BMW marks 15 years in Upstate with 1,500,000th car rolling off assembly line

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The first vehicles rolled off BMW’s assembly line near Greer in 1994. Since then, the plant has expanded from 1 million square feet to 4 million square feet. The number of employees has soared from 600 when the plant opened to about 5,000 today. Five models have been built in the plant.

 

By James T. Hammond
jhammond@scbiznews.com
Published Sept. 8, 2009

BMW Manufacturing marked its 15^th anniversary in the Upstate today by rolling out the 1,500,000^th car, made last week in the Spartanburg County plant.

The big, black X6 Sports Activity Vehicle is bound for a buyer in Hong Kong, said spokesman Bobby Hitt.

In a celebration focusing on the South Carolina workers who build the cars — amid a factory hard at work making more cars — and car bodies moving along the production line overhead, Josef Kerscher, president of BMW Manufacturing, said the day’s events represent “BMW’s commitment to the U.S. market and its confidence in the future.”

“We are very proud of the positive impact this BMW plant has delivered for this area and the quality of the vehicles that our associates produce for the world markets each day.”

The first vehicles rolled off the assembly line near Greer in 1994. Since then, the plant has expanded from 1 million square feet to 4 million square feet. The number of employees has soared from 600 when the plant opened to about 5,000 today. Five models have been built in the plant. And annual production will grow to about 200,000 vehicles a year when the current $750 million expansion is completed.

So far, BMW has invested $4.2 billion in South Carolina.

In addition to its core manufacturing operations, BMW has become a leader in environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques and energy conservation. It runs a large portion of the plant on methane gas collected from an area landfill.

BMW played a critical role in the creation of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, to which BMW has contributed $20 million.

Also, a spin-off non-profit, the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament has raised $7.3 million over 10 years for more than 125 Upstate and Western North Carolina charities.