German Car Zone

Despite slashing some 8,000 jobs worldwide, BMW plans to hire more workers to man its Spartanburg, S.C. production center, while simultaneously upping the night shift from eight hours to ten. The South Carolina plant currently produces the X5 and Z4, but with production of the X6 CUV beginning a few weeks back, BMW is looking to staff an additional 200 jobs to keep the assembly plant on boil. Although Z4 production is going to Regensburg, Germany in 2009, BMW plans to begin building the X3, which is overdue for a refresh, at the plant around the same time. Those of you looking for jobs in the Spartanburg area can apply through MAU Inc., BMW's U.S. staffing firm, and should expect to bring in $12.50 an hour during the day shift and additional buck if you're willing to toil away in the wee hours of the night.


Source: BMW's South Carolina plant to boost output, needs more workers - Autoblog

--------------------------

Yeah, hire more workers, i don't want to hear about any delays of my car, you hear me???

lol! Make that +1

From BMW gears up for Upstate plant expansion | Serving Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties | North Carolina | BlueRidgeNow.com

BMW Manufacturing Co., gearing up to increase its production capacity, is planning a significant expansion of its Spartanburg County facility, according to sources familiar with the plan.

Sources said the details have not been finalized, but said the expansion would be "major." The official announcement could come within weeks, the sources said.

BMW spokesman Bobby Hitt would not confirm the reports, but said it's no secret that the plant is expected to ramp up production.

"Our chairman (Norbert Reithofer) went on record many months ago and said that as part of our long-range strategy, we're going to have the plant ready to produce 240,000 vehicles a year by 2012," Hitt said.

The plant is expected to build between 160,000 and 170,000 vehicles this year. It achieved its highest record of production in 2003, when it cranked out 166,000 vehicles.

BMW Manufacturing is the exclusive producer of the X6 sports activity coupe, which the company introduced at the North American International Auto Show last month in Detroit, the X5 sports activity vehicle and the Z4 roadster. The plant will begin building diesel versions of the X5 for the U.S. market later this year and will produce a hybrid version of the X6 starting in 2009.

The planned expansion could be connected to the arrival of the X3 sports activity vehicle. The company will shift production of the next generation of the X3 from Austria to the Spartanburg plant, likely in 2010. While the X5 and X6 are closely related, the X3 is based on the popular 3 series platform.

While the X3 is moving in, the Z4 will move out when it reaches the end of its current life cycle. Production of the Z4 is scheduled to shift to Germany.

BMW Manufacturing has about 4,500 full-time employees and about 900 temporary workers.

BMW to announce U.S. Spartanburg plant expansion

This Monday, BMW will announce plans to expand its sole U.S. assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This is more great news for Spartanburg, as BMW has increased production at the plant three times previously, and the facility is already running over capacity. Its stated capacity is 140,000 vehicles per year, but workers there cranked out 154,999 vehicles in 2007. BMW will reportedly expand its facilities in Spartanburg by 70,000 square feet, at a cost estimated at $27 million. This will bring the German automaker's total investment in Spartanburg to $4.83 billion since it opened in 1994. Clearly BMW has been a significant boost to the regional economy.

The German automaker is currently manufacturing the X5 SAV, Z4 Roadster and M Coupes, and the upcoming X6 SAV at the plant. In 2010, it plans to send the Z4 assembly to Germany, but bring all X3 SAV production to the States (some X3 production is currently done under contract assembly by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria).

[Source: Automotive News Europe/Autoblog.com]

BMW to increase U.S. production in 2012 while cutting jobs in Germany

Blame the plunging greenback. Less than a week after BMW announced the expantion of their U.S. Spartanburg plant, we are getting news from Germany that the weak dollar is making it increasingly difficult for the German automaker to keep production on their soil and that layoffs are imminent. Ernst Baumann, BMW's head of personnel, said 5,600 jobs in Germany will be cut by the end of the year. When you add that to the 2,500 positions already eliminated, the total represents about 7.6-percent of BMW's workforce.
While the layoffs are bad news for German factory workers, the flip side of the coin may benefit their American counterparts. With the value of the Euro sitting at more than $1.50 at current exchange rates, European automakers are finding manufacturing on U.S. soil more attractive (read that "cost effective") than ever. BMW manufactured about 155,000 vehicle on U.S. soil last year. By 2012, that number is planned to approach 240,000 cars. BMW sales worldwide reached 198,628 in January and February, up from 191,357 the same period last year. With the new BMW 1-Series and BMW X6 models hitting showrooms in 2008, BMW is forecasting yet another year of increased sales.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/10/bmw-to-increase-u-s-production-in-2012-while-cutting-jobs-in-ge/