Celebrating 30 years of operations in South Carolina, BMW Manufacturing officials and associates gathered June 21 to open a new $200 million press shop and introduce a limited edition X5 to commemorate 25 years of production of that model at Plant Spartanburg.
Continuing growth
Joined by state and local elected officials, BMW Manufacturing President and CEO Robert Engelhorn said the opening of the company’s first North American press shop was “a dream come true.”
He added the 219,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility is capable of stamping thousands of sheet metal parts a day for the new X3 Sports Activity Vehicle to be produced at the plant, which was introduced during the ceremony.
In introducing the new X3, Engelhorn was joined by Randy Watson, regional vice president of the Southern Region for BMW of North America. Watson said more than 102,000 X3s were sold in his region last year, with more than half produced at Plant Spartanburg.
He said the X3 is the company’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. and globally.
Engelhorn also introduced the Silver Anniversary Edition X5, commemorating 25 years of producing that model in the Palmetto State. This fall, a limited production run of 1,000 vehicles will be available exclusively for the U.S. market.
The X5 is credited with laying the groundwork for BMW’s Sports Activity Vehicle segment, with more than 3 million sold globally since it first rolled off the assembly line in 1999.
Celebrating family
A significant portion of the ceremony was dedicated to Plant Spartanburg’s three decades of operation and the associates who have made that possible.
Most of the 149 associates who have been with the company at Plant Spartanburg for 30 years or more were at the ceremony, and Engelhorn expressed the company’s appreciation for their service.
“You have helped build our legacy and are driving our future,” he told them. “We are family here — thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Milan Nedeljkovic, member of BMW AG’s Board of Management responsible for production, echoed Engelhorn’s praise and said Plant Spartanburg ushered in a new era for the company and began “with a small group of pioneers.”
Since opening in June 1994, the plant has produced more than 6.7 million BMWs, employing more than 11,000 associates and representing a direct investment of nearly $14 billion.
Nedeljkovic said the company’s South Carolina operations are increasing its global resilience, with the company’s new battery assembly plant nearing completion in Woodruff and the first battery electric vehicles scheduled for production in 2026.
He said the company plans to build at least six fully electric models in the U.S. by 2030.
BMW Press shop fast facts
- $200 million investment representing 200 new jobs
- 219,000-square-foot facility took 24 months to complete
- 45 Plant Spartanburg associates trained alongside fellow associates at BMW press shops in Leipzig, Germany, and Swindon, U.K.
- Metal stamping at the press shop is the beginning of the automotive production process
- Production line consists of five press/stamping stations, which can produce up to 10,000 parts per day
