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December 2013
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Groundbreaking ceremony for new BMW Group
plant in Brazil
Araquari/Munich - Today, the BMW Group has hosted an official function
to celebrate the groundbreaking for a new plant in Brazil. The event
took place at the new plant grounds in Araquari, Santa Catarina with
participation of Michel Temer, the Vice President of the Federative
Republic of Brazil, Raimundo Colombo, Governor of Santa Catarina and
Ludwig Willisch, Head of Region Americas, BMW Group.
First BMW Group automotive plant in South America Ludwig Willisch
explained during the event: ‘With the construction of our plant in
Araquari, we are strengthening our commitment to Brazil and adding a
further milestone in the BMW Group’s long-term growth strategy. Brazil
has one of the world’s fastest growing major economies and is a market
with tremendous potential for the future.’
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Harald Krüger, Member of the Management
Board of BMW AG, responsible for Production, commented in
Munich: ‘Today, we are laying the cornerstone for the BMW
Group’s first automotive plant in South America. The new plant
in Brazil will be an important element in our international
production network and will make a significant contribution to
the BMW Group’s profitable and globally balanced growth. Our
strategic principle of “production follows the market” has
previously proven effective in markets such as the US and China
and will also ensure our success in Brazil as an important
future market.’
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Balanced growth strategy The BMW Group aims
at achieving balanced growth in all markets and on all continents.
Fast-growing emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and Korea
play a vital role in this effort. By adding a new plant in Brazil, the
BMW Group is further expanding the global production network, which will
in future comprise 29 production and assembly sites in 13 countries on
four continents.
The start of operations at the new plant is scheduled for the fall of
2014. The production infrastructure is going to comprise a body shop, a
paint shop and an assembly facility.
Over the course of the next few years, more than 200 million euros will
be invested in the plant, resulting in a productive capacity of up to
30,000 vehicles annually. The production portfolio is supposed to
comprise the following models: MINI Countryman, BMW 1 Series 5-door
model, BMW 3 Series Sedan, BMW X1, and BMW X3. The setup of the new site
will entail approx. 1,300 new jobs; 60 new employees are already on
board.
Further jobs will be created within the supplier network of the new
plant. For production activities in Araquari, the BMW Group is planning
to source numerous components locally. This is why the company aims at
building close ties with Brazilian suppliers early on.
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The latest BMW Group production site is located in Araquari, a town in
the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. This allows the BMW
Group to draw on the structures established in Joinville, located about
20 kilometers north of the new plant. At Joinville’s Perini
Businesspark, the BMW Group is presently setting up a training center
for the new plant. The centerpiece of this facility is an assembly line
for training purposes, which is in keeping with the global BMW Group
production standards.
BMW Group: Strong commitment to the Brazilian market At the event
celebrating the start of construction of the new plant in Araquari, the
BMW Group presented further novelties for Brazil: As of now, the BMW
320i ActiveFlex is available to customers; it is the world’s first
engine with turbo charger and direct injection specifically designed for
the flexible use of either ethanol or petrol. This innovative
combination of the BMW TwinPower Turbo and the BMW ActiveFlex technology
was exclusively developed for the Brazilian market. The BMW 320i
ActiveFlex is the first premium car offered in Brazil that is based on a
flexible fuel concept and thus gives drivers full freedom of choice with
regard to the fuel they prefer to use. At the same time, the new model
provides the high-performance characteristics typical of a BMW engine
and the sheer driving pleasure associated with it.
Another premiere was the presentation of the BMW i3 in Brazil. The BMW
Group’s first fully electric vehicle, which has recently been launched
in Europe, will be available in Brazil from summer 2014 on.
As
early as 1995, the BMW Group founded its National Sales Organization,
followed in 1999 by the setup of a Financial Sales Company for Brazil.
Since 2009, the company has been building motorcycles at Manaus, Brazil.
Photo: BMW
(16.12.2013)
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