In February, I had the uncommon alternative to witness firsthand one of the crucial 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 may fully reshape how BMW builds vehicles within the coronary heart of its hometown. This manufacturing facility—one among BMW’s longest-running manufacturing websites—has been in operation since 1922, and by 2027, it can produce solely totally electrical automobiles, making it one of many firm’s first vegetation devoted completely to Neue Klasse manufacturing.
Not like 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 all the plant with out stopping manufacturing. On daily basis, 1,000 vehicles roll off the road whereas cranes, vehicles, and employees function round them. The manufacturing facility isn’t increasing outward on account of house 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 automobiles. 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 previous. Infrequently, it’s important to rethink manufacturing and develop a brand new construction,” defined Dr. Mohan Noronha, Undertaking Lead for the Structural Transformation of BMW Manufacturing facility Munich.
Constructing a New Manufacturing facility 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 facility operational. Not like many automotive vegetation that shut down for intensive retooling, BMW has no such luxurious right here. 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 tasks to clear house 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 manner for the brand new meeting traces. 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 research and course of this materials earlier than transferring it off-site, that 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 Vitality Environment friendly Buildings
When accomplished, the transformation will introduce 70,000 sq. meters of recent manufacturing ground house, 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 house. These new constructions can be 40% extra vitality environment friendly than those they substitute, aligning with BMW’s broader sustainability targets.
“We needed to rethink the whole lot. 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 dimensions of six soccer fields. And if you step inside, you understand simply how briskly issues are altering. Should you go away 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 guide labor in welding and meeting processes. AI-powered high quality management techniques will examine automobiles 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 at the moment employs 6,500 folks from over 60 nationalities, and as a substitute 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, making certain that workers stay on the forefront of contemporary automotive manufacturing.
“We’re not decreasing jobs; we’re coaching our folks 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 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 facility extra accessible to the general public.
Moreover, logistics are being optimized to reduce pointless transportation, with elements being delivered on to manufacturing traces as a substitute of passing by way of a number of places. These efforts will scale back site visitors across the plant and decrease emissions, making the ability extra suitable with the encircling city surroundings.
An Spectacular Achievement in Only a Yr
Strolling by way of the plant, it was clear—this isn’t only a easy manufacturing facility improve. It is 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 may outline BMW’s future.
Probably the most exceptional half? BMW is doing all of this with out stopping.
