BMW Leipzig celebrates 20 years of series production
The BMW Group Plant Leipzig is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. At the anniversary celebrations, the Board Member for Production of BMW AG, Milan Nedeljković, emphasized the plant's pioneering spirit and high degree of flexibility as success factors.
Since 2005, almost 4 million vehicles have rolled off the production line at the Leipzig plant. The BMW Group has invested over 5.6 billion euros in the site to date, creating 6,680 BMW jobs. In total, over 11,600 people work at the plant. The plant has been continuously expanded and made fit for the future in terms of efficiency, flexibility and innovative strength. Today, Leipzig is the only BMW Group plant in which BMW and MINI brand vehicles are produced together on a single line - with all types of drive, whether combustion, hybrid or electric, depending on customer requirements.
The current high plant capacity utilization with production in 3-shift operation around the clock is expected to bring another production record to the Leipzig plant this year. The year 2024 was already a record year with 246,195 cars produced. As in the previous year, the Leipzig plant will therefore contribute to over 1 million vehicles being produced at the BMW Group's German plants in 2025. This corresponds to around a quarter of all cars produced in Germany by all manufacturers.
BMW Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljkovic believes the plant is well equipped for the future: "Leipzig stands for innovation and digitalization and has proven this time and again over the past 20 years. Thanks to its high level of flexibility and efficiency, the Leipzig plant is an important cornerstone, as we rely on a strong German location in a global production network."
Leipzig Plant Manager Petra Peterhänsel emphasizes the plant's innovative strength as a success factor in addition to its high flexibility and efficiency: "We have paved the way for innovations in Leipzig on several occasions. These include the BMW i3, BMW's first electric vehicle. Another example is the use of hydrogen in our intra-logistics and the ability to use it in the paint shop in the future." Looking to the future, she adds: "We are currently preparing our plant for future vehicle generations. To this end, we are investing a three-digit million sum in the expansion and renewal of our facilities and structures. In this way, we are setting the course for our future and further securing the competitiveness of the Leipzig site."