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Sustainability at BMW's Munich Plant

BMW Group operate a BMW production plant in Munich. It’s been producing cars and engines for 100 years now (1922), and combines engineering excellence, innovative power, and the passion of nearly 8,000 employees to deliver some of the world’s best automotive products.

In common with most manufacturers, BMW are pushing hard to increase their electric vehicle market share, by offering a wider range of products and introducing new technology at a rate that’s almost incomprehensible.

It’s more than about just the cars, however – BMW’s plant in Munich also leads the way in sustainability.

BMW Munich

BMW believe that for them to have any continued success, there must be a solid policy in place which benefits the current, and future generations in terms of sustainability and corporate responsibility.

There’s a huge emphasis on developing (and delivering) efficient, innovative, and sustainable production technologies. Take the paint shop for example: It’s perhaps one of the most up-to-date and state-of-the-art paint shops within the automotive industry, and it's been designed to minimise the impact on natural resources. As a result BMW have seen a reduction in its natural gas and electricity consumption as well as reducing CO2 emissions. 

Combined Heat & Power

From December 2019, the plant has been using two CHP (Combined Heat & Power) generators onsite, the purpose of which is to turn natural gas into electricity, and as part of the process, there’s an excess of heat generation.

BMW use that excess to heat the whole facility – every single building onsite – and it does so without drawing on any external source whatsoever. It’s a highly efficient process, and helps to reduce their reliance on natural resources in an innovative way.

And again, it’s bigger than just mechanical processes – almost all of the BMW plants in Germany have their own colony of bees, and Munich is no exception; there’s around 160,000 bees on the rooftop, and they help with pollinating the surrounding green spaces, which also includes a number of rooftops that are moss-covered (helping to reduce noise, cut down on heating, and helps with air quality by binding the dust particles).

Next Steps BMW's Munich facility is currently responsible for the production of the BMW 3 Series, including the Touring, and M3. They also produce the 4 Series Gran Coupé, and the i4.

If you’d like more details about BMW’s sustainability, or you’re interested in slipping behind the wheel of a new BMW, get in touch with one of our friendly professionals today, and they can make that happen.

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