transitioning to electrical autos. The plant can already produce electrical vehicles, 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 The reconfiguration is occurring as a result of the plant is 100 years outdated. Every now and then, it’s a must to rethink manufacturing and develop a brand new construction,” defined Dr. Mohan Noronha, Challenge Lead for the Structural Transformation of BMW Manufacturing unit Munich.
Constructing a New Manufacturing unit Whereas Preserving the Previous One Operating
The transformation of the Munich plant is not only about introducing new expertise—it’s about doing so whereas maintaining the manufacturing unit operational. Not like many automotive crops that shut down for in depth retooling, BMW has no such luxurious right here. Town’s dense city setting makes large-scale growth unattainable, so the automaker is demolishing and rebuilding sections of the manufacturing unit 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. Whole departments, together with engine manufacturing, wastewater remedy, and axle pre-assembly, have been moved to different places to make means 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 large shifts, 600,000 tons of fabric have to be dismantled, examined, and both disposed of or repurposed. Laws require BMW to research and course of this materials earlier than transferring it off-site, which means massive parts of the manufacturing unit grounds have to be used for non permanent 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 latest 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 vitality environment friendly than those they change, aligning with BMW’s broader sustainability targets.
“We needed to rethink every thing. There’s no room to increase outward, so we’re constructing vertically. The brand new Remaining Meeting Corridor has three flooring, every 9 meters excessive—the footprint alone is the dimensions of six soccer fields. And once 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 instructed us throughout our go to.
Know-how, AI, and Workforce Transformation
Past its structural adjustments, the Munich plant can be adopting new expertise to streamline manufacturing. The brand new physique store will combine 900+ robots, considerably decreasing the necessity for handbook 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 change conventional forklifts, decreasing human labor in elements transportation.
Regardless of this shift towards automation, BMW just 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 staff for brand new roles in EV manufacturing. A brand new Expertise Campus is being constructed to supply steady coaching, guaranteeing that staff stay on the forefront of recent automotive manufacturing.
“We aren’t 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 be pushed by sustainability and neighborhood integration. Given the manufacturing unit’s location within the coronary heart of Munich, BMW has dedicated to decreasing emissions, noise, and site 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 unit extra accessible to the general public.
Moreover, logistics are being optimized to attenuate pointless transportation, with elements being delivered on to manufacturing traces as an alternative of passing by way of a number of places. These efforts will cut back site visitors across the plant and decrease emissions, making the power extra appropriate with the encompassing city setting.
An Spectacular Achievement in Only a Yr
Strolling by way of the plant, it was clear—this isn’t only a easy manufacturing unit 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.
Probably the most exceptional half? BMW is doing all of this with out stopping.
