BMW engine plant marks 20-year milestone
BMW Group’s UK engine manufacturing plant, located in North Warwickshire, has reached a major milestone.
Officially opening and starting production in 2001, the plant is this week marking 20 years manufacturing three and four-cylinder petrol engines.
A workforce of more than 1,000 people support the day-to-day operations of the site.
Plant director Dirk Dreher said: “Twenty years of manufacturing our award winning engines and precision components is a fantastic achievement, and testament to the very loyal and committed workforce we have at Plant Hams Hall.
“Thanks to a series of investments and a diverse workforce who take pride in striving for continuous improvement, our plant remains efficient, at the cutting edge of technology and able to make a very positive contribution to the wider BMW Group.”
The plant currently has 53 apprentices participating in four-year training programmes – the highest number to be training at any one time in the 20-year history of the plant – and the search is already underway to find the next apprentices who will drive forward another decade of success.
Michael Nikolaides, senior vice president production Engines and E-Drives, said: “The Hams Hall plant is a high-performing and reliable pillar in our drivetrain production network, consistently delivering the latest generation of three and four-cylinder petrol engines to vehicle plants across the world.
“With sales in multiple and diverse markets, BMW Group offers its customers a combustion engine, a plug-in hybrid or a fully-electric motor and the Hams Hall plant is making a valuable contribution to this overall company strategy.”
The plant is preparing to take over production of the company’s V engines which will be moving from the engine production plant in Munich.
Engines roll off the Hams Hall production line at more than one per minute and are currently supplied to nine different BMW Group vehicle plants globally, with the majority going to Plant Oxford in the UK for MINI and to Plant Spartanburg, USA for the BMW ‘X’ model range.
More than five million engines have been produced since the plant opened, with annual production in recent years exceeding 375,000 engines.
