The BMW Group is investing half a billion euros in building the new BMW 3 Serial at the Munich found, where series production launches today.

"The BMW iii Series is the virtually of import volume-produced model from the BMW Group every bit well as the biggest-selling model in the entire premium segment. To ensure that the sixth generation of the BMW 3 Serial likewise leaves the factory in flawless quality, we have invested effectually 500 million euros in our Munich dwelling institute. And that means safeguarding nine,000 workplaces," said Frank-Peter Arndt, Member of the BMW AG Lath of Management responsible for production, in Munich on Friday.

As series production of the new BMW 3 Serial Sedan got nether style, Christian Ude, Mayor of Munich, forth with Manfred Schoch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the BMW Group, also spoke before a big gathering of employees at the BMW plant in Munich.

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"As Munich residents we tin can count ourselves fortunate that the conclusion to build the new three Serial here signals a articulate and impressive delivery to Munich on the part of BMW," said Christian Ude. "BMW is not only 1 of our major employers and corporate revenue enhancement payers, but beyond that also actively contributes to the wellbeing of the city."

Manfred Schoch added: "Credit for this achievement on the part of the Munich site must also go to the highly motivated and committed employees who invest huge efforts and true dedication into ensuring that this location retains its attractiveness and competitive edge."

The production launch of the sixth-generation BMW 3 Series marks the start of a new era at the Munich home constitute. The investments have flowed, among other areas, into innovative production equipment and country-of-the-fine art manufacturing technologies. They form part of a long-term strategy aimed at strengthening the competitiveness and future viability of the Munich constitute and thereby safeguarding nine,000 workplaces in the Bavarian state capital. In doing so, the BMW Group is signalling a special commitment to social responsibility at its headquarters.

The production plant in Munich is a firm fixture of the BMW Grouping's global production network. Information technology acts as the lead establish worldwide for product of the new BMW 3 Series. All regions across the globe volition be supplied directly from the home constitute to ensure a simultaneous market launch. Furthermore, it was the Munich plant that determined the assembly sequencing and process compages for the production of the BMW three Series on behalf of the unabridged production network. Thanks to the standardised manufacturing processes and efficient production systems, the ramp-up at the Munich plant will exist very short. Merely 3 months after the start of product of the BMW three Series Sedan, peak output of 680 units a day will be achieved. Total output at the plant will then exceed 900 vehicles per day.


Munich plant sets benchmarks for modern car structure.
Its location within the metropolis presents the BMW Munich found with some special challenges. The complex production infrastructure, gear up out across a full surface area of some 700,000 square metres, calls for extremely high density and means that the most important volume-produced model of the Bavarian premium manufacturer is built on upwardly to 5 different floors. The smooth coordination betwixt production, logistics, transport and administration within such a bars space is an accomplishment that ranks as a tour de force in modernistic-twenty-four hours automotive construction worldwide.

State-of-the-art facilities for innovative vehicle production.
To ensure the utmost precision and efficiency, new product structures were created for all the manufacturing areas.

Building the sixth generation of the BMW iii Series thus benefits, for example, from a new big printing. At 17 strokes per minute, this installation counts amongst the almost avant-garde in the earth. It achieves throughput of 600 tonnes of steel per day and develops press forces of 650 to 2,500 tonnes. In a matter of 12 days, then, this high-performance facility processes a similar amount of steel as went into the structure of the Eiffel Belfry in Paris. The new production infrastructure as well ensures the highest possible economy of space and optimal fabric flows. Beyond that, the high-tech press enables an improvement in quality and efficiency.

Latest-generation robots are at work in the torso shop and paintshop.

For the production of the BMW iii Series, the old, low-rise trunk shop had to be demolished to make way for a completely new production building. At the same time, numerous new robots were installed, some of which had previously been operating at the Leipzig plant. Synergies such as this make a noticeable contribution to cutting costs and ensuring the sustainable use of resources. In add-on, latest-generation laser robots and advanced bonding robots are being used. This modern, low-temperature process is now being used on the BMW iii Series for around twice as many operations compared to its predecessor, in part replacing conventional spot welding. The innovative technique significantly improves sealing and corrosion prevention.

The stiffer body of the new BMW 3 Series offers significantly enhanced driving dynamics, comfort and safety, even though it is upward to 45 kilograms lighter than its predecessor.

In the paintshop, new robot facilities have been installed for seam sealing, flange sealing and undersealing. In that location is also a new foaming automobile for firewall sound insulation. This feeds the audio-insulating fabric into the cavity, where information technology is foamed. The result is significantly improved sound insulation betwixt the engine compartment and the passenger cell, making for a noticeable enhancement of interior comfort.

High production efficiency thanks to modular product and process compages.
In the assembly shop, meanwhile, standardised modular product and procedure architectures ensure high productivity and variability. The production process of the new BMW 3 Serial systematically applies the BMW Group strategy of multi-version production on the same master assembly line. In other words, dissimilar variants of a model series are simultaneously built on the aforementioned production line. With these innovative production processes, new manufacturing facilities and cutting-edge technologies, the Munich plant sets exemplary standards for sustainable and eco-friendly production. Among the modernisation measures is likewise the reconstruction of the logistics, appurtenances inwards and commissioning centre to ensure efficient material supply to the associates line.

Clean production: manufacturing processes at present virtually complimentary of non-recyclable waste material.
With the new BMW 3 Serial, BMW has succeeded in implementing production processes that practically eliminate non-recyclable waste matter and reduce the generation of solid waste, wastewater and emissions almost to zero, equally well every bit cutting noise and vibration to a minimum. Not-recyclable waste has now been whittled down to some eight grams per vehicle.

Furthermore, over 60 per cent of vehicles leaving the institute are transported or delivered by rail. With such highly efficient resource management, the Munich plant also marks a milestone for vehicle manufacturing in terms of clean production. Another primal priority of the Munich plant is to cultivate good neighbourly relations. Thus great intendance is taken, for instance, to protect local residents from noise generated by the production plant. Dissonance abatement measures include the utilise of innovative silencers, ventilation equipment and audio-absorbing cladding, as well equally optimised transport logistics. Paintshop odours are avoided thanks to land-of-the-art filtering and regenerative thermal oxidisers. Beyond this, all production processes are subjected to continuous monitoring, which includes assessing the bear upon on local residents.

Munich domicile plant is the birthplace of the BMW Group.
Production at the Munich dwelling constitute goes dorsum all the way to 1922. Today, around nine,000 staff from more than fifty nations are employed there. In 2010 lone, well-nigh 206,000 vehicles rolled off the production lines in the center an urban residential area with minimal affect on the neighbourhood and the environment.

The "Today for Tomorrow" scheme has been implemented at the Munich establish. Its aim – peculiarly from a demographic viewpoint – is to design the workplaces in a highly ergonomic way that takes account of the requirements of a workforce that is increasing in age.

The Munich plant is an integral part of the BMW Group's global production network and the atomic number 82 plant for the new BMW three Series worldwide. In add-on to the core facilities of the body shop, paintshop and assembly lines, the Munich plant also encompasses a laboratory, a press shop, engine construction and toolmaking, too as interior equipment and seat manufacturing. Equally such, it brings together the almost diverse skills and competences of vehicle product in unique and exemplary way.

Product currently comprises the BMW 3 Serial, BMW petrol engines, and high-performance power units for BMW Yard models also every bit Rolls-Royce. Press tools and body parts are also manufactured for the Group's global product network. To date, more than than viii.five million vehicles have been built at the Munich home plant.

[Source: BMW]