BMW:BMW iFactory. LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL. – Master plan for the production of the future.
Munich. It’s the master plan for the automotive
production of tomorrow: The BMW iFACTORY production strategy defines
the future orientation of plants and production technologies at the
BMW Group and meets the challenges of the transformation to
e-mobility. “Automotive manufacturing of the future requires a new,
holistic way of thinking. With our BMW iFACTORY, we are leading the
way and setting new standards in flexibility, efficiency,
sustainability and digitalisation,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of
the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production.
Over the last few decades, the BMW Group has considered itself the
benchmark for innovative, flexible and efficient production
technologies in vehicle manufacturing. And it is from this level that
the company is now redefining operational excellence. The strategic
vision of the global production network is the BMW iFACTORY. LEAN.
GREEN. DIGITAL., with its integrative, global approach. “The BMW
iFACTORY is not a one-off showpiece but an approach we will implement
at all our plants in the future – from our 100-year-old home plant in
Munich to our forthcoming plant in Debrecen, Hungary,” said Milan Nedeljković.
The mission: LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL.
The BMW iFACTORY focuses the BMW Group’s production expertise on
three key topic areas: LEAN, which stands for efficiency, precision
and extreme flexibility, GREEN, for sustainability,
resource-efficiency and circularity, and DIGITAL, for the active use
of digitalisation in data science, artificial intelligence (AI) and
virtualisation. As always at the BMW Group, the holistic approach of
the BMW iFACTORY is underpinned by the consistently high standard of
flexibility, launch expertise and integration capability in the
company’s production system.
LEAN: Based on highly flexible, efficient production
The BMW Group’s production network is on the cusp of a fundamental
transformation: the Neue Klasse, due for production launch in 2025, is
based on a completely new vehicle architecture. With its clear focus
on the all-electric drive, it sets the conditions for future vehicle
generations to be manufactured efficiently and in line with the
company’s profitability and quality goals. The BMW iFACTORY is now set
to strengthen the proven success factors of the global production
network. Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljković: “Our
production network has three key strengths: maximum flexibility,
excellent processes and outstanding integration capabilities. We are
the absolute benchmark in all three. And they are the focal points of
our BMW iFACTORY.” The key topic of LEAN is about highly flexible,
efficient production through streamlined processes in competitive structures.
Flexibility remains the key competitive advantage of BMW Group
production, now and in the future – and in several respects: The
company’s production structures are so flexible that a single
production line can produce different drive types and vehicle models.
They also set the standard in terms of rapid responsiveness and
adaptability, absorbing supply bottlenecks and shortages comparatively
spontaneously and reacting quickly to fluctuations in demand. And for
customers, this flexibility means they can change certain elements of
their vehicle configuration up to six days before the production date.
The aim of the BMW iFACTORY is to use even more meaningful
real-time data from throughout the production process to control
global manufacturing more closely and transparently achieve the
fastest possible response times. This will enhance not only volume and
market planning but also supply chain and inventory management and
support targeted work on quality as well.
GREEN: Sustainability along the entire value chain
Avoiding consumption, saving resources and using state-of-the-art
technologies: With the BMW iFACTORY, the focus on sustainable
production is stronger than ever, reaffirming the BMW Group’s position
as the most sustainable manufacturer of premium automobiles.
“Environmental, economic and social responsibility are inseparable,
and we strive to achieve all three not only in the product itself but
along the entire value chain. By 2030 we aim to reduce CO2 emissions
from production by 80 percent compared to 2019,” explained Board
Member for Production Milan Nedeljković.
Plant Debrecen: The first completely fossil fuel-free plant
With its new plant in Debrecen, Hungary – where production of the
all-electric Neue Klasse will launch in 2025 – the BMW Group is
entering a new era in sustainable automotive production. “Our plans
are for Plant Debrecen to be the first automotive plant in the world
to dispense completely with fossil energy sources in its production
processes,” said Nedeljković. “Debrecen will be our first CO2-free
vehicle plant and puts us clearly at the vanguard of developments in
this regard.”
A significant share of the plant’s electricity will be generated
directly on site. The remainder will be covered by 100 percent
renewables, the vast majority of which will come from regional
sources. Nedeljković: “Our contribution to the energy transition
makes not only environmental but also business sense because our
approach ensures stable prices and secure supplies.”
Another element of sustainable production is consistent circularity.
Wherever possible, production materials and resources will be reused.
Metal offcuts and filings from milling, for example, will be recycled
and reused, while waste heat from cooling will be fed into a circuit
to heat indoor spaces and water.
Saving resources significantly benefits the company economically –
but smart, effective solutions also make production at the BMW Group
unique in terms of environmental credentials. Examples of the
technologies realising our commitment include the resource-saving
wet-in-wet painting process (IPP) and the use of direct current in car
body construction for the very first time.
The energy that powers the BMW Group’s plants around the world is
sourced purely from renewables. As Plant Leipzig develops into a
centre of excellence for hydrogen, the company’s facilities worldwide
are becoming increasingly independent of third-party energy suppliers
or other external influences. This is enabled by a combination of
self-generated and stored energy with flexible load profiles
throughout production. Here, the latest digital methods and
comprehensive systems ensure maximum transparency and support the
consistent reduction of energy consumption as well as the needs-based
use of renewables on the basis of accurate forecasts.
A further key issue in the field of climate protection is
biodiversity. The variety of flora and fauna at BMW Group sites
worldwide is being promoted through targeted, region-specific
measures, from beehives and falcons to meadow orchards.
Meanwhile, to support GREEN logistics both within and outside the
plants, the BMW iFACTORY adopts an open-minded approach to
technologies, focusing on environmentally sustainable concepts. Within
the next few years, for example, increased use of rail transport and
electric trucks will mean zero local emissions from transport
logistics at Plant Munich.
DIGITAL: From innovations to effective use cases
Customised premium vehicles, delighted customers, excellent quality
and on-time delivery have always been the goal of digitalisation at
the BMW Group. “The BMW iFACTORY is advancing digitalisation by taking
data consistency to a completely new level along the entire value
chain and across every one of our process chains. We use digital
innovations to create effective use cases in production – because for
us, innovation and efficiency go hand in hand,” emphasised Milan Nedeljković.
Production at the BMW Group uses the latest technologies to link all
the relevant product, process, quality and cost data between
development, planning and production processes. The main focus here is
on applications from the fields of virtualisation, data science and
artificial intelligence.
Virtualisation plays an important role within the BMW iFACTORY
strategy model. In a first step, every detail of all the BMW Group’s
production sites is being recorded in a 3D scan. In this way, planning
work can be carried out virtually at any time and from anywhere. In
the next logical step, a virtual representation – or digital twin – is
created of each factory in its entirety. This can then be used by
planning specialists in real-time collaborations across different
locations and time zones. This approach takes the planning of all
structures, production plants and even individual processes to a
completely new level. It allows virtual products to be integrated into
the factory early on, for example, and significantly reduces planning
work further down the line. It also allows investments to be otimised
and enhances process efficiency and the stability of product launches.
In partnerships like the one with NVIDIA, the BMW Group combines its
pioneering spirit and process expertise with cutting-edge
technologies. Applications and augmented and virtual reality support
employee training for future processes and technologies, and digital
production system planning allows global partners to be integrated
into the value chain early on.
Meanwhile, data science provides the foundations for fact-, figure-
and (real-time) data-based decision-making. Consistent, transparent
data allows the root causes to be identified quickly and proactively
so that processes can be optimised. BMW Group production is already an
industry pioneer in the effective use of AI and currently uses more
than 200 AI-based applications. The technology allows various
logistics and production processes to be automated for better quality
assurance. In addition, standardised platforms and self-services mean
solutions can be scaled rapidly for application across all
technologies and locations.
Employees: Fit for the BMW iFACTORY
At the heart of the BMW iFACTORY are the people who create it.
Future-focused and highly qualified, the BMW Group’s workforce is
ensuring a competitive and successful transformation. The Production
division is investing heavily and with foresight in upskilling staff
for quality, logistics, maintenance, e/e, e-mobility and digital
planning. Thanks to state-of-the-art instruction methods, employees
benefit from electronic training programmes that leave them free to
train independently and on their own initiative. Extensive additional
development options are also available to help them maintain and
enhance their skills. More than 50,000 BMW Group employees have
already undergone the training they need to work in electromobility.
The reason: Customers’ wishes and our responsibility
The key factors behind the transformation of BMW Group production are
the developments in the automotive market and specifications around
climate change. The BMW Group is already doubling its production of
electric vehicles in 2022, having delivered more than 35,000 fully
electric cars to customers in the first quarter alone. At the same
time, the latest technical innovations are supporting the company as
it contributes significantly to climate protection and
sustainability. Milan Nedeljkovic: “The BMW iFACTORY delivers not
only on the increasing customer demand for electric vehicles but also
on our desire, as a member of society, to support climate protection
and sustainability. We are using digitalisation to make this happen –
while remaining absolutely competitive.”
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate communications
Julian Friedrich, Head of Communications Production Network BMW Group
Phone: +49 89 382 25885
E-Mail: Julian.Friedrich@bmw.de
Martina Hatzel, Communication Production Network BMW Group
Phone: +49-89-382-11966
E-Mail: Martina.Hatzel@bmwgroup.com
Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com/deutschland
E-Mail: presse@bmw.de
The BMW Group production network
For decades, the BMW Group has seen itself as a benchmark in terms of
production technology and operational excellence in vehicle
construction. BMW iFACTORY. LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL. stands for the
strategic target image of the worldwide production network. It
provides the answers to the challenges of the transformation towards
e-mobility and pursues a global approach.
Lean stands for efficiency, precision, maximum flexibility and
outstanding integration capability. Green involves the use of
state-of-the-art technologies to establish production with the least
use of resources. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions in production per
vehicle by 80% by 2030 compared to 2019. Digital focuses on data
science, artificial intelligence as well as virtual planning and
development. The BMW Group’s production thus makes a decisive
contribution to the company’s profitability.
Die BMW Group
With its brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and a provider of premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly
sites in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network with
representatives in over 140 countries.
In 2021, the BMW Group achieved worldwide sales of more than 2.5
million automobiles and over 194,000 motorcycles. Profit from taxes in
the 2021 financial year amounted to €16.1 billion and sales to €111.2
billion. As of December 31, 2021, the company employed 118 people
worldwide. 909 employees.
Long-term thinking and responsible action have always been the basis
of the BMW Group’s economic success. The company set the course for
the future at an early stage and consistently places sustainability
and resource conservation at the center of its orientation, from the
supply chain to production to the end of the use phase of all products.
www.bmwgroup.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupView
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/